堀切温泉

This hot spring isn't immediately obvious. It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the nearest bus stop. Following Google's navigation system, you'll walk along a dirt road with puddles between fields and then through a forest, making you wonder if the hot spring is really there. Once you leave the forest, you'll come to an ordinary house, which serves as the reception desk. At this point, you'll see a modest sign, indicating you've finally arrived at the hot spring. A paved road leads out directly in front of the reception desk, so I recommend walking on it, even if it's a bit of a detour (the receptionist told me that the dirt road will be paved soon). A short distance from the house, you'll find the hot spring building. The door leads to a resting room, from which you can enter the men's and women's changing rooms. When I visited, a local grandmother was eating while watching TV. I'm not sure what her relationship was with the receptionist, but she seemed very relaxed, so perhaps she was a family member. Looking at the ingredient list in the lounge, there wasn't any particularly strong concentration of any ingredients, apart from a lot of metasilicic acid. Speaking with an older woman, she said it's effective for skin and wounds, so perhaps the metasilicic acid is the key, or perhaps there's a mysterious ingredient not listed on the list. The bathroom is large enough to fit 3-4 people. The tub is suitable for 2-3 people. The water itself is almost colorless and transparent, but appears to have a slight black tint. There was a small, box-shaped device in the corner of the tub that seemed to heat the water. When you twist the handle with the cloth on top, something appears in the water, heating it. I didn't ask the receptionist how to operate it, so I was at a loss as to what to do, but someone who arrived later helped me out. Judging from the design, it seems to be a stored-water bath. After my bath, I said hello to the receptionist, who gave me a bottle of cold spring water and a sake manju. I had just skipped lunch, so this was very helpful. They said, "I didn't hear any cars so I didn't know if anyone had come," so it seems that there are very few people who come on foot like me. There is a bus stop nearby, but there aren't many buses that pass by it in the daytime on holidays, so if you come specifically for this hot spring and then quickly head to another hot spring, it would probably be difficult to do so on foot and using public transportation.

I visited for the first time around 3:30pm on a Saturday evening. I was skeptical, wondering if it really existed in such a place. The parking lot is unpaved and gravel, but it's quite spacious and looks like it could fit more than 10 cars. I thought it was a hot spring facility, but it turned out to be the manager's home. A white-haired woman came out and greeted me with a smile, and I paid. Adults: 300 yen, children: 150 yen (apparently babies are considered children). Walking a little further, I entered the hot spring facility at the back, where women are in the front and men are in the back. (I thought the gender roles were usually reversed, but I guess that's been the case for a long time...) Before entering, please make sure there's no one behind you. There is a lock, but I wasn't sure if it was okay to lock it. The changing room was packed with 4.5 people. The bathtub was also packed with 4.5 people. It seems to be a type that uses steam to heat well water, and guests can adjust the temperature themselves. It was my first time twisting a valve that was hot from the steam, and it was fun. The self-deprecating song about all the things I didn't have on the wall made me laugh, but this place is unusual in that it has shampoo, body wash, and soap, so I didn't have to worry about that at all, lol. It was a fun experience and a fond memory. Thank you.

I dropped in on a whim on my way to work. Both the exterior and interior have a charming, old-fashioned bathhouse feel, and the price is a bargain at 300 yen! A cheerful lady and her dog greet you at the front of the store. When you tell them it's your first time there, they carefully explain the facilities to you. Seeing that I arrived empty-handed except for a face towel, they lent me a full bath set and a towel. Having the bath to myself and enjoying a relaxing bath really helped to relieve the fatigue of my long journey. I'd definitely like to visit again. Please note that there are no showers or hair dryers. There is only one bath. Also, since there were no other customers when I visited, they lent me shampoo and towels as a special favor, but I don't think they generally lend these out, so if you need them, please bring your own.

This hot spring is said to be very effective for healing wounds. When I called to check if they were open, I heard an incredibly precise and polite automated voice, which made me wonder if they were closed and it was just a voice message. But after listening to the end, I was wrong! The owner of this hot spring is cheerful and friendly, and they even have fun songs written on the bathroom walls to make visitors feel more comfortable. From this, it's clear that they want visitors to feel healed not just by the quality of the spring water, but also by the people, the atmosphere, and the nature... it's a truly wonderful hot spring.

A friend told me about this when I cut my hand. All of the water in the facility is medicinal well water (cold spring), which is then mixed with the well water to create the hot spring bath. (Customers are welcome to make their own baths, but please be careful not to get burned.) (Please fill up the bathtub with clean water before you leave.) I think the best way to enjoy the hot spring is to drink the water while soaking in it. ♪ They're doing a great job at just 300 yen, so I give them a high rating.