Aoni Onsen
Oozing rustic charm, the isolated Aoni Onsen offers the most evocative bathing in northern Japan. It is no surprise to hear that it is also known known as ”lamp no yado” because it has run for decades without electricity. Even today, oil lamps are used to light the hot springs for guests, who are cocooned in peaceful solitude.
Arrive in winter when the onsen is surrounded by snow, and the only sound is the gentle tumbling of the mountain steam. The mixed rotenburo bath is open to elements on the side and looks out to a roaring waterfall, whereas inside, segregated baths have soothing views of the nearby river. A favorite of the onsen cognoscenti, Aoni is in a tiny valley deep in the idyllic Shirakami mountains close to Hakkoda-san.
The traditional ryokan has thirty-two rooms and was originally opened in 1931 by a poet, Youga Niwa, in search of water’s curative properties. Today the ryokan still reflects the artistic and peaceful mind of the poet. The sliding doors of tatami rooms open onto rock gardens and pretty ponds.
This remote getaway offers a return to a forgotten time, and there is a monastic pleasure to be had. Icicles hang from the rooftops, and when the blue water light of dusk fades on the snow, there is nothing to do but snuggle by a roaring fire. In winter months, hike in the mountains to spot deer, sable, and antelope. Location: Aomori, Japan
