Fukiage Onsen Hounkaku

Hounkaku (峯雲閣) is a small ryokan in the Onikobe area best known for one thing: a natural hot-spring waterfall, the takitsubo (滝壺), that tumbles directly into a bathing pool on the inn's grounds. Reviewers call it a one-of-a-kind setup in Japan. The water runs free-flowing (kakenagashi, かけ流し) throughout. Beyond the separate indoor baths, guests pass through to a mixed open-air bath (konyoku rotenburo, 混浴露天風呂); women can use a bath towel or yuamogi (湯あみ着, a bathing wrap). The waterfall pool is best from late spring through autumn and tends to run cool in winter.