Today Brompton and I went to Takaragawa Onsen for a day trip.
Takaragawa Onsen is about 180km north from the central Tokyo. The hot spring is very well-known especially amongst foreign travellers for a huge open-air mixed bathing hot spring.
Takaragawa means a treasure river. Takaragawa Onsen is located along several hundred meters of Takaragawa's riverbank. The alkaline water is said not only to be good for skins but also for curing fatigue and digestive troubles. Because of its massive yield of hot spring water coming up from hot spring wells, all of the huge open-air baths are always filled up with fresh hot spring water.
Brompton and I got off JR train at Minakami station in the morning and took a Kanetsu Kotsu bus bound for Takaragawa Onsen （宝川温泉）.
There were a dozen of foreign travellers in the bus. Some of them were from South Africa and others were from Thailand and other countries. We welcome all of you to Japan and Takaragawa Onsen!
It takes about 40 minutes to get to Takaragawa Onsen.
Upon arrival, an old man at the Takaragawa Onsen reception gave necessary instructions and tips of Japanese Onsen to foreign travellers in fluent English.
Let's go to the largest open-air bath in Japan.
The view from this bridge is...
This picturesque snow-covered riverside with bath huts scattered.
There are a lot of antiques with oriental flavor and religious fittings all along the corridor leading to the open-air baths.
Beyond the bridge there is famous Kodakara bath.
Devil King of the hell welcomes you.
Kodakara bath is spacious. Approximately 200 tatami or 333 square meters in its size. It is the largest in Takaraga Onsen hot spring. Kodakara means the treasure that is children. It is said that people who dip in Kodakara bath will be blessed with good children.
Let' go to Maka bath in the other side of the Takaragawa river.
It is also an open-air hot spring with capacity of 120 tatami or 200 square meters. It is known to be used in many movies, TV programs, magazines and other media in recent years.
Abundant hot spring water is poured into the 200 square meter bath tub. This hot spring a bit smells sulfur.
Hannya bath is located in the downstream of the river with Maka bath change room in between, providing cozy and elegant atmosphere. Children are safe to enter as the half of the bath is shallow.
However it was too cold to dip myself into Hannya bath today, a cold winter day, because it is too shallow to keep temprature enough at a comfortable level.
Other than Kodakara bath, Maka bath and Hannya bath, there is Maya bath which is for female only. It is 166 square meters in its size.
I believe that winter is the best season for Takaragawa onsen because it recovers its original silence and solemness in the wild nature at the area of upstream Tone river. Snow covered mountains, cold water river flows and bare trees in winter also attract us. Why don't you visit Takaragawa Onsen for a day trip when you happen to stay in Tokyo during winter season.
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