Tsuru-no-yu Hot Spring used to be called Tazawa-no-yu Hot Spring, but the legend of an injured crane taking a bath here caused people to begin calling it Tsuru-no-yu (“hot spring of cranes”). Thanks to its excellent reputation, even the lord of Akita, Yoshitaka Satake, paid a visit here in 1638.
Honjin is a historical term from the Edo era; it refers to a lodging officially designated for daimyos or high-ranking officials of the shogunate. In other words, it was not a place where commoners would stay. The term honjin is a reminder of the spa visit of the lord of Akita, even if, to be precise, it was his vassals who lodged in this building. Guest rooms, lounges, and kitchens are connected to form one long building extending from the east to the west. Features such as thatched roofs outside and thick wooden beams and traditional hearths inside create an atmosphere that is reminiscent of “the good old days.”
Semboku City
