Sukayu Onsen
{{short description|Hot spring in Aomori Prefecture, Japan}}
{{Infobox spring
| name = Sukayu Onsen
酸ヶ湯
| photo = Sukayu Onsen Winter.jpg
| photo_width =
| photo_caption = Sukayu Onsen in the winter
| map = Japan Aomori Prefecture#Japan
| relief = 1
| map_width =
| map_caption =
| name_origin =
| location = Hakkōda Mountains, Towada-Hachimantai National Park, Aomori, Japan
| elevation = {{convert|925|m|0|sp=us}}
| coordinates = {{coord|40|39|03|N|140|51|01|E}}
| coords_ref =
| hot_spring_type =varied
| discharge =
| temperature = -10.4 - 22 °C (13.3 - 71.6 °F)
| depth =
}}
{{nihongo|Sukayu Onsen|酸ヶ湯|Sukayu}} is an onsen (hot spring) in the Hakkōda Mountains in the city of Aomori, Aomori Prefecture in Japan. It is known for its "Sen-nin-buro" or "Bath of a thousand bathers", a large mixed gender public bath.{{cite web |title=Bath of a Thousand Bathers: Aomori's Sukayu Onsen |url=https://www.nippon.com/en/guide-to-japan/gu900087/bath-of-a-thousand-bathers-aomori’s-sukayu-onsen.html |website=nippon.com |date=25 March 2019 |publisher=Your Doorway to Japan}}
Climate
Sukayu Onsen is the snowiest inhabited place on Earth with an average yearly snowfall of {{convert|17.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a winter season record of {{convert|23.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}. It also holds the record of having the highest snow depth ever recorded at a JMA certified weather station of {{convert|566|cm|ft|abbr=on}}, recorded on February 26, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_s.php?prec_no=16&block_no=47433&year=&month=&day=&view=| title = JMA|publisher=JMA|accessdate=13 November 2012}} Despite the extremely high snowfall, Sukayu Onsen is accessible by road all year round.{{cite web|url= https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/snow-canyon-japan|title=How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style|publisher=Atlas Obscura|date=9 March 2017|author=Nobel, Justin|accessdate=18 February 2023}}
Sukayu Onsen, despite the incredibly high yearly snowfall, has a humid continental climate (Dfb), and is one of the coldest and snowiest inhabited places in Japan. Summers are generally short, but mild to warm with many rainy days. Winters are cold by Japanese standards and extremely snowy, due to the high elevation. Springs and Autumns can be highly variable, being rainy, snowy, cold, mild, sunny, or all kinds of weather in a week.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|location = Sukayu Onsen (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1976−present)
|Jan record high C = 6.5
|Feb record high C = 11.8
|Mar record high C = 15.1
|Apr record high C = 21.7
|May record high C = 25.9
|Jun record high C = 27.0
|Jul record high C = 28.9
|Aug record high C = 30.8
|Sep record high C = 28.7
|Oct record high C = 22.4
|Nov record high C = 18.8
|Dec record high C = 12.0
|Jan high C = -5.1
|Feb high C = -4.3
|Mar high C = -0.2
|Apr high C = 6.4
|May high C = 13.1
|Jun high C = 17.6
|Jul high C = 21.1
|Aug high C = 21.9
|Sep high C = 17.7
|Oct high C = 11.4
|Nov high C = 4.5
|Dec high C = -2.2
|year high C = 8.5
|Jan mean C = -7.5
|Feb mean C = -6.9
|Mar mean C = -3.5
|Apr mean C = 2.8
|May mean C = 9.1
|Jun mean C = 13.6
|Jul mean C = 17.7
|Aug mean C = 18.4
|Sep mean C = 14.1
|Oct mean C = 7.7
|Nov mean C = 1.2
|Dec mean C = -4.9
|year mean C = 5.2
|Jan low C = -10.0
|Feb low C = -9.8
|Mar low C = -6.8
|Apr low C = -0.8
|May low C = 5.1
|Jun low C = 9.6
|Jul low C = 14.6
|Aug low C = 15.3
|Sep low C = 10.7
|Oct low C = 4.2
|Nov low C = -2.0
|Dec low C = -7.6
|year low C = 1.9
|Jan record low C = -17.8
|Feb record low C = -17.3
|Mar record low C = -14.9
|Apr record low C = -10.9
|May record low C = -4.4
|Jun record low C = 0.5
|Jul record low C = 5.0
|Aug record low C = 7.6
|Sep record low C = 0.0
|Oct record low C = -4.8
|Nov record low C = -13.8
|Dec record low C = -18.0
|year record low C = -18.0
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm = 117.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 80.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 82.4
|Apr precipitation mm = 106.0
|May precipitation mm = 117.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 136.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 178.1
|Aug precipitation mm = 211.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 223.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 218.0
|Nov precipitation mm = 195.6
|Dec precipitation mm = 167.7
|Jan snow cm = 454
|Feb snow cm = 341
|Mar snow cm = 234
|Apr snow cm = 97
|May snow cm = 40
|Jun snow cm = 2
|Jul snow cm = 0
|Aug snow cm = 0
|Sep snow cm = 0
|Oct snow cm = 11
|Nov snow cm = 143
|Dec snow cm = 376
|year snow cm = 1706
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 20.9
|Feb precipitation days = 17.3
|Mar precipitation days = 16.6
|Apr precipitation days = 13.2
|May precipitation days = 12.0
|Jun precipitation days = 11.4
|Jul precipitation days = 12.6
|Aug precipitation days = 13.1
|Sep precipitation days = 13.8
|Oct precipitation days = 15.9
|Nov precipitation days = 19.0
|Dec precipitation days = 22.0
|year precipitation days = 190.2
|unit snow days = 3 cm
|Jan snow days = 24.8
|Feb snow days = 21.0
|Mar snow days = 18.6
|Apr snow days = 11.1
|May snow days = 6.3
|Jun snow days = 0.4
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.2
|Nov snow days = 10.5
|Dec snow days = 22.8
|year snow days = 116.1
|Jan sun = 11.8
|Feb sun = 22.5
|Mar sun = 53.5
|Apr sun = 112.9
|May sun = 176.4
|Jun sun = 158.4
|Jul sun = 117.8
|Aug sun = 128.4
|Sep sun = 115.0
|Oct sun = 104.3
|Nov sun = 52.9
|Dec sun = 16.8
|year sun= 1069.4
|source 1 = JMA{{cite web
| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/rank_a.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view=
|script-title=ja:観測史上1～10位の値（年間を通じての値）
| publisher = JMA
| access-date = February 18, 2022}}{{cite web
| url = http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/nml_amd_ym.php?prec_no=31&block_no=1079&year=&month=&day=&view=
|script-title=ja:気象庁 / 平年値（年・月ごとの値）
| publisher = JMA
| access-date = February 18, 2022}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.sukayu.jp}} {{in lang|ja}}
Category:Tourist attractions in Aomori Prefecture
Category:Hot springs of Aomori Prefecture
Category:Buildings and structures in Aomori Prefecture