Onsen-in-a-River: Kiriake Onsen
Yumoto Yusenkaku : 切明温泉 湯元雄川閣
Dig Your Own Bath and Enjoy the Onsen Water Bubbling Up from the Riverbed.
Northern Nagano
Description
One of Nagano's most special onsens -- besides a towel, bathers will need to take a shovel, too! Kiriake Onsen, located in the northeastern tip of the prefecture, is a hot spring that bubbles up in a river bed. Bathers move river rocks around to make their own bath.
Nagano has more day-use onsens than any other prefecture. So it is fitting that there are some pretty unusual and unique onsen baths in Nagano. And everyone in Nagano loves to soak in onsens -- even the monkeys (c.f. the world-famous snow monkeys at Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park). There's even a book on Nagano's Top 100 Day-Use Hot Springs (https://www.createspace.com/4086253).
Recommendation
Kiriake Onsen is hidden away in the Akiyama onsen district in the northeastern corner of Nagano Prefecture. It's mineral water bubbles up from the bed of the Nakatsugawa River. Bathers need to arrange the river rocks to make their own bath, adjusting the temperature by changing the flow of the river.
Details
40
3
10 people
Available around the front desk.
- Hours
- River Bath: 24 hours
Yusenkaku: 10:30-19:00 (~18:00 Dec. - Mar.) - Date(s)
- Yusenkaku is closed Thursdays as well as from December to March. River bath is open year-round.
- Cost / Price of Admission
- River Bath: free
Yusenkaku Day-Use bath: 500 (elementary school age and younger 300) - Time Required
- 45 min
- Credit Cards
- VISA, MasterCard, Amex
- Reservations
- Not required
- Luggage Storage
- Available
Notes
Shovels available for use at Yusenkaku. Use caution as there are hot spots in the riverbed with scalding hot water.
Contact
tel : +81(0)25-767-2252
Official site
Access / Location
- By Train
- From Morimiya Nohara Station(JR Iiyama Line), Take Minami Echigo Kanko Bus to Wayama Onsen (3 runs per day, 1 hour 45 min.), then 45 min. 3.5km walk.
- By Car
- From Toyota-Iiyama IC, take route 117 northeast 44km to Route 405. Proceed 33km to Kiriake Onsen (2 hours).
- Address
- Kiriake, Sakae, Shimominochi 949-8321
Nearby Attractions
Sightseeing Spots
- Nozawa Onsen Sparina : Year-Round Bath House with Onsen Pool
- Matsukawa Gorge : Picturesque River Gorge with 3 Waterfalls and 8 Hot Springs Districts
- Hokusaikan : Actual Works by Woodblock Print Master Hokusai
- St. Cousair's Winery & Vineyards : “Country Comfort” Winery and Garden Terrace
- Shiraito Waterfall : 70 meter-Wide Sylvan Waterfall
Accommodation
- Hotel Grand Phenix Okushiga : Natural construction complementing the location high in Oku-Shiga Kogen Mountains.
- Jinpyo-kaku Honten in Kanbayashi Onsen : Old-Fashioned Inn Loved by Literary and Political Greats.
- Senshinkan Matsuya : Friendly, Family-Run Inn in the Heart of Shibu Onsen.
- Kanaguya : Iconic 4-story Wooden Ryokan in Historical Shibu Onsen
- Kokuya in Shibu Onsen : Sukiya (Tea House)-Style Ryokan Founded 400 Years Ago, Close to Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park.
Restaurants
- Enza café & ramen enza : A stylish café and ramen restaurant located at the trail head leading to the Snow Monkey Park
- Asabano-an : Secluded Sweets Shop Hidden in a Garden by Mystical Kosuge Shrine.
- Chanko Cuisine Tamaya : Reasonably-Priced Healthy "Chanko" Stews.
- Cafe Satowa : New Style 'Michi-no-Eki' Road Station Serving Breakfast, too.
- Restaurant Kamakura-mura : Winter Fairy Tale-Like Igloo Restaurant.
Activities
- Photographing Japanese Macaques in the Wild : Observe Japanese Monkeys Bathing in Hot Springs Up-Close in Their Natural Habitat
- Uchiyama Washi (Japanese Paper) Making at Kamisukiya (Kijimadaira Village) : Kijimadaira’s Version of Snow-Country Uchiyama Paper Making.
- Onsen-Hopping at Shibu Onsen : Soak in Shibu Onsen’s 9 Public Baths for Good Luck.
- Try Your Hand at Kyudo (Japanese Archery) : Experience Kyudo, Japan’s Spiritual Version of Archery.
- Nakano Clay Doll Painting : Paint Your Own Artistic Nakano Clay Doll.
