Naruko Onsen
Family-Friendly Hotels in Naruko Onsen (Hot Spring): Bath Hopping & Kokeshi
Buffet dinners and bathhouse hopping for the whole family in a thousand-year-old Miyagi hot spring town
When you start looking for a place to stay in Naruko Onsen with children, it is natural to wonder whether a hot spring town with this much old-fashioned charm can also be easy to manage with a little one in tow. Naruko Onsen is a hot spring district with a thousand years of history in Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. The town spreads out around Naruko Onsen Station on the JR Rikuu East Line, and it is one of Tohoku's classic bathing destinations, reachable from Tokyo with a single transfer.
All 2 of the Naruko Onsen hotels listed on our site are large hot spring hotels with buffet breakfasts and dinners, and each one has children's tableware, high chairs, and baby food on hand. 2 of them keep baby bathtubs and baby seats in the large public baths, and 2 have Japanese-style tatami rooms where futons make it easy for a child to sleep alongside you. One hotel lets you soak in two different types of spring water across its main building and annex, and another, about a 3-minute walk from the station, has an open-air bath with a view as well as a kama-buro, a traditional bath set in a large kettle-shaped tub. Guests can also bathe for free at sister hotels and at Taki no Yu, the town's public bathhouse, so a little bathhouse hopping is part of the stay.
On the other hand, none of the listed hotels offer private family baths or in-room dining. If your child is still too young for the large public bath and you would rather bathe just as a family, you will be working with the baby bathtubs and baby seats provided there. Extra futons for children under 3 are arranged with advance notice, and because the rooms are mostly Japanese style, these hotels suit families who plan to have their child sleep next to them.
Naruko kokeshi, the slender painted wooden dolls that are the area's traditional folk toy, are displayed all over the hot spring town, and some shops let you paint one yourself. Naruko Gorge, known as one of Tohoku's finest spots for fall foliage, plus Naruko Dam and Lake Katanuma are all an easy drive away, so the valley and lake scenery is worth seeing in the other seasons too.
Highlights
- checkA hot spring town with a thousand years of history, spread around JR Naruko Onsen Station and just one transfer from Tokyo
- checkThe listed hotels are large hot spring hotels with buffet breakfasts and dinners, plus children's tableware, high chairs, and baby food
- checkGuests bathe free at sister hotels and at the Taki no Yu public bathhouse, so you can go bathhouse hopping
- checkFamily outings from kokeshi doll painting to a drive through Naruko Gorge, one of Tohoku's best fall foliage spots
Recommended hotels (2)
Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Kounkaku
Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Masuya
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Nearby attractions
Naruko Gorge
Naruko Dam
Lake Katanuma
Kokeshi doll painting experience
Taki no Yu
public bathhouse
Bathhouse hopping in the Naruko Onsen town
Travel tips
The closest station to Naruko Onsen is Naruko Onsen Station on the JR Rikuu East Line. Some hotels are about a 3-minute walk from the station while others are about 15 minutes on foot, so with small children it is worth checking that distance in advance to make the arrival easier. By car it is about 40 minutes from the Furukawa IC exit on the Tohoku Expressway, and the hotels have large parking lots. Since the listed hotels have no private family baths or in-room dining, plan on using the baby bathtubs and baby seats in the large public baths. Some hotels run the buffet in staggered seating times, so allowing extra time on arrival makes for a calmer meal. Snow accumulates here in winter, so snow tires are required if you are driving.
Best season
Fall is the highlight, when Naruko Gorge turns color and you can pair the valley scenery with a hot spring soak. Early summer brings fresh greenery and pleasant drives out to Naruko Dam and Lake Katanuma, and in winter an open-air bath with the snowy scenery in view has a quiet beauty of its own. Families who are not used to driving on snowy roads will find spring through fall the easiest time to get around.
Getting there
Naruko Onsen Station on the JR Rikuu East Line is the closest station, reachable from Tokyo in under 3 hours by Shinkansen and local line. By car it is about 40 minutes from the Furukawa IC exit on the Tohoku Expressway. Some hotels are as close as a 3-minute walk from the station, while the ones about 15 minutes on foot have large parking lots.
Frequently Asked Questions
From what age can children enjoy Naruko Onsen?
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From newborns onward. Both listed hotels keep baby bathtubs and baby seats in the large public baths, and the restaurants have baby food along with children's tableware and high chairs. Extra futons for children under 3 are arranged with advance notice, so these hotels also suit families whose child sleeps alongside them.
Do the hotels in Naruko Onsen have private family baths or in-room dining?
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The Naruko Onsen hotels listed on our site do not offer private family baths or in-room dining. Breakfast and dinner are both buffets in the restaurant, and bathing means using the baby bathtubs and baby seats in the large public baths. If you would rather not worry about other guests, going at an off-peak hour works well.
How do families get to Naruko Onsen?
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Naruko Onsen Station on the JR Rikuu East Line is the closest station, reachable from Tokyo in under 3 hours with one transfer. By car it is about 40 minutes from the Furukawa IC exit on the Tohoku Expressway. Hotels range from about a 3-minute walk to about a 15-minute walk from the station, so families with a lot of luggage will find a hotel near the station, or traveling by car, the easier option. Snow accumulates in winter, so snow tires are required.