Misasa Onsen Kawara-buro is a free, mixed-bathing open-air bath located at the foot of Misasa Bridge along the Mitoku River in Misasa Town, Tohaku District, Tottori Prefecture. The bath consists of natural hot spring water gushing from the riverbank, contained simply by a ring of stones, and stands as the very symbol of Misasa Onsen — a hot spring resort renowned worldwide for one of the highest radon concentrations of any thermal spring on Earth. According to legend, Misasa Onsen was discovered in 1155 during the late Heian period when Okubo Sanomanosuke, a retainer of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, was guided to the miraculous waters after sparing the life of a white wolf on his pilgrimage to Sanbutsuji Temple at Mount Mitoku. Kawara-buro preserves one of those original sources almost in its natural state, opened to all visitors as a communal bath at the heart of the hot spring town. At the entrance stands a bronze statue of an embracing couple, erected to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the film Misasa Kouta, making the spot a popular photo location. The dressing area is no more than a simple wooden screen, leaving bathers almost fully visible from the bridge and the opposite bank — an unmistakably open and rustic experience. Soaking under the open sky to the sound of the Mitoku River offers a primal bathing experience rarely found in modern facilities. Misasa Onsen's waters contain extraordinary levels of radon, and the gentle radiation hormesis effect is believed to stimulate cellular activity, accelerate metabolism, and enhance immunity and natural healing power.