Kamiyu onsen

This onsen is very authentic and different. I was expecting a normal onsen with outside bath only. But it was quite different. It’s looks very authentic on the second floor you’ll find the female bath. You can take a small shower but most of the client do it very briefly before entering the bath because it’s not so convenient. Then you go in the bath with a great view on the river and the mountain. You can smell a little bit the sulfur but it is not so bad. I could relax and my skin felt very smooth. You can also dry your hair at the end. There are no locker and only basket but it is safe. If you want to leave your precious item, leave it in the car. The staff is checking the parking. Toilets are not close to the onsen so please do your businesses before entering the onsen. The male bath is on the first floor near the river and you can see it from the female bath (that is why the female bath is upstairs, I think).

The men's bath is a large open-air bath along the river, with a faint sulfur smell and free-flowing hot spring water. There's a ladder that leads down to the river from the open-air bath. I didn't do it, but some people were getting into the river like they were in a cold bath. I'm not sure if that's legal, though... I set the location on Google Maps, but the navigation ended near the public restroom above the hot spring. There's a map posted in the free parking lot next to the restroom, and you can descend to the hot spring just before the bridge beyond the free parking lot, and the parking lot is along the river. The bathing fee of 500 yen (as of November 2025) is paid at a hut between the parking lot and the hot spring. It was an incredibly relaxing open-air bath!

You can find the entrance from Prefectural Route 735 by looking for a banner for Kamiyu Onsen. There is a parking lot just down the steep slope, but it can only accommodate around 10 cars. Motorcycle parking is further down the slope to the hot spring entrance, but it is best to avoid entering with medium to large vehicles. It is difficult to turn around. The hot spring is open and you can enjoy nature to the fullest. I don't know about the women's bath, but although it is higher than the men's, it doesn't seem to have as much of an open feel. The changing room is simple and completely visible from the bath, and there are no lockers or anything. There is also only one shower, and no one was there to wash. I recommend bathing on a nice day.

Kawara no Yu is one of the most spectacular open-air baths in Totsukawa Village, and the water was as good as ever. However, the women's bathroom is covered and feels a bit like a prison, so the view isn't that great. Also, although the water is great, it's extremely hot, so I wouldn't recommend it for people who don't like hot water. There is a parking lot with space for about five cars around where you see the first sign, and from there there are stairs up a steep slope. However, if you go a little further there is a slope that you can drive down to near the riverbank, so I recommend parking there.

The most hidden hot spring in Totsukawa Onsenkyo Kamiyu Onsen is a hot spring that is known for its natural beauty. It was damaged in a flood in 2011, but was restored in 2017 thanks to the efforts of local people. In the open-air bath built on the riverbank, you can enjoy the smooth water with floating mineral deposits. Guests staying at Kamiyu Onsen Kamiyuso (→P101), which is about a 5-minute walk away, can use it free of charge.