Nyuto Onsen Hot Spring

Let's go to Japanese secret hot springs with Brompton!

Today Brompton and I went to Nyuto Onsen, one of the most famous hot spring areas for its sophistication. It was a beautiful day.


[data]
Course:　Tazawa-ko Station→Magoroku Onsen→Kuroyu Onsen→Tsurunoyu Canyon→Tsurunoyu→Tazawa-ko Station
Distance:　42.7km
Maximum Difference in Elevation:　667m
Average angle of inclination: total 0%　ascent 5.1%　descent 5.1%
Gained elevation:　ascent 876m　descent 880m

Leveledging advantage of Japan's Super Express Railway System, I went out for a day-trip to Nyuto Onsen where is about 600km away from Tokyo. Because Nyuto Onsen hot springs are located in the elevation of 700 to 800 meter, there were ablaze with autumn tints. If you go, now to go!

When you get a 6:00am Shinkansen (KOMACH) at Tokyo Station, you arrive in Tazawa-ko Station at 8:55am.
 

Getting off Shinkansen at Tazawa-ko Station and started to ride on Brompton. On the way to Nyuto Onsen hot springs, there was a meadow with a distant view of Mt. Komagatake.
 

Arrived Nyuto Onsen around 10:30 am. Let's go to one of the secret hot springs.
   

First one. Magoroku Onsen is the most rustic lodge located off the road near Kuroyu Onsen. It requires a short hike or a Brompton ride to get to and has multiple baths including a large women only outdoor bath.

Excellent!

Brompton can go anywhere even the path is narrow, covered with rocks or very steep. I love to do all of these.

Arrived at Kuroyu Hot Spring soon. Kuroyu is also a rustic lodge but one of the oldest hot springs with more than 300-year history in the Nyuto Onsen area.

Kuroyu offers multiple indoor and outdoor baths including a mixed gender outdoor bath.

I loved wonderful experience of secret hot springs in Magoroku and Kuroyu. Well, let's go to the final destination Tsurunoyu. I do not like a regular paved road. Try hard path to ride with Brompton beyond Tsurunoyu Canyon.

Wow, it is beautiful but a little dangerous route! I carefully step forward. In a sudden I start to listen to murmuring of a stream. The bottom of the valley seems to be very close.

This is the bottom of the path bound for Tsurunoyu. (Tsuru meaning Crane.)

Brompton needs to cross over on the susupension bridge.

Be careful of your steps.

Then Brompton and I need to climed up about 50 meters of an elevation. We reached Tsurunoyu Canyon observatory. From here it takes about 10 minutes by Brompton to Tsurunoyu on an unpaved path.

Brompton and I are getting to Tsurunoyu.

Tsurunoyu is the oldest operating lodge of Nyuto Onsen. Some of its rooms date to the Edo Period (1603-1867) and offer a rustic and authentic stay with a traditional-style fireplace. 
 

The Tsurunoyu outdoor bath is iconic of the region. It was very crowded on that day but I still assumed that it was a wonderful secret hot spring.

Let's go back to the station to get 16:08 train bound for Tokyo in order to return home.

Brompton to go to Babatani Onsen

It is Babatani Onsen where you can experience an extreme natural bathing excitement in Kurobe Gorge. You need to get off Kurobe Gorge Railway at the last stop "Keyakidaira" and start a ride to the destination.

[Transportation]
Hokuriku Shinkansen: Tokyo station → Kurobe Unazuki Onsen station
Kurobe Dentetsu Railway: Kurobe Unaduki Onsen station → Unaduki Onsen station
(5 min. by Brompton)
Kurobe Gorge Railway : Unaduki Onsen station → Keyakidaira station

[Brompton ride]
Route: Keyakidaira Station → Babatani Onsen
Distance:　3.0km
Difference of an elevation:　218m
Average % of inclination:　total 5.9% ascent 8.9%　descent 6.2%
Gained elevation:　ascent 218m　descent 28m
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zVh_vanqLQwc.k2Tf2by0LlVg

You start your ride from Keyakidaira Station, the last stop of Kurobe Gorge Railway . You need to go for a ride with distance of 3 kilo meters and total ascent of 200 meters.

Just after crossing this bridge, you will see dozens of helmets for use.

It is because the path is somewhat dangerous for falling rocks and land slides. You can go foward at your risk.

When you go over about 800 meters, an unpaved road starts. However, the middle of the road is cemented and almost no grade and your ride is not so difficult.

When you pass the third tunnel, a view suddenly comes to open widely and you can see Babatani Onsen Lodge over there.

Crossing an iron bridge, you reach Babatani Onsen.  

First, let's go to fountainheads area in the riverside. It is not a bath tub but a natural fountainhead with very hot water, about 75 degree centigrade of temprature. You will be injured if you dive in!
 

When you go further, you'll find other fountainheads to make your original bath tubs. Let's build a tub by yourself!

You need to mix hot water and cold river water for ideal temprature of amazing bathing experience.

You can also try the outside bath of Babatani Onsen Lodge. You may be relaxed here because you instantly bathe and don't need to dig ground and mix hot water with river.

The area is quite secluded and nature is wild. You can reach here only with combination of Kurobe Gorge railway and Brompton or walk. The area is closed during winter.

Related article:
Kurobe Gorge Railway

Kurobe Gorge Railway

Let's go to the secret hot spring located in the deepest part of Kurobe Gorge. Today I took a ride on a Kurobe Gorge Railway narrow gage train to reach BABATANI Onsen.

