015.青森 03.酸ヶ湯温泉
015.Aomori city 03.Sukayu Onsen Hot Spring (Japan)

2023年1月11日

冬の盛り、ニュースで「こんなに雪が積もっている」と頻繁に取り上げられる酸ヶ湯温泉。年間の平均降雪量は1760cmで、最高積雪量が566cm。人が常住する場所として、日本で雪がもっとも積もるということは、世界でもっとも雪の積もる定住地の可能性。

In the height of winter, the news medias often feature Sukayu Onsen Hot Spring as "so much snow is piled up" The annual average snowfall is 1760cm, and the maximum snow accumulation is 566cm there. As a place where people live, Sukayu Onsen is the place with the most snow in Japan. That means that it may be the most snowy place where people live in the world.

ヒバ千人風呂。混浴だが、女性と男性の場所は分けられ、冬は、煙とガラスの曇りで、ほとんど朦朧となる。
See the Japanese Cypress 1,000-Person Bath. It's a mixed bath, but women's and men's areas are separated, and in winter, it's almost hazy with smoke and cloudy glass.

青森駅からバスに乗り、八甲田山麓のブナ林を上ること70分、酸ヶ湯温泉が現れました。

温泉の発見は、1684年。その後、湯治場となり、旅館も併設。津軽平野の農家では、農閑期の湯治は、岩木山麓の嶽温泉か酸ヶ湯温泉で、地元の信奉の篤い温泉です。1954年、経営者が、国鉄から除雪車を買い入れて、冬季営業が始まりました。「国民保養温泉地第１号」の指定を受けたのも同じ年。その冬期営業が、1977年大きな風評被害に合いました。八甲田山で陸軍の軍人199名が死んだ事件を映画化した「八甲田山」の公開で、しばらくは、そんな冬の怖い場所には行けないと、客が日に数人のことも。それを挽回したのもマスメディア。ニュースで、毎年のように、日本一の積雪量が報道されたのが宣伝となり、今では、冬も満室。

酸ヶ湯の魅力、総ヒバ造りの大浴場「ヒバ千人風呂」は、実際には80人で一杯ですが、日本有数の大きさ。白濁とした酸性硫黄泉はすべすべで、効能を実感。ただ、硫黄の強さは従業員の車を駄目にし、客室のテレビの寿命も１－２年。さらに、川の上に建ち、湿気で傷みやすいのに、国立公園内のため建て替え不可。しかし、雪に硫黄に湿気という過酷な条件に歪み、長い間生き抜いた木の空間の迫力は特別で、八甲田山のアスピリンスノー目当てに、近年増えた欧米の客が選ぶのは、同経営の八甲田ホテルではなく酸ヶ湯温泉。

湯から上がろうとして、張り紙に気がつきました。湯に浸かった後、「冷水を掛けると中心部が元気になります。」とのこと。どうぞ、お元気に。

After 70 minutes by bus from Aomori Station through the beech forest at the foot of Mt. Hakkoda, Sukayu Onsen appeared.

The hot spring was discovered in 1684. After that, it became a therapeutic area with a Japanese-style inn. For farmers in that region, the hot spring treatment place during the off-season is Dake Onsen hot spring at the foot of Mt. Iwaki or here half-way up Mt. Hakkoda. In 1954, the owner started its winter operations thanks to a snowplow that he purchased from the Japanese National Railways, and it was designated as the first national hot spring health resort. In 1977, the winter business was hard hit by a reputational damage. With the release of a movie "Mt. Hakkoda" about the actual incident on the death of 199 army soldiers on Mt. Hakkoda, only several guests a day visited in the winter since people were afraid to go to such a scary place. It was also the mass media that made up for it. Almost every year, the news medias report the depth of snowfalls in Sukayu Onsen. That became an advertisement, and now it is fully occupied even in the winter.

One of the charms is the Japanese Cypress 1,000-Person Bath built with Japanese cedar. Even if it fills up with 80 people in reality, it is one of the largest inner bath in Japan. The cloudy acid sulfur hot spring is smooth, and the guest can feel its efficacy. The strength of sulfur ruins the employee's car, and the TV in a guest room lasts 1-2 years. Furthermore, though it is built on a river and easily damaged by humidity, the government doesn't allow to rebuilt because the site belongs to a national park. However, the wooden building that has survived for a long time, distorted by snow, sulfur, and humidity, is peculiar. European and American visitors, who come for the aspirin snow of Mt. Hakkoda in recent years, don't choose occidental-style Hakkoda Hotel, which is run by the same company, but Sugayu Onsen hot spring inn.

As I was about to get out of the bath, I noticed a poster on the wall. It writes "The center will be rejuvenated if you pour cold water on it after soaking in the hot water" Please take care of it