Katsura Onsen

This hot spring is five-star for its quality. The free-flowing water (unheated, unfiltered, and undiluted) is gentle and soft on the skin. Although it is a simple spring, its high pH of 8.5 leaves skin feeling smooth. There's also a faint sulfur smell... This is a rare, free-flowing natural hot spring. Please note However, both the bathroom and changing room are different from those found in modern hot spring facilities. Not recommended for those who like cleanliness. November 18th This hot spring is as great as ever. Unfortunately, the open-air bath closed at the end of October. (It is scheduled to reopen on June 1st of the following year.) This isn't heated, so that can't be helped. Free-flowing spring water Unfiltered Undiluted Unheated This is an exquisite hot spring that never cools down after a bath. It's been a while since I've had lunch and a hot spring here. For lunch, I had a roll and curry bun from Fukusendo, a local Nagaoka food. July 6th My legs haven't been feeling well for a while... I took a hot spring bath. I took three baths... I've been traveling by train on weekends for about three months, traveling by train for research. Long trips like that are bad for your legs, after all. +The air conditioning has reduced blood flow. Vantelin and tape just won't cut it. I'm feeling much better now. I'll take another hot spring bath tomorrow to try and recover. I'm relying on hot springs this week. July 6th Two days of hot spring baths in a row. August 4th Recuperating for the Nagaoka Festival. To soothe sunburned skin and muscles... The free-flowing water is the best.

I arrived around 4:30 PM on a Saturday during Golden Week. The shoe lockers cost ¥100, and the changing lockers were where the keys were given to me at reception. Women's bath... 7 washing areas, rinse-in shampoo, body soap, 2 indoor baths, and 3 hair dryers. The open-air bath was mysteriously only available from June to October, so there was no discount and only the indoor bath. (¯―¯٥) It wasn't very spacious, and the changing room was cramped lol. The hot spring water was 100% source-fed, and it was great, keeping you warm. But! Perhaps because there were a lot of locals, there was a lot of bad manners. People were reserving seats at the washing area even though it was crowded, shower spray was spreading from the neighbor without any consideration, talking loudly even though they were far away, using the hair dryer before someone else, and leaving personal belongings scattered under used lockers... It's okay because we're all locals...or something. It wasn't supposed to be that crowded, but I still didn't feel comfortable... and I felt unwell so I left after about 30 minutes. Personally, I won't be visiting again.

Admission is 600 yen (towel not included) upon presenting your JAF membership card at reception. The water is soft enough to feel viscous, and the temperature is just right. I went for a dip on a weekday around 4 PM for the first time in a while. It was quiet, and I was able to relax. The water quality was truly pleasant, and the sound of the flowing water from the source soothed both body and mind. There's no sauna. There are about seven faucets, and rinse-in shampoo and body soap are provided. Free hair dryers and cotton swabs are also provided. It's a small facility, but even when I visit various hot springs, I find myself coming back to this one again and again. It probably fills up with local regulars after 5 PM, so I recommend going before then.

The water is great♪ 100% natural hot spring water, a slightly cloudy alkaline spring, warmed for a relaxing soak. However, although there are two bathtubs, they're small, and there are a lot of elderly people, presumably locals, so it's hard to relax in them. I live nearby, but I had no idea there was such a great hot spring so close by. It would be nice if it were a little bigger, which is a shame. The rest room is closed on Sundays, or rather, there's a fee. Is it to discourage elderly people from staying there for long? That's fine, but it just feels like a regular public bath. I guess it can't be helped since it's small. I think it's best to come on a weekday