Kurobe Gorge Railway is a narrow gage train which runs along the deepest V-shaped valley in Japan. The original purpose of the rail was to transport materials and equipment for the electric power development project of Kurobe River in the 1920's. The railway facilities were completed in 1923. The rail starts at Unazuki onsen and reaches Kurobe dam site. Only first 20.1km, so called "Lower Track" between Unazuki and Keyakidaira, is open to public for sight seeing. "Upper Track" of 6.5km is for Power Plant and Dam Site use only.


Starting from this terminal.

Extra narrow gage train!

I get on this small coach. If you are a big person, you might not fit into it.

The small train brings us beyond those mountains.

Unazuki Dam and Unazuki Lake.

First station comes by but only workers and employees of Kansai Electric use it. There are a dozen of such stations on the line.

It is a monkey bridge. Because there are groups of monkeys who go to and fro between both sides, the power company built it for them when they made dams and the width of the river was extended.

Arriving Kuronagi, a first passenger station. By walk you can reach one of the secret hot springs, Kuronagi Onsen, from the station. Today I try another one and continue a trip.

Pass Atobiki Bridge to cross Kuronagi River.

A view from Atobiki Bridge. Kuronagi Onsen is located at the end of the gorge.

The train is running this hight all the time. Not good for a person with acrophobia.

The world most thrilling railway.

This is the Kurobe River Second Power Plant, constructed in 1936.

The narrow gage train goes foward deep into the valley. Though it is September, greens are very fresh like those in spring.

The railway is single-tracked. Need to pass each other at some places.

Because of its shape, Temple Bell Mountain .

Arriving Tsurigane (temple bell) Station. You can go to one of the hot springs where you need to dig and make your own bath at the river side. I pass this wild hot spring and go beyond.

Finally arrived at Keyakidaira Station, the terminus for travelers.

My adventure continues to the extremely secluded hot spring in another Canyon, Babatani Onsen.

(To be continued to Babatani Onsen.) 

Unagi (eel) KIKUKAWA

Kikukawa, one of my favorite Unagi restaurants.

This is a good place to try unagi for travelers because it is close to Kanda Station, one of the centered downtown areas in Tokyo. You can choose to either sit downstairs, or upstairs on the tatami.

Though I arrived a little before noon, there was very long line to wait.

I finally got a seat after 15 minutes.

As Unagi is an endangered species in recent years, very expensive. But I need this as an energy booster before another tough cycling trip.

I ordered TOKUSEN OODON, a special big portion of grilled eel over rice. It was wonderful!

Kanda Kikukawa (main shop)
1-24-2 Kanda sudacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Brompton Gathering in Palace #14

Today I went to a Brompton gathering held near Tokyo Station. There were 115 Bromptons in lines.

The gathering called "Brompton Palace" is held bi-monthly, 10:30 am on the second Sunday of January, March, May, July, September, and November at the edge of the Imperial Palace Garden. If you have a chance to visit Tokyo, come and join us!

Brompton goes to Nikko Onsen Temple

I am sure that you know Nikko and Tosho-gu Shrine which was built by Shogun family more than 400 years ago.

But do you know there is Onsenji, a Buddhist temple with a secluded, religious, and historic hot spring in Nikko Yumoto Onsen?

[Transportation examples]
Tobu Railway (RAPID): Asakusa Station dept. 06:20 → Tobu Nikko Station arr. 08:25
Bus: Tobu Nikko 08:40 → Yumoto Onsen 10:05
Tobu Railway (RAPID): Asakusa Station dept. 08:10 → Tobu Nikko Station arr. 10:19
Bus: Tobu Nikko 10:40 → Yumoto Onsen 12:05
All nikko pass 4,520 yen (Train & Bus)
TOBU RAILWAY CO., LTD.

Brompton and I arraived at Tobu Nikko Stattion where was the nearest station to Nikko Tosho-gu, a famous Shito shrine complex which was registered as a World Heritage site in December 1999.
http://www.toshogu.jp/english/

Today I am going to the secret hot spring before visiting that shrine complex. An elevation of the Station is 543 meters. The elevation of Yumoto Onsen, today's destination, is 1472 meters. You had better take bus rather than by Brompton. Yumoto Onsen is connected with central Nikko by Tobu bus. Buses leave from Tobu Nikko Station and are bound for Yumoto Onsen. There are one or two buses per hour.


Arrived.


As it is mid May, mountains of Oku Nikko are yet covered with snow. Nikko Yumoto Onsen is still in Winter and waits for Spring.


From Yunohira Marsh, where fountainheads of Yumoto Onsen are located, you will see Onsen-ji, Hot Spring Temple. The hot water must be very fresh!


Each fountainhead is covered by a wooden roof. The yield of the fountain is enormous enough to supply not only to hotels of the vicinity but also to distant places all around the Nikko area.


Let's go to the temple.


Onsen-ji Temple was established in 788 by Saint Shodo who was from Shimotsuke region.


When I rang a bell, a young bald kid appreared to open the gate. I thought that he must be an apprentice of the temple but I found that he was just a grandchild of the chief priest of this Buddhist temple. The kid and the wife of the priest escourted me to the bath. Let's be soaked in a hot spring!


See this color and strong smell of sulphur! Wonderful!


When I finished bathing, I was treated with rice crackers and Japanese tea. Just for reference, you need to pay "dedicatory rest" instead of charge or fee. It is because a temple is in difinition "religious corporations" in terms of Japanese tax law.


It was good hot spring and I enjoyed. I am thankful to the god (Buddha?) and nature.

After this Onsen experience, you go back to Tobu Nikko station to visit Tosho-gu, the famous shrine complex of world helitage!

http://www.toshogu.jp/english/access/index.html
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/north-of-tokyo/nikko/sights/religious/tosho-gu?ctv=control