New Outdoor Bath ‘Tennyo-no-yuami’ is for Ladies’ Exclusive Use
‘Frutakiya’ in Iwaki-yumoto Onsen-Part 1
| Name | Furutakiya | ||
| Address: | 208 Sahako, Joban-yumoto-cho, Iwaki, Fukushima, 972-8321 Japan | ||
| Phone: | 0246-43-2191 | ||
| FAX: | 0246-43-3734 | ||
| URL: | http://www.furutakiya.com/ | ||
| Chick in | 15:00 | Chick out | 10:00 |
Outdoor Bath ‘Tennyo-no-yuami’ is newly opened in Japanese onsen inn ‘Furutakiya’ in Iwaki-yumoto Onsen, Fukushima. The new outdoor bath is now the hottest thing going among women onsen lovers. The new onsen facility located on the 40m high 9th floor includes three attractive onsen baths as such ‘Kakenagashi (掛け流し)’ or full use of running natural hot spring water, Jacuzzi, and silky bath or micro babble water bath. Unfortunately, it is not open for gentlemen, but for ladies’ exclusive use.
‘Furutakiya’ is a ‘shinise-ryokan (老舗旅館) or a long-established Japanese inn, founded in Genroku 8 (1695), during the Edo period. Although, as in usual among local inns, large group organized men’s tours had been their main customers last few decades, this ‘shinise’ inn has changed its management policy as ‘an attractive inn for young and old of both sexes’ in recent years. Under the new policy, the inn has improved its facilities including renovation of grand bathrooms, providing new Karaoke music rooms, reserved outdoor baths, and oil massage treatment rooms. Visitors without staying overnight are also positively served.
‘Iwaki-yumoto Hot Spring Town’
Located in the south-eastern corner of Fukushima Prefecture, Iwaki where ‘Furutakiya’ located is one of the largest cities in Japan in terms of land area, and the second largest city in the Tohoku region, after, Sendai in terms of population. After being designated as a New Industrial City in 1964, the Iwaki area, which was made up of 14 independent cities, towns and villages, amalgamated in a spirit of tradition and harmony to create Iwaki City in October 1966. Since that time Iwaki has developed as one unified city. Iwaki City enjoys a rich natural environment and a relatively temperate climate that attracts large numbers of tourists throughout the year.
There are nine swimming beaches spotted along Iwaki’s 60km coastline that are very popular in Summer, and surfers can be spotted enjoying the waves of Iwaki in all four seasons. The rivers, waterfalls, gorges and damns of Iwaki are also popular weekend destinations. But one of the attractions that Iwaki is most well-known for throughout Japan is the ‘Iwaki Yumoto Hot Spring Town’, which is one of the three oldest hot spring areas nationally.
According to the old book ‘Engishiki-shinmeicho’(延喜式神明帳) finished compilation in 927, ‘Sahako-no-oyu’ (三古湯＝三函の御湯), or the three of oldest hot springs in Japan, were Dogo Onsen in Iyo (present Ehime), Arima Onsen in Settsu (present Hyogo) and Yumoto Onsen in Iwaki.
Origin of Iwaki Onsen dates back to the Nara Period (710-784). Iwaki used to be called ‘Sahako’ (佐波古) another expression of三函in Chinese characters. A local legend said that a wounded Japanese crane was rescued by a couple of young travelers when it was drinking hot spring water. The couple travelers carefully washed injured part of the crane in hot spring water. Finally, the crane recovered from wound and fried away. A few days later, a noble lady (disguised crane) came to see the couple and gave a scroll. There was a suggestion in the scroll that said they should open hot spring there and live out their natural life span. Since then ‘Sahako’ Onsen has opened at Iwaki.
Outdoor Bath ‘Tennyo-no-yuami’
On July 1, 2010, new attraction for female guests was opened. That is an outdoor bath named ‘Tennyo-no-yuami’. It used to be a place for men’s and women’s outdoor grand baths. Old grand bath area was completely renovated to a new design of stylish outdoor hot spring facility with three different baths. No roof is applied all over the bathtubs so that you can enjoy looking up at the innumerable stars in the heavens while taking bath. And all walls and fences surrounding the baths are made lower than usual that make you feel really floating on the air. The ‘Tennyo-no-yuami’ is not provided for quick bathers but limited to female room guests. It helped to promote increasing additional female clients for the inn.
＜Reference materials＞
Monthly Hotel Ryokan November 2010
http://www.furutakiya.com/
http://www.city.iwaki.fukushima.jp/
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce “Furutakiya” in Iwaki-yumoto Onsen. If you have something to ask, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.
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Comment from Yakitori
Time 15/12/2010 at 05:35
Wow, i’m not a lady, but i really like this outdoor bath. ^^