Nestled amidst the magnificent natural beauty along the Toyosawa River, which displays the charm of each season, lies Osawa Onsen, a Osawa Onsen) that has been weaving together 1,200 years of history.
Sansuikaku is a refined, modern, purely Japanese-style inn with a variety of facilities. The guest rooms overlooking the stream come in four types, including the "Peony Room," a recreation of the room used by Kotaro Takamura, and two rooms with cypress wood baths. It is a space where the colors of the trees you can see, the sound of the stream, and the unique Japanese atmosphere of a Japanese room blend together.
This inn hopes that even those unfamiliar with hot spring therapy will come to appreciate its benefits. Currently, the "Self-Catering Hot Spring Inn" welcomes guests seeking therapeutic bathing, and three baths await them. The famous mixed-gender open-air bath, "Osawa no Yu," has an anecdote associated with it: when Kenji Miyazawa was a student, he played a prank and stopped the waterwheel that draws up the hot spring water. It has long been a social gathering place for hot spring enthusiasts. Its setting, nestled beside the Toyosawa River, offers breathtaking views and a sense of openness. The pleasure of soaking in the free-flowing hot spring water while reflecting on history is an experience that can only be had here.
There are also designated bathing times for women, and along with the women-only "Kawabe no Yu," you can enjoy a secluded hot spring experience. The indoor bath "Yakushi no Yu" is highly recommended by regulars for its ability to warm you thoroughly from the core of your body. The bath space, which has been renovated while retaining the charm of its former retro tiles, still retains the atmosphere of a traditional hot spring resort.

The hot spring tour continues to the bathhouses of Sansuikaku, but it's essential to take breaks along the way.
After a short rest, head to the "Sansui no Yu" bath, exclusively for hotel guests. The large bathhouse, with its impressive high ceilings and large glass windows, offers a spacious and open atmosphere where you can stretch out and refresh yourself while gazing at the poetic colors of the mountains. The adjoining open-air bath also has a special charm. You'll be soothed by the sunlight filtering through the trees, the sound of the stream, and the wind.
Another attraction is the separate men's and women's semi-open-air baths, "Toyosawa no Yu," located by the river. During the seasons of deep green and autumn leaves, the glass doors are opened to create a semi-open-air bath, while in winter, when the snowscape is beautiful, the doors are partitioned off to create an indoor bath.
Sansuikaku also has three private baths exclusively for guests, which can be used free of charge from 3 PM to 12 AM and from 6 AM to 10 AM the following morning.
Enjoy a monthly changing "authentic kaiseki meal" prepared with the freshest seasonal ingredients and meticulous handiwork, served in a modern dining room or private banquet hall.
One place you should definitely see is the multi-purpose thatched-roof hall "Mukashi Gallery Chigaya" at the Nanbu Clan Thatched-Roof Kikusui-kan. This building was created in 2023 by renovating a historically rare thatched-roof building. The gallery displays photographs and postcards related to Kenji Miyazawa, as well as items that evoke the history of Osawa Onsen.
This is a "1200-year-old hot spring village" where the seasons change. A hot spring culture and history that we want modern people to know about still thrive here.