Part of the reason I wanted to visit Tazawako is that one of Japan’s most famous hot springs, Nyuto Onsen was near the lake. There are about eight bath houses around this spring, but the one I wanted to visit was Tsuru-no-yu, a bath house that has been in business for nearly 400 years.

Wanted to take an extra day at Tazawako as a rest day and visit this onsen, but the climb to reach it up in the mountains was far from that. Still, the bath was worth it. The water contains many minerals including sulphur, sodium and carbonic acid which is meant to contain healing properties( and turns the water white), at least according to the legend of the origins of the bath house – discovered when a hunter saw a crane healing it’s wounds in the water.

Despite the 10km climb to the bath, it was the best way I could have spent this rest day.