Nasu Onsen Shikanoyu

A bleak scenery of only jagged rocks and no vegetation, Sessho-seki is a mysterious area that is quite different from the green mountains of the Nasu Highlands. It is also known as a historic site associated with the myth of the nine-tailed fox that troubled ancient India and China. The area exudes a mystifying atmosphere surrounded by the scent of sulfur. During the Gojinkasai fire festival held every May, a procession of participants dressed in white attire and holding up torches walk from Nasu Onsen Shrine to the Sessho-seki.

Located atop a hill in the Nasu Highlands, Matsukawaya Nasukogen Hotel boasts an outdoor bath with one of Nasu Onsen's best views. The natural sulfur spring sourced from Shikanoyu is one of the most abundant in volume in the Nasu Yumoto area. In addition, the hotel also offers a skin beautifying hot spring bath so visitors can enjoy two types of hot springs, which are offered in their completely natural form with no alterations. At night, relax in the quietness of the surrounding area and listen to the breathing of the forest. This is an ideal hotel to relax and unwind.

Take a break at this free footbath facility located right in front of the entrance to Nasu Onsen Shrine. The wooden building has two footbath tubs, and you can casually relax in the hot spring without much strain on the body just by dipping your legs from your knee down. The hot spring is known to treat sensitivity to coldness, skin cuts and chronic skin diseases. The name Konbairo comes from the local dialect for the Asian fawnlily flower, an elegant purple flower that adorns the Nasu Onsen area in springtime.