Tabayama Onsen Nomekoi-yu

Surrounded by lush forests and craggy mountains, the village of Tabayama is also blessed with fantastic hot spring waters. The bright and modern Nomekoi-yu bathhouse is a relatively recent addition to the townscape, its name deriving from the word nomekkoi. In local dialect, this means “smooth and silky,” and as the name implies, this is how your skin will feel after a soak.

Nomekoi-yu has two main baths: a Roman-style bath and a Japanese-style bath. Both offer novel experiences for the visitor, including bathing in the open air while looking out at the verdant forest beyond the walls.

The hot spring’s source temperature is 44°C, while the baths at Nomekoi-yu are cooled to 41.7°C. The waters are clear and gently sulphurous, and reputed to alleviate muscle pains and fatigue. The hot spring is well-loved by day-trippers from Tokyo, who often stop by after a long day hiking through the nearby mountains.

Other facilities in Nomekoi-yu include several tatami mat-lined relaxation rooms, a canteen, and massage rooms. The souvenir shop on the ground floor is particularly worth exploring, with numerous items bearing delicate pen illustrations of wolves by Mai Tamagawa.