Matsukawa Onsen

Matsukawa Onsen sits inside Towada-Hachimantai National Park, its three inns fed by sulfurous milky-white waters with the characteristic mineral deposits and faint egg scent common to volcanic springs. The Matsukawa Geothermal Power Station upstream was Japan's first geothermal plant to begin commercial operations. Three hiking trailheads start from the onsen area, including one route to Mt. Iwate via Ubakurayama. The area is accessible seasonally via the Hachimantai Jukai Line and Aspite Line, two highland roads cleared of snow each spring, with corridors of plowed snow walls reaching several meters high. The Geocolor studio nearby uses hydrogen-sulfide steam piped from the earth to set dyes on scarves and textiles, producing one-of-a-kind gradated color patterns.