Ubayu is a hot spring located in 250 km north of Tokyo. It is hidden by a deep mountain valley with an elevation of 1,250 meters. Ubayu was found 500 years ago by Lord Endo who started Masugata-ya, an only Onsen lodge there. Masugata-ya has been succeeded by Lord Endo's offsprings for seventeen generations since then.
The open-air bath is very out-of-the-way hot spring surrounded by rough mountain surface.
http://www.yonezawa-kankou-navi.com/langage/en/onsen.html
[Transportation]
Shinkansen (super express "TSUBASA") Tokyo Station Lv. 6:12 Fukushima Station Ar. 7:44
Local rail (Ou line) Fukushima Station Lv. 8:05 Toge Ar. 8:35
[Brompton to ride]
Toge Station → Ubayu Onsen Masugata-ya Lodge → Toge Station
Distance 17.1 km
Maximum difference of an elevation 611m
Average inclination: total 0% ascent 10.3% descent 9.7%
Gained elevation ascent 754m descent 753m
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zVh_vanqLQwc.kj-M7I7GFtTI
I started a ride from JR Toge Station, an unmanned station with a huge snow canopy in the middle of an isolated mountain. Ubayu was just 8 km away from the station but we needed to conquer amazing elevation of more than 600 meters to get to that secret hot spring in Shangri-la.
Brompton and I climbed a series of steep inclines. The inclinations were getting steeper and steeper. The speed slowed down to almost 3 to 4 km per hour, which was almost a speed of walk.
The inclination reached 17%! Visually like this.
I found that 17% was not final. See, next slope was 22%! But we still needed to go for another 2 km from here. Already tired!
I continued to pedal Brompton, almost fainted. Finally I reached the pass and looking over Ubayu Onsen at the end of this deep valley. That is Masugata-ya Lodge and its hot springs!
I used up all the energy to climb up the last slope to the lodge.
Finally arrived. After payment, I hurried to the hot spring.
This is "Yamauba no yu" open air bath, the mountain witch bath.
A wonderful location, pleasant temperature, and nice flegrance impressed me a lot. The hot spring came out directly from the volcano just over there. It attracted me with this natural environment and strong sulfurous odour.
When I looked up, such wild scenary was awaiting.
Nobody cannot help but being filled with palpitations in the situation.
You can expose yourself into such wild but priceless experience if you accompany Brompton to your Japan trip. I recommend you to achieve this ultimate onsen experience by combination of Shinkansen and Brompton as I did. I hope that your schedule allows you to do so in Japan.
Please make sure that Ubayu Hot Spring is only open from May to October due to severe climates of the high mountain in the north east region. You can well understand when you see the above photo taken last May.
http://www.love-yone.com/hitou/ubayu-english.html
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