Isawa Onsen Street

Isawa Onsen Street brings together, in one scenic location encircled by mountains, two pleasures loved by the Japanese: hot-spring bathing and cherry-blossom viewing. Visitors will delight in the mental and physical reset that the combined experience can bring about.

Along both banks of a 900-meter stretch of narrow waterway, flowing off the Fuefuki River, stand dozens of onsen (hot-spring bathhouses) interspersed with a handful of hotels. Visitors can hop from bathhouse to bathhouse, soaking in the distinctive atmosphere of each, with the option of an overnight stay in one of the street’s equally characteristic hotels. This makes Isawa Onsen Street the perfect option for independent travelers, who may wish to choose baths and accommodation separately.

Charming in any season, the street becomes a highly vibrant spectacle each hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) season. The bloom of the sakura trees planted abundantly along both banks of the waterway is illuminated by countless lights strung over the water’s surface, playing off the delicate hues of the flowers to create a captivating avenue of color and light.

Whichever onsen you choose, the water is piped in from the same source. Isawa Onsen’s plentiful supply of hot spring water—it gushes out at a rate of 2,000 liters per minute—was discovered by chance in 1961 when a well was being dug. Its alkaline-rich water is thought to be effective for a wide range of ailments, including muscle and joint aches, bruising, gout, and simply exhaustion.