Awakura Onsen Motoyu is located in Kageishi, Nishiawakura Village, Aida District, Okayama Prefecture. The hot spring traces its origins to the Kamakura period, according to local legend. The tale recounts that villagers discovered the spring after observing a tanuki (raccoon dog) wounded by a hunter returning to the mountains in good health just days later. Tracing the animal''s path, they found hot water bubbling up along the riverbank. Another legend tells of a red bull that thrashed about in the spring source, causing the water temperature to drop and turn it into a cold spring. Originally operated as a municipal hot spring, Motoyu closed in 2011 before reopening in 2015 under new management. It now operates as a guesthouse with hot spring baths, housed in a renovated building over 50 years old.

The spring is classified as a simple weak radioactive spring (radium spring), boasting a radon content of 40 Mache units — the highest in Okayama Prefecture. The source temperature is a cool 14 to 15 degrees Celsius, so the water is heated using a wood-fired boiler fueled by locally sourced thinned timber. The water has a smooth, silky texture and provides sustained warmth that promotes metabolism. Therapeutic indications include gout, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, chronic skin conditions, chronic cholecystitis, and gallstones. In August 2023, a new free-flowing source water outdoor cold bath was added, enabling alternating hot and cold bathing.

The facility operates as a hot spring guesthouse offering both overnight stays and day-trip bathing. Amenities include an egg-shaped sauna, bonfire space, and a restaurant serving local gibier (wild game) cuisine. Day-trip bathing costs 500 yen for adults and 250 yen for elementary school children, available from 15:00 to 21:30. The facility is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Access is approximately 2 hours by car from Kobe or Osaka, or a 25-minute walk from Awakura Onsen Station on the Chizu Express line.