Karatake Hot Spring

All business hours, including the family bath, have been standardized to 10 PM. Therefore, you must enter the family bath by 9 PM. (Added 12/28/2023) This is a piping hot spring with a circular bath. It used to offer overnight stays and was frequented by many motorcyclists, but now it appears to only be open for the hot spring. The photo shows family bath room 6. The family bath fee is 1,100 yen per hour. I think extensions were 250 yen for every 15 minutes. (Added 4/13/2020) This is a different hot spring facility from Karatake Oyu, located in the Karatake village. ♨️ Karatake Oyu appears to have closed down in early 2019.

Karatake is Hiraga's oldest hot spring. The bath is perfectly round (about 8 people's size). It's colorless and transparent. It's quite hot. Two analysis charts are posted, and the large bath uses chloride and sulfate springs (Spring No. 1), while the family bath uses a simple hot spring (Spring No. 2). Hours: 7:00 AM - 10:00 PM (Large Bath) 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM (Family Bath) Price: ¥390 (Large Bath), ¥1,100 (Family Bath) Free hair dryer Lockers: ¥100 (returnable) By the way, the shower comes out when you pull the protrusion in the middle of the faucet upwards.

The hot spring is round and lukewarm. There's no sauna, cold bath, or open-air bath, but the water is incredibly abundant and endlessly overflows from the tub. To shower, you lift the knob on the faucet. This hot spring has a nostalgic feel to it! It's been a while since my last visit. It's still as great as ever. The inside of the building is too dark. The lights are off in the changing rooms and rest areas, likely as a power-saving measure. It's dangerous for elderly people, so I think they should turn them on.

Day-trip rates are 390 yen for adults, 150 yen for children, and 60 yen for children 1 year old to preschoolers. The family bath is 1,100 yen. There is only one indoor bath available for day-trip use. 100 yen lockers (free of charge) are available. There are no fixed amenities (sold at the front desk). Despite the older facilities, they are very clean. The alkaline spring has a fresh scent and will warm you to the core. With such thoughtful facilities, you can expect a high quality stay.

I used the bathhouse for a day trip on June 29, 2024. The parking lot is spacious and easy to park in. I paid 400 yen in cash at the reception counter. There were about 22 baskets in the changing room, 10 lockers with locks, and a high ceiling in the bathroom. There were 18 unusual faucets where you pull the middle knob upwards to start the shower. The general bath temperature was around 42.5 degrees Celsius. I had the place to myself around 2 PM on a Saturday.