別所温泉 大師湯

September 14, 2025 Morning Bath I arrived just after 8:30 AM, and there were two other guests before me, but they left immediately. The bath fee is 300 yen. As you enter the changing room, there's a shoe locker, a locker for valuables, and a changing rack. There's no air conditioning in the changing room, only a fan, which can be tough after a bath in hot weather. As it's a public bath, no soap or other liquids are provided. There's one clear, colorless bathtub, with a slight sulfur smell. The water temperature measured 40°C on my own thermometer. There are three faucets in the washing area, but no showers. I took a long soak in the bathtub, took a short break, splashed water from the faucet over my head, and then returned to the bath to enjoy the warmth. As I was drying myself off before getting out of the bath, the next customer arrived. It appears there's a public parking lot in front of Ishiyu. I'd like to visit again when the weather gets colder.

I visited this place while sightseeing in Nagano. When I visited, Kitamuki Kannon Temple was open to the public, so there were several temporary parking lots nearby, but I'm not sure if they are open normally. It opens at 6am, so even though I arrived a little early, I was able to soak in Bessho Onsen. The admission fee is a super reasonable 300 yen per adult. Unlike regular public baths, shampoo and body soap aren't provided, but you can purchase some essentials from the ticket machine. The changing room and bathroom aren't that spacious, but they do have simple lockers with locks, so I was able to store my valuables. However, the changing room is visible from inside the bathroom. The bathtub in the bathroom can only fit about four people. There were also four washing areas. Although the temperature was low, the water was simply the best. If I had the time, I would have stayed in the bath forever (lol)

Very local and rustic onsen, very cheap at ¥150. The most lowkey one among the 3 communal baths in Bessho Onsen (the other 2 are Ishiyu, 3 mins walk away, and Oyu, 8 mins walk away). After I bought my ticket at the vending machine outside, I handed it to a grandma running the booth at the entrance. Then I walked in and saw a group of local old Japanese ladies chatting and getting dressed after a bath. The facilities are very basic, with only hot water and cold water faucets (not even shower heads). You will then mix the water yourself in your bucket to wash yourself before entering the onsen, which is a small moon-shaped, blue-tiled bath. It’s a BYOS (bring your own soap) kind of onsen, so come prepared like the old local ladies do with their bath set! The English explanations are quite amusing too.

I stopped by here while staying at the Agematsuya Inn during a trip to Nagano and Gunma. It's one of three outdoor baths (public baths), open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, closed on Thursdays, and costs 300 yen. I went first thing in the morning, so there was no one there and I was able to relax. While the inn's large public bath and open-air bath are nice, I prefer the small, intimate feel of the public bath. The other outdoor baths (public baths) are Ishiyu, open from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM, closed on Tuesdays, and cost 300 yen. Oyu, open from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM, closed on Wednesdays, and cost 300 yen.

This is the only public bath in Bessho Onsen that uses completely free-flowing water. The entrance fee is a reasonable 300 yen, and although the bathroom is small, there are several faucets installed. Soaps are not permanently provided. There is a strong sulfurous smell (hydrogen sulfide smell) that is quite uplifting. The hot spring water is at a comfortable temperature and is very pleasant. Personalized towels are also available for purchase.