Onsen
Onsen by the Sea
Onsen by the Sea In the mood for some respite from the cold. I decided to head up to Furofushi Onsen, to once again enjoy a beautiful ocean view while relaxing in an onsen. I met up with my Onsen friends for the day at the usual Aeon parking lot in Noshiro. We gathered into one car and off we went up the coast of Akita bordering the Sea of Japan, past Happo town and further north, over the border into Aomori and up close near the town of Fukaura famous for carrots, then we arrived at Furofushi onsen. Important to note that this trail is littered with Michinoekis boasting various and interesting flavors of ice cream one of which I regard as the best. More on that later. The Onsen is connected to a hotel and costs 500\. Towel rental is possible. The lobby staff were very friendly particularly one man who could speak English. He instructed us that we first need to shower at the 24
Philip Vyas
hotel, before venturing out toward the outdoor bath. The hotel complex features a regular Onsen attached to the hotel where one is able to shower. Soap and shampoo are provided. This part of the Onsen also includes an elevated outdoor bath which has a spectacular view of the ocean. However, we were looking for the true smell, sound and feel of the ocean, so onward we went out onto the coast side. The walk to the outdoor bath from the hotel takes about 15 minutes and includes a short elevator ride. Once we got outside, we were greeted by a fresh cold blast of coastal wind. We headed toward the baths eagerly down a long narrow concrete path. The outdoor baths are separated into two. One mixed side and one female only side. Upon entering the mixed side there is a small section where shelves and baskets are provided for
