大丸あすなろ荘

大丸あすなろ荘 sits deep in the Futamata valley of Fukushima, a member of the Japan Secret Hot Springs Association and reportedly first discovered in the Heian period. The simple alkaline spring (pH 7.6) feeds three different baths, including a self-flowing rock bath where the water bubbles up naturally through the bottom of the tub, a rare and oddly mesmerising thing to sit in. The stream-side open-air bath changes face with the seasons, and the mixed bathing hours during daytime day-trip visits add to its unhurried, backcountry character.