Loved by the Japanese people since 1913

Established in 1913 as a “radium hot spring”, Take no Yu is well known as an “Azabu kokubisui hot spring”, which literally translates to “Azabu black water of beauty”. As you can tell by such title, the water in this onsen is almost as dark as coffee, and it is said that such mineral enriched water is great for the skin.

This facility has an atmosphere of a homey public bathhouse, rather than the elegant feel of an onsen, so just casually stop by and cleanse yourself of your daily stress!

The water as dark as coffee is enriched with minerals that are great for your skin

The secret to the dark color of the water is the components of ancient plants that have dissolved into the underground water. You can rest assured that it is not because the water is dirty!

It is said that the water’s effect on the skin can be maximized if you soak your face into the water after washing your face. But, one thing to note is that this “black water of beauty” only comes out from the tap for the bathtub. The bathtub is obviously for everyone to use, so rather than soaking your face directly from the tap, we recommend that you put the water in the basin, and take it to a separate place for your own personal “facial” time!

Take a look at the unique tile mural

In this nicely maintained bathhouse, you will want to stay for a long (and I mean, long) time.
In the women’s bath, there is a tile mural of a map of Japan, and in the men’s, a sailing ship called “Nihon-Maru”. It’s quite an interesting design, so take a close look while you relax in the bathtub.

There is also a sauna available for an additional fee. The men’s sauna is high temperature dry sauna, while women’s sauna is more humid and of moderate temperature. However, the sauna is operated on a time system, so make sure you respect the allotted time slot just to avoid any unnecessary trouble!

writer：nozomi

Photos from
sanpo.mapion