is a hot spring resort in the Zainiwasaka district of the city of Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan. It is in the mountains about 14 km west of Fukushima Station.

Description

Takayu Onsen is halfway up the slopes of Mount Azuma, near the entrance to the Bandai-Azuma Skyline sightseeing road, due west of the centre of Fukushima city. The hot springs were first developed during the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

, around 400 years ago, and consist of around a dozen

ryokan A is a type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features ''tatami''-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner. Ryokan have existed since the eighth century A.D. du ...

, many of which open up their baths to non-staying guests during the day for a small fee. The most famous among them is the historic Tamagoyu, a small wooden bathhouse with one pool each per gender. There is a public bathhouse, the Attaka no Yu, and a free outdoor foot bath at the center of the small town. The strongly acidic water is rich in hydrogen sulfide, which results in a slightly milky, blue water and a distinctive "rotten egg" smell. To maintain the high quality of the water, many ryokan channel it directly and unadulterated into their baths.

Access

By car

From the east, Takayu can be reached from Fukushima, taking Fukushima Prefectural Route 70 west. Access from the west is via the Bandai-Azuma Skyline (a toll-free road).

By bus

Fukushima Transportation is a rail and bus transportation company headquartered in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. It operates the Iizaka Line rail line and an extensive bus network, which primarily serves the Nakadōri and northern section of the Hamadō ...

buses to Takayu leave from the east exit of Fukushima Station and terminate at .福島駅東口　ばすげっと
'. Retrieved on May 12, 2009.

References

{{Authority control Hot springs of Fukushima Prefecture Tourist attractions in Fukushima Prefecture Spa towns in Japan Fukushima (city)