♨️ Shinkansen to the forest pond, a one-day trip

If you don't have a car, you can still go to Nyuto Onsen. Just understand the transportation system here, as this village is nestled in the mountains of Akita Prefecture. Japan has a very well-established system.

I got all my information from the information board at Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo Hotel.
In the lobby, they have pamphlets, maps, and bus schedules—from routes from the station to bus schedules throughout the village. It's like a map of the lives of people who come to soak in the hot springs here. I've taken the opportunity to compile this information for those planning a day trip.

Start at JR Tazawako Station, the main gateway to the area. From the station, you'll find the "Nyuto Line" bus operated by Ugo Kotsu. It takes about 40 minutes up the mountain to the village. The journey passes through forests and streams before reaching Kyukamura, the center of the entire onsen village.

From here, you can take another small bus called the "Yumeguri-go"—a sightseeing bus that circles the valley. It passes through seven hot springs, one at a time: Tsurunoyu, Taenoyu, Kuroyu, Magoroku, Ogama, Ganiba, and returns to Kyukamura. This bus isn't free; you need to purchase a ticket called "Yumeguri Tegata" for 2,500 yen. This is like a one-day pass, allowing unlimited rides and access to multiple hot springs.

The bus schedule is posted on the hotel's bulletin board. The morning bus starts around 8:30 AM, the afternoon bus around 2 PM, and the last bus around 4:00 PM. If you want to try several hot springs, we recommend arriving in the afternoon; the bus returns just in time for the evening.

In the evening, you can take the same bus back to Tazawako Station.

The last bus leaves around 5:00 PM. If you have a little more time, you might want to try another route. During the autumn foliage season, there's a special bus called "Dakigaeri-go" that goes to Obakairi Valley, a beautiful scenic spot not far from the station.
There's a red bridge and Mikaeri Falls. We stopped at Dakigaeri-go on October 20, 2025. The leaves hadn't changed color yet, so we expect it to be in early November. It should be beautiful.

Simply put, even without a car, you can still see everything.
Take the Shinkansen to Tazawako, then take a bus up the mountain to Kyukamura. Use Yumeguri-go to tour the village, soak in the hot springs, and hike through the forest. Then, return to the bus in the evening. If you miss the autumn leaves, Nyuto also has Dakigaeri-go, which should peak around early November.

Source: Information board at Kyukamura Nyuto Onsenkyo Hotel

** Interested parties should check the schedule with the bus operator closer to the actual travel date, as bus schedules in Japan can change yearly/seasonally.

#NyutoOnsen #AkitaJapan #TohokuTrip #JapanTravel #TravelJapanOnSelf #JapaneseOnsen #TravelWithoutACar