Awazu Onsen

Awazu Onsen in Komatsu, Ishikawa, is one of Japan's oldest continuously operating hot spring areas, with thermal water records stretching back over 1,300 years. The slightly alkaline water is said to benefit skin conditions and joint pain. Several traditional ryokan offer indoor and outdoor rotenburo baths, and the Sougou-yu public bathhouse provides an affordable option for day visitors. Nearby Natadera Temple is a spectacular hillside complex with caverns, pagodas, and seasonal gardens carved into rocky cliffs. The surrounding area includes the Kutani pottery village of Yunokunimori, where artisans demonstrate the colorful overglaze techniques that have defined Kutani ware for centuries.