Yusaya Japanese Inn

元祖うなぎ湯の宿ゆさやがんそうなぎゆのやどゆさや

A heritage ryokan in Naruko with a color-shifting alkaline bath

Lodging

Naruko Onsen-kyoNaruko Onsen

Tohoku·Miyagi

0229-83-2565 yusaya.co.jp

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Day Use

Bathing & Water

Natural onsen water

Uses natural hot spring water

Outdoor BathYes

Open-air outdoor bath

Indoor BathYes

Enclosed indoor bathing area

Bathing Arrangements

Private BathYes

A private bath you can reserve for yourself or your group

The private outdoor bath is free for lodging and rest guests only; bathing-only (day-use) visitors are not admitted.

Mixed BathingNo

Shared bathing area for all genders

Baths are single sex; men's and women's baths differ in size and are swapped by time of day, not mixed bathing.

Policies & Services

WashingYes

Shower, wash stations, soap and shampoo provided

ParkingYes

On-site or nearby parking available

23 spaces (1 bus, 2 microbuses, 20 cars), free, no reservation needed, per a travel-agency listing.

Water treatment

Pure source water· 源泉かけ流し (gensen kakenagashi)

from Article 18 disclosure

Added water
No
Reheated
No
Recirculated
No
Disinfected
No
Bath additives
No

新うなぎ湯3号泉・山道新1号泉・山道新2号泉・山道新3号泉・山道新4号泉・山道新5号泉・山道新6号泉混合泉

Shin-Unagiyu Spring No.3 / Sando-Shin Springs No.1–6 mixed source

Operated by · 元祖うなぎ湯の宿ゆさや

Mixed source

黄

Sulfur

+ Sulfate · Bicarbonate

Color: colorless and clear
Taste: with a bitter edge
Odor: strong hydrogen sulfide

Sodium Sulfate-Bicarbonate-Chloride spring

Hot source · 69°CSulfur-richHigh silica

Composition fingerprint2.1 g/kg dissolved · Hypotonic

Na⁺81

SO₄²⁻49

HCO₃⁻22

Cl⁻22

◀ CationsAnions ▶

Sodium Na⁺: salt's cation — pairs with chloride to make the water salty.
Sulfate SO₄²⁻: "gypsum / Glauber's salt" — vessels and wound healing.

Known good for

Skin conditionsatopic skin, eczema
Circulationtired legs
Aches & jointsstiff shoulders

Sensitive-skin cautionbroken or dry skin

A sulfur-bearing sodium sulfate-bicarbonate spring blended from the inn's own wellfield in Naruko Onsen. The wellhead runs at 68.9 °C and the bath is served with no dilution, no reheating, no recirculation and no disinfection — fully untreated source flow. At the spout the water is clear, but the air carries a strong hydrogen sulfide note and a faint bitterness lingers if tasted; once the water settles, fine mineral scale (yuno-hana) drifts up. Metasilicic acid at 184 mg/kg paired with the sulfur fraction gives the slippery 'eel-water' (unagi-yu) feel the inn is named for, and salinity sits in the mid range — about 2,077 mg/kg of dissolved solids.

Analyzed Mar 18, 2021·一般財団法人宮城県公衆衛生協会·Cert no. 第010007号

Explore the water

Views

Forest

Mountains

About

Yusaya is a small ryokan in Naruko Onsen built around two hot-spring baths. The indoor bath, Unagi-yu (うなぎ湯, literally "eel bath"), is fed by an alkaline sulfate spring said to leave skin feeling smooth, and its color is known to shift from emerald to near-black depending on the weather. A short uphill walk from the main building, on the inn's own grounds, sits a private outdoor bath, Akane no Yu (茜の湯), reserved by time slot and free for lodging guests only; it is sometimes closed when bears are seen nearby. Baths are separated by sex, with the men's and women's sides swapped by time of day rather than mixed. The building is a nationally registered tangible cultural property, and the indoor bath is old enough to appear in writings from the mid-Edo period. Inside, a retro-modern interior keeps the feel of an old-fashioned countryside inn.

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4.0

2 reviews

from 1 reviewer

Sergey M

1 year ago· edited

217. Yusaya Japanese Inn, Naruko Onsen, Miyagi ★★ The place is a bit mixed. What drew me in was the unique bath on the hill across the road from the ryokan, which is available to guests. I stayed at the ryokan for one night with meals included. Breakfast and dinner were plentiful, and they gave me a second serving without any problem. At dinner there was a superb persimmon dish. The room was spacious, but the toilet was shared in the hallway, with only a sink in the room. There were some service issues: - in November it was cold in the room, the heater was doing its best, but it shut off at night; - breakfast started 40 minutes later than the scheduled time; - it was not possible to leave luggage after checkout because the ryokan was not operating the next day; - the toilet in the hallway situation; - the rush during guest checkout; - the unique bath on the hill is effectively available for 25 minutes plus 5 minutes to go up and down. They give you a free pass to the neighboring public onsen. The ryokan itself has been featured in magazines. The unique bath on the hill is effectively private. It is allotted per room for 30 minutes, including going up and down. The water in the bath is clear, and the temperature is 39. The view of the trees is wonderful. It is no surprise that the bath was featured in a magazine. The first indoor bath option for men was available until 21:00, at which time the baths switch between men and women. It is comfortable to breathe inside. There are two baths with clear, slightly cloudy water. The main bath has a temperature of 40-41, and the small polygonal bath has a temperature of 36. The second option consists of one old-school indoor bath, and it is fine to breathe there. The water is clear and slightly cloudy, with a temperature of 42-43. The place has its flaws, but it also has unique features. In any case, I would recommend it as a place to stay in Naruko Onsen. 05.11.2024 06.11.2024