Takayu Onsen offers hospitality with hot springs flowing directly from the source.

Takayu Onsen, surrounded by the great nature of the Azuma Mountain Range, has no entertainment facilities or souvenir shops, only hot springs. It's hard to believe that it's only a 40-minute drive from downtown Fukushima, but it feels like a secret hot spring, and an extraordinary world is spreading out. The reason there is nothing else but hot springs is because for over 400 years, since the baths first opened, they have followed the tradition of ''no noise of any kind.'' Amidst the silence, the sounds of birds and the rustle of the trees will touch your heart.

Takayu Onsen is also famous for being the first in the Tohoku region to declare a ''free-flowing source''. The hot springs that flow through six inns and one public bath without any addition of water or heating are cloudy sulfur springs. It is also popular as a hot spring resort where you can stay for a long time to improve your body condition.

Fukushima's three famous hot springs each have their own unique charms, including spring quality, environment, culture, and history. That depth may be one of the reasons why it is loved by so many people.