Chomei

Sauna Ikitai 1,460 [July 5, 2025] ※ A wonderful facility worth the detour This hot spring facility boasts a stunning location along Lake Biwa, about a 30-minute bus ride from Omihachiman Station in Shiga Prefecture. Upon arriving at the bus stop, the sounds of seagulls calling out to you make you wonder if you're actually visiting the ocean rather than Lake Biwa. Plus, the location, sandwiched between mountains, gives the feeling of being in a traditional Japanese inn. The biggest attraction here is the wood-fired sauna. Staff regularly add firewood to maintain the perfect setting. With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees and perfect humidity, your body will melt within five minutes. The aroma of wood wafts through the air as you enter the sauna, along with the crackling of the wood, truly reaffirms the soothing sounds of nature. (Two-tiered, accommodates up to 12 people) The underground natural water bath is 1.2 meters deep and boasts exceptional quality at 15 degrees Celsius. The water overflows like a spring, creating a bubble bath with vibrations and jets, creating a truly clean and comfortable experience. (Maximum 4 people) The post-sauna shower is perfectly positioned, truly impressive and well thought out. The hot bath allows you to enjoy the natural spring waters of Chomyoji Onsen, especially the radon water, which maintains a low temperature after the sauna. There are also two outdoor tubs, and bathing while enjoying the view of Lake Biwa is a truly invigorating experience. For post-sauna dining, Kirinji's abura soba is the perfect choice. The thick noodles and rich pork slices pair perfectly with a Kaku Highball. (For those with buckwheat allergies, they will boil the noodles separately.) What's strange, however, is that while the menu features local specialties like unaju and Omi beef udon, there aren't many alcoholic beverages available. The wine selection is limited to Opus One, priced at ¥120,000, and champagne, priced at ¥80,000 and above, leaving one feeling like the restaurant is primarily about the food. Perhaps the restaurant would be even more popular if it focused more on alcohol and offered food to go with it. The food is delicious, after all. Finally, when I spoke with a waiter at the restaurant, he told me that he works here because he enjoys the hot springs and sauna. This warms my heart, as it shows the staff's love for this establishment. Also, if you want to experience the wood-fired sauna and experience something out of the ordinary, this is definitely a place you'll want to visit.

My friend and I drove to Lake Biwa from Nagoya for a short trip, arriving in about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Our journey went so smoothly that we ended up arriving 30 minutes before the 10am opening time. There weren't any cars parked there. The weather was nice and a little chilly today, the perfect day for a hot spring. There was a spectacular view of Lake Biwa right in front of the facility. Just before opening, we exchanged the shoe locker key for a locker key at the front desk. It seems you pay when you leave. The bathing fee is 1200 yen, and includes rental towels and bath towels. Personally, I think it would be easier to visit if it was 1000 yen without rentals. First, I headed to the changing room, where I could see the spectacular view of Lake Biwa from the open-air bath. There was one tub bath and one cypress bath large enough for two people. It had been a while since I'd been there, and the scent of cypress, the mellow water, and the pleasant breeze made me feel relaxed and comfortable. The indoor baths were generally set a little low, with an electric bath, carbonated spring, reclining bath, sauna, high-temperature sauna, cold bath, and free-flowing vibraradium hot spring water at around 35°C. The baths were a little small, but since it was a weekday, there weren't many people, so I was able to relax in a long, relaxing bath.

I arrived around 2pm. I asked to go to the bath, I was told it was closed, I was offered the restaurant on the 2nd floor. No one came to take care of me for the restaurant. So I watched the entrances and exits and I saw lots of people going towards the directions of the bath with towels with a big smile from the person at the reception. So obviously this establishment does not like foreigners too much and that is good to know.

Since it was a weekday, there were few customers and I was able to relax. I brought my own bath towel, so they gave me a drink. The bath was well-cleaned and comfortable. There was a customer with anemia, and I was impressed by how courteous the staff were.

Beautiful onsen with sauna! We went on a rainy day, but I bet the views will be amazing on clear days. One of the staff members was not so friendly and looked annoyed, otherwise I’d given it 5 stars