Nasu-Yumoto: Hot Spring Tradition and Sesshoseki

Nasu-yumoto lies on the southern slope of Chausu-dake and forms the center of the Nasu hot spring area. The town brings together bathing history, cultural traditions, and walking paths to named attractions. Sesshoseki is associated with a local legend and a haiku by Matsuo Bashō; Shika no Yu draws attention to the architecture and traditions of the hot spring town.

Finding Your Way Around Sesshoseki

Sesshoseki is in the hot spring area of Nasu-yumoto, 200 meters north of the main building of Nasu Onsen Shrine. It is located behind the parking lot by the Yukawa River. A wooden boardwalk around Sesshoseki leads to the attractions Nasu Onsen Shrine and Sentaijizō. The path is suitable for a leisurely stroll and connects Sesshoseki with two named destinations. This makes it possible to understand the visit not only through the area's legend, but also through the paths and attractions in its surroundings.

Legend and Literary Connection

Sesshoseki is associated with the legend of a nine-tailed fox with a white face and golden fur. Matsuo Bashō visited Sesshoseki and left the haiku “Ishi no ka ya natsu kusa akaku tsuyu atsushi” there. A legendary figure and the visit of a well-known poet are thus linked to this place. The fox figure belongs to local folklore; Bashō's verse provides a literary connection. Visitors interested in culture and stories will find two distinct ways to experience Sesshoseki here, without confusing them.

Shika no Yu: Building History and Bathing Traditions

The present-day bathhouse at Shika no Yu has a bathing building from the Meiji period and an entrance area from the Taishō period. The two parts of the building therefore come from different historical eras. Bathing traditions are also part of the character of the area: traditional scenes of yu-momi and timed bathing can still be seen today in Shika no Yu's wooden communal bath. The architecture and bathing scenes offer different cultural points of connection—the former through building history, the latter through traditional bathing practices.

The origin of the name Shika no Yu is also linked to a traditional story. According to the story, a hunter came across the spring in the early 7th century while pursuing a deer. The tale connects the bath with a story about its discovery; it should be understood as a tradition. Together with the bathhouse and traditional scenes, it makes Shika no Yu a place where building history and storytelling traditions meet.

Hotels in the Hot Spring Town

Nasu-yumoto has modern hotels alongside traditional inns for people visiting for hot spring treatments. If you would like to connect your trip above all with the hot spring tradition, the history of Shika no Yu is also part of the area's cultural background. This lets you combine your choice of destination with an interest in its bathing history without treating individual accommodations as interchangeable.

Landscape of Chausu-dake

At the foot of Chausu-dake, a valley above the Nasu-yumoto hot spring area has an area with sulfur gas and scattered stones of various sizes. Nasu-yumoto itself lies on the southern slope of the mountain. The hillside location and the valley above the hot spring area are two geographic reference points that connect the character of the town with its mountain landscape. Alongside bathhouses, inns, and cultural sites, the landscape of Chausu-dake is another aspect you can consider when finding your way around Nasu-yumoto.

Discover more destinations: Nikkō, Yaita, Kanuma, Nasu, Nasushiobara, Sano, Utsunomiya, Ashikaga.

For the regional travel overview: Tochigi Prefecture.