Matsukawa-so
松川荘39°52′ N 140°55′ ERyokan¥
Matsukawa-so suits onsen purists who want milky sulphur water and deep quiet at a low price. The trade-off is a winter road that needs four-wheel drive and baths with no showers.
Wildlife notice
Iwate, Aomori and Akita keep bear warnings in force through the autumn
Iwate has had a bear warning in force since 22 April 2026 after sightings ran far above the usual level, Aomori's warning runs from 20 April to 30 November 2026, and Akita's advisory covers October. Ride forest roads in daylight, carry a bell and keep to busier roads at dawn and dusk. Each prefecture's page lists the current sightings.
Checked 2026-10-11 · pref.iwate.jp
Road closure
The Hachimantai Jukai Line stays shut between Horaikyo and the Matsukawa gate
Iwate Prefecture closed the Jukai Line, prefectural road 318, from Horaikyo to the Matsukawa gate at 17:00 on 3 July 2024 after a landslide caved the road in, and it lists the closure as indefinite. The Hachimantai city tourism association expects the road to reopen after the snow melts in spring 2027. The open section from Horaikyo up to the Akita border closes every night from 17:00 on 16 October to 08:30 on 4 November 2026. Last winter Iwate shut the whole line from Kitanomata to Matsukawa Onsen from 4 November 2025 to 24 April 2026.
Checked 2026-10-11 · douro.com
Road closure
The Hachimantai Aspite Line closes every night until 4 November
Iwate closes the Aspite Line, prefectural road 23, from Midorigaoka to Mikaeri Pass on the Akita border every night from 17:00 on 16 October to 08:30 on 4 November 2026, since ice and snow can settle on the road overnight. Akita closes its side the same way, and a sudden change in the weather can shut the road in daytime too. Last winter the Iwate side closed from 17:00 on 4 November 2025 to 10:00 on 15 April 2026. The prefecture has yet to post its winter dates for 2026/27.
Checked 2026-10-11 · douro.com
Photo Matsukawa-so · Rakuten Travel · Used with permission
Price band
¥Budget
Guests
2 guests
You book and pay on the booking site's own secure checkout, and we never see your card.
- Meals
- Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00 in the dining room or hall
- Check-in
- In from 15:00, out by 10:00
- Onsen
- Shared baths
- Tattoos
- Not allowed
- Rooms
- 26
- Best for
- Onsen purists, couples
- Cancellation
- Cancelling costs 50% of the rate the day before arrival and 100% on the day.
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Matsukawa-so
¥
Matsukawa Onsen sits deep in a river valley on the Iwate side of Hachimantai, and Matsukawa-so is one of its two inns. Two springs feed the baths straight from the source, one hot and one cooler, and both run milky white. The indoor bath carries both waters, and outside there is a mixed pool under a part roof plus pools for women only. Sulphur eats metal here, so the bathhouse has no showers and the rooms have no fridge.
As of 25 September 2026 the women-only open-air pool was out of order, and the mixed bath turns women-only from 19:00 to 21:00 until it is fixed. Dinner is about a dozen small dishes from Hachimantai produce with a choice of two hotpots, and the pricier plans add sashimi. Book by phone or fax, and pay in cash or PayPay.
The inn says you need a four-wheel-drive car from early November to the end of March, and it runs no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses take about two hours from Morioka Station to the Matsukawa-so-guchi stop, a five-minute walk away. The Jukai Line above the valley is closed all day by a landslide, so drive in from the Matsuo-Hachimantai interchange on the prefectural roads the inn lists.
Highlights
- Two source springs flow straight into the baths
- A mixed open-air bath sits beside the river
- Two-meal stays start at ¥11,000 a person
- Day bathing costs ¥700 from 8:00 to 18:00
The essentials
- Kind
- Ryokan
- Price
- ¥
- Check-in
- 15:00, out by 10:00
- Rooms
- 26
- Website
- Official site
- Ski-in ski-out
- No
- Tattoos
- Not allowed
- Prices
- The inn's plan page lists two-meal stays from ¥11,000 a person for two sharing a six-mat room with a lighter dinner from 11 November to 25 December 2026, and the full Standard Plan D costs ¥12,500. Every plan adds ¥4,000 from 31 December to 2 January, prices include tax with bathing tax extra, and the inn takes cash or PayPay only.
- Meals
- Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00 in the dining room or hall; lunch costs extra.
- Amenities
- Mixed open air bathWomen only open air bathCanteenFree parking
- Best for
- Onsen puristsCouplesHikers
- Shuttle
- No shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses run from Morioka Station stop 3 to Matsukawa-so-guchi in about two hours, then it is a five-minute walk.
- Baths
- Shared baths, fed by a hot spring
- Tattoo rule
- The inn's FAQ says guests with tattoos cannot use the baths.
Worth knowing
- Bring cash or PayPay, since the inn takes no cards.
- Hand valuables to the front desk before you bathe, because the changing rooms have no lockers.
Quick answers about Matsukawa-soよくある質問
Are meals included at Matsukawa-so?
Matsukawa-so: Dinner from 18:00 and breakfast from 7:00 in the dining room or hall; lunch costs extra.
What does Matsukawa-so have?
Matsukawa-so lists mixed open air bath, women only open air bath, canteen, free parking.
Who is Matsukawa-so good for?
Matsukawa-so suits onsen purists, couples, hikers.
Is Matsukawa-so ski-in ski-out?
No. Matsukawa-so sits away from the lifts, and no shuttle. Iwate Kenpoku buses run from Morioka Station stop 3 to Matsukawa-so-guchi in about two hours, then it is a five-minute walk.
Does Matsukawa-so have an onsen?
Yes. Matsukawa-so has shared baths fed by a hot spring.
Can you use the baths at Matsukawa-so with tattoos?
No. The baths at Matsukawa-so turn away bathers with visible tattoos.