Tamagawa onsen　　玉川温泉

October 21st. 2025

Morning in Iwaki michi no eki　　道の駅岩城

Michi no eki Iwaki is not a bad place for an overnight stay. The toilets are spacious and reasonable, if a little the worse for wear. It is possible to park close to these facilities, lucky as it was a wet night. Rubbish bins are provided too.

The main attraction is the onsen. Not fancy but large and functional, a good place for a bath after 3 night on the highway.

＊Minato no yu onsen ; 650 yen / adult

Hachimantai Oonuma　　八幡平　大沼

We set off for Hachimantai. This proves to be another long drive but the weather is cold and wet so driving is the best option. At Hachimantai Oonuma, a large pond, we stop to admire the kouyo (autumn leaves).

Driving up to this point, as we rounded a bend we both exclaimed “oooh” at the magnificent display arching over the road ahead. Stunning in a rare burst of sunshine.

When we reach Oonuma and park at the information centre, it is raining again. Nevertheless, the colours surrounding the pond and climbing the hills beyond are spectacular.

In the past, 2016, we have walked around this pond, today, the rain and the all too serious bear warnings are enough to curb our enthusiasm.

Tamagawa Onsen　　玉川温泉

Consequently, we head off to Tamagawa Onsen. This is an old, traditional, medical hot spring. It has highly acidic spring water primarily composed of hydrochloric acid and containing radium.

People with serious health problems stay in dormitories to take baths and lie on the hot rocks. These are around the large jigoku or “hell” where sulphurous  gasses erupt through sulphur coated vents into the atmosphere. There is a high reading of Radon too which is apparently beneficial.

We had hoped to take a visitors bath but arrive too late in the day. The time limit for visitors is 14:30. We are happy, however, to take a circular walk (Nature Study Path) around the hissing, sulphur caked, steam vents. There is water too, gushing out of the ground at a very high temperature and an exceedingly high acidity.

A walk then shrouded in sulphurous steam. Here and there, people are lying on the ground wrapped in blankets and sleeping bags. It is cold – around 8 degrees – but the ground is warm.

Misato michi no eki　　道の駅美郷

Not far, maybe a 20 minute circuit, and we get back to the car park before it closes at 4.30pm and drive down to our michi no eki at Misato. This is another long drive and although the michi no eki is not ideal I don’t want to drive further.

The facilities are excellent but all the nearby parking is taken with handicapped spaces. Although I know these will not all be needed, I am still loath to park here, irrational but I can’t do it. So we park not far away but close to the main road. This michi no eki is very new, or recently refurbished, and has a large, airy shop for veg. and local pickles.