The Thatched Honjin of an Old Spa
Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin (鶴の湯温泉本陣) is the thatched long building of a hot-spring inn of the early Meiji period in Tazawako Tazawa, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on January 15, 2010 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a single-storey thatched timber building with a building area of 225 square metres, altered in the late Showa period and about 1998; registration number 05-0174.
A Thatched Building 43 Metres Long
The Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin is a long hipped building under thatch, 43 metres from east to west, with a smoke vent on the south side (Agency for Cultural Affairs). The western half has an earth-floored entrance and five guest rooms of eleven mats each, the eastern half a lounge, an office and other rooms. The walls are of vertical boards, and adze-finished beams span the interior.
The official site says Tsurunoyu is the oldest inn of the Nyuto Onsen springs; Satake Yoshitaka, second lord of Akita, is said to have come here to take the waters in 1638, and the thatched honjin, where his guards are said to have stayed, has become the symbol of Tsurunoyu.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency notes that it conveys well the charm of an old spa for long therapeutic stays and registered it for its contribution to the historic landscape.
What to Look For
Look for the long thatched roof with its smoke vent, the board walls and, inside, the adze-finished beams (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Visiting
It is a guest wing of a working inn, and the official site lists rooms in the honjin for overnight stays. According to its English page, day bathing is offered from 10:00 to 15:00 and is not available on Mondays.
Q&A
- When was it built?
- In the early Meiji period (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Why is it called the honjin?
- Tradition says the guards of the Akita lord stayed here (official site).
- How big is it?
- A thatched building 43 metres long with five eleven-mat guest rooms.
- Can I stay there?
- The official site lists honjin rooms for overnight stays.
- When was Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin registered?
- On January 15, 2010 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin (鶴の湯温泉本陣) |
|---|---|
| Location | Sendatsuzawa National Forest, Tazawako Tazawa, Senboku City, Akita Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2010/01/15 (Heisei 22) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Single-storey timber, thatched, 225 m² |
| Owner | Not listed in the Agency database |
| Public Access | Hot-spring inn (day bathing 10:00-15:00, not on Mondays, official site) |
References
- Tsurunoyu Onsen Honjin (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00007952
- About Tsurunoyu Onsen (official site, Japanese)
- https://www.tsurunoyu.com/FONDMENT/t-annai.html
- Tsurunoyu Onsen (official site, English)
- https://www.tsurunoyu.com/english.html
Last verified: 2026.10.21