Utsukushigahara Hot Spring - Shiraito no Yu (Satoyamabe - Yunohara)
美ヶ原温泉 - 白糸の湯 (里山辺 - 湯の原)
Rebuilt fairly recently, this little place caters to the local community. As a result it has a regular clientelle & can give you ‘local’ feel. There’s a sign on the door saying ‘no drunks’ - actually good advice as a hot bath with a skinful can seriously damage your health! More of a sento than an onsen, but clean & cheerful, as well as cheap. Perhaps best to avoid local ‘rush hour’ - early evening.
Your first challenge is to decode the vending machine that sells tickets just inside the door - tickets which you then hand over to the lady sitting 4 feet away watching you.
| Water | One medium size pool indoor, and a semi-outdoor pool too. Water is not reheated, which means not so hot but 100% natural. |
|---|---|
| Access | Easy to get to on the local bus - about 15 mins & Y330 on Utsugushgahara Onsen line bus - last stop - just around the corner. Also a taxi stand right outside. (Japanese Map) |
| Price | Adults Y300, kids Y150, (toddlers free). Kaisuken = x12 for Y3,000 |
| Hours | April - Sept = 6am - 10pm (doors close 9.30pm) Oct - Mar = 6.30am - 10pm (doors close 9.30pm) Weekends/holidays open from 6am |
| Closed | Every 1st/3rd Tuesday |
Bring your own soap & shampoo, or buy at front desk.
Not much space to sit around afterwards.
Nearby: the large building at the other end of the car park (massive) has a swimming pool.
If you are feeling energetic, you can walk along the base of the hill to Asama, which'd take about half an hour. You'd be treated with fresh air, a rash of love hotels half way including one with a large scale-model of Matsumoto castle teetering off a ledge! You'd also pass the Velodrome & the city's baseball stadium.
See also Accommodation Directory - Utsugushigahara Onsen page.