Seki Onsen
関温泉36°54′ N 138°10′ EOnsen town¥500, about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates)
Seki Onsen is the iron-rich hot spring above Akakura where small inns sell day baths from ¥500, and it suits skiers at the Seki Onsen ski area who want rust-coloured water without a bathhouse crowd; there is no public bath, so you depend on the inns' hours.
Photo Tail furry · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Know before you bathe
These are small family inns, so ring before you turn up and keep your voice down in the bath.
Getting there
Seki sits at about 900 m on the road up to Tsubame Onsen, beside the Seki Onsen ski area.
Myoko Tourism counts Seki as the oldest of the mountain's seven spa villages, with bathing traced to the Kyoho era of the early 1700s. The water rises in the Otagiri gorge and carries enough iron to turn brown as it sits. Myoko Tourism names that reddish-brown as one of the colours on its Myoko Nagomi no Yu trail.
You bathe at the inns. Nakamuraya and Asahiya charge ¥500, Tomiya ¥700 and Kyukamura Myoko ¥800 on the April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya have outdoor baths, and both shut those in winter, which leaves indoor pools for the ski season.
The Seki Onsen ski area starts at the edge of the village, and Tsubame Onsen's milky water lies a short drive further up the road.
Worth knowing
- Phone Nakamuraya or Tomiya first; the list marks both as 'confirm in advance'.
- Asahiya cleans its bath on Monday mornings.
Quick answers about Seki Onsenよくある質問
Does Seki Onsen have a public bath?
No. Seki Onsen has no day bathhouse, and visitors use inn baths that cost ¥500 to ¥800 on Myoko Tourism's April 2026 list.
Why is Seki Onsen's water red?
Seki Onsen's water carries iron, which turns it reddish-brown as it meets the air.
What are the opening hours of Seki Onsen?
Seki Onsen: each inn sets its own hours, between 9:00 and 18:00 on the April 2026 list. Nakamuraya and Asahiya close their outdoor baths in winter.
How much does Seki Onsen cost?
Prices at Seki Onsen start at ¥500 per adult (2026), about CAD 4.50 or USD 3.20 (October 2026 rates).
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