Awazu Onsen, building in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Awazu Onsen is a sulphur spring and onsen area in Komatsu, in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the water rises from several separate sources. Each inn draws from its own source, so the temperature and mineral content can vary from one building to the next.
The area is said to have been founded around 1300 years ago by the monk Taicho Daishi, who according to legend was led to the sources by a mountain spirit. Over the following centuries it grew into one of the better-known hot spring areas in the Hokuriku region.
The name Awazu means "place of meeting," and the spring has long been seen as a spot where people come together around water. Today, the small inns give each stay a personal character, and guests often share the same bath in a way that feels more communal than solitary.
The area is reachable from Komatsu by public transport, with the journey from the station taking roughly half an hour. Visitors who are not staying overnight can use the public communal bath called Soyu, located in the town center and open to day visitors.
The water at Awazu Onsen is said to flow directly from Mount Hakusan, considered one of Japan's three sacred mountains. It is also drinkable, and people have long credited it with smoothing the skin and aiding digestion, which is why it earned the nickname "beauty water."
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