Kaikake Onsen in the heavy snow

Today, Brompton and I went to the Kaikake Onsen hot spring in Echigoyuzawa of Niigata prefecture for a day trip through blizzard.

Echigoyuzawa is famous place for the novel "Yukiguni" meaning "Snow Land" written by Yasunari Kawabata.

I took a bus to the nearest bus stop to Kaikake Onsen.

Then I started Brompton toward the secret spring in the snow country.

Finally the lodge was seen in the heap of big snow.

Freezing! Let's being soaked in the hot spring!

The open air bath here is marvelous.

It was a wonderful experience of bathing in the snow!

Kita Onsen Hot Spring

On January 3rd, still a part of the new year holidays in Japan, Brompton and I went to Kita Onsen in Tochigi Prefecture for a day trip through blizzard.

Kita Onsen means a north hot spring, located at the end of one of the valleys in Nasu Shiobara area. Kita Onsen is one of the locations where a famous movie Termae Romae was filmed. It is very well-known for this Tengu-no-yu bath with excellent hot spring water spouting from the cliff just beside this bath hut.

I wanted to start my hot spring adventure this year with one of the most secluded hot springs covered with snow. Because Kita Onsen is relatively close to Tokyo but snow-covered and secluded region in the Kanto area, I think that it's a good choice.

[data]
Route Nasu-yumoto bus stop (Nasu Onsen Shrine）→Kita Onsen
Distance 6.9km
Maximum difference of elevation 354m
Average inclination total 3.1% ascend 7.6% descent 6.5%
Gained altitude ascent 363m descent 111m

Use Toya Bus from Kuroiso Station to Nasu-yumoto bus stop.

Though it was fine during a train trip to Kuroiso Station, there was thin clouds over the moutain Nasu.

When I arrived at Nasu-yumoto, it was snowland! Not a good news for Brompton.

But I enjoyed snow cycling.

Brompton and I arrived at the gate of the route to Kita Onsen. There is a bus stop here but scheduled bus traffic is available only one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Kita Onsen Lodge is just 1.5km away from here. Snow storms welcomed Bromton and me.

Finally arrived!

This is Tengu-no-yu. According to a legendary history of the hot spring, it is said that Tengu, a long‐nosed goblin, threw a big rock to the mountain and a hot spring began to gush out from a crack about thousand years ago.

It was blizzard outside of the window.

Relaxing!

Let's drink a bottle of soda water as usual.

Suddenly kids stormed into this special bath. A secret hot spring matched little ruscals very well.

It still snowed when I departed the lodge to go home.

 

Takaragawa Osenkaku, an authentic hot spring

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.

（photo by Takaragawa Onsen）

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.

Let's go to Jigokudani Onsen

Brompton and I went to Jigokudani Onsen to share a hot spring bath tub with snow monkeys. Combination of Shinkansen and Brompton enables you to make a day trip from Tokyo.

[Transportation]
Shinkansen (super express) Tokyo Station Lv. 7:24 Nagano Station Ar. 8:48
Nagano Railway (express train "SNOW MONKEY") Nagano Station Lv. 9:08 Yudanaka Station Ar. 9:53

[Brompton to ride]
Yudanaka Station→Jigokudani Korakukan Lodge (hot spring) → Yudanaka Station
Distance: 10.4 km (round trip)
Maximum difference of an elevation: 227m
Average inclination: total -0.1% ascent 5.4% descent 5.7%
Gained elevation: ascent 271m descent 264m
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zVh_vanqLQwc.kaw_zzz4PM0U

You start here, Yudanaka Station, to ride Brompton.

Another 2.2 km.

Finally you reach Jigokudani Onsen "Korakukan."

 

Korakukan is known as the first hot spring where monkeys bathed.

 

After reception, I hurried to the bath hut.

This is an inhouse bath tub.

Comfortable! But I needed to go for an outside bath. When I went out,

There was an old guy there. He looked back at me.

HEY YO, whatcha gonna do? A hot spring is filling up. Still need to wait a while but come.

After a while, the guy was gone.

I was thirsty. Let's drink a bottle of water.

 

It was really a wild experience with a wild monkey.

Related article:
Brompton to meet Snow Monkeys (Jigokudani Onsen)