Sawaoto Onsen Uchimi Ryokan

♨️A kaiseki onsen inn near Sendai that hosts just three groups a day

Miyagi · Sawaoto Onsen Uchimi Ryokan

1

A small inn on a 300-year-old spring

• 🏯Sawaoto Onsen is said to have begun around 1711-1715, when villagers built a simple bath beside the stream.
• 📜Between 1854 and 1859 the Sendai domain surveyed its water and benefits, and it began operating as an officially recognized toji (healing) spa.
• 🔥A 1982 forest fire destroyed the old bathhouse lodgings; the eighth-generation couple rebuilt the following year, and the ninth-generation owner now runs it as a cuisine-focused ryokan.

2

Pure alkaline spring water

• 💧Clear, odorless alkaline cold mineral water (pH 9.0) rises directly beneath the inn and is used 100% undiluted.
• ♨️The source is 18-19°C and is heated to about 41-43°C; the bath is fully refilled with spring water once a day and filtered and sterilized.
• 🌳The open-air bath looks out over open sky and farmland; listed indications include rheumatism, cuts, neuralgia, muscle pain and poor circulation.

3

Only five guest rooms

• 🛏️There are five non-smoking rooms; the west side faces the stream, wild cherry trees and bamboo, the east side the maple garden.
• 🪵Sawaoto is a designer room of Minamisanriku cedar and earthen walls with a 500-year-old cedar counter and two semi-double beds (2-4 guests).
• 🍁Yamazakura has plaster and persimmon-tannin panels with two wide semi-double beds; Yamamomiji has an 8-mat living room plus an 8-mat bedroom (2-5 guests); Myojin is a 10-mat room with an engawa veranda (2-3 guests).

4

Kaiseki by the ninth-generation owner

• 🐟The owner is the chef himself, pairing wild seafood from the Sanriku coast with open-field vegetables from the surrounding countryside.
• 🔥Aged seasonal fish is charcoal-grilled by the owner in the dining room, and the special kaiseki includes Sendai beef sukiyaki.
• 🍚Naturally dried local Rifu rice is cooked in a clay pot with the inn's spring water, and desserts are made by the young okami.

5

Private dining and stay notes

• 🍽️Dinner and breakfast are both served in a private dining room, at tables and chairs so your legs stay comfortable.
• 🗓️The inn is closed on Wednesdays (open during New Year, Golden Week, Obon and when Wednesday is a public holiday).
• 🛁Day dining and day-use bathing are also offered; a bathing tax of 150 yen per person applies.

6

The Sawaoto Garden of 100 maples

• 🍁The garden recreates the stream scenery of 1,200 years ago, with 100 natural maple trees and the sound of running water.
• 🌸Fresh greenery in spring, deep shade in summer, autumn leaves in fall and snow scenes in winter.
• ✨The garden is lit up at night and can be viewed from the east-side rooms.

7

Legends and nearby historic sites

• ⚔️Legend says that about 1,200 years ago Sakanoue no Tamuramaro washed an injured leg in this stream and was healed.
• 💞The story of Tamuramaro and Princess Akutama gave rise to the name 'Sawaotome', which later became 'Sawaoto'.
• ⛩️About 2.5 km southwest of the inn stands Izusahime Shrine, said to have once enshrined a hot spring deity.

8

Getting there

• 🚗About 30 minutes by car from Sendai Station, or about 3 minutes from Shirakashidai IC on the Sendai-Hokubu Road.
• 🚕About 10 minutes by taxi from JR Iwakiri or Rifu Station on the Tohoku Main Line; there is no nearby bus stop.
• 🅿️Parking for 20 cars; central Sendai and Matsushima are each about 30 minutes away by car, making it a handy base.

3

Only five guest rooms

• 🛏️There are five non-smoking rooms; the west side faces the stream, wild cherry trees and bamboo, the east side the maple garden.
• 🪵Sawaoto is a designer room of Minamisanriku cedar and earthen walls with a 500-year-old cedar counter and two semi-double beds (2-4 guests).
• 🍁Yamazakura has plaster and persimmon-tannin panels with two wide semi-double beds; Yamamomiji has an 8-mat living room plus an 8-mat bedroom (2-5 guests); Myojin is a 10-mat room with an engawa veranda (2-3 guests).

4

Kaiseki by the ninth-generation owner

• 🐟The owner is the chef himself, pairing wild seafood from the Sanriku coast with open-field vegetables from the surrounding countryside.
• 🔥Aged seasonal fish is charcoal-grilled by the owner in the dining room, and the special kaiseki includes Sendai beef sukiyaki.
• 🍚Naturally dried local Rifu rice is cooked in a clay pot with the inn's spring water, and desserts are made by the young okami.

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A quiet inn where just three groups a day can enjoy an undiluted open-air bath and kaiseki cooked by the owner himself. There is no nearby bus stop, so plan on a taxi or car, and note that the inn closes on Wednesdays.

#SawaotoOnsen#MiyagiRyokan#SendaiOnsen#KaisekiRyokan#OpenAirBath#Matsushima#Rifu

* This introduction was compiled from information published by each property (official website and similar sources), so some details may differ from what you find on the day. It is AI-assisted and can contain errors — please check the official website and the details shown at booking before you reserve.

From onsen etiquette to check-in — the things worth knowing first.

What are the check-in and check-out times at Sawaoto Onsen Uchimi Ryokan?

Check-in starts at 15:00 and check-out is by 10:00.

Where is Sawaoto Onsen Uchimi Ryokan located?

It is in Miyagi-gun. Address: 1 Sugaya, Rifucho.

What is the cancellation and refund policy?

Free-cancellation deadlines vary by rate plan and are shown with each room. Cancelling before the deadline gives a full refund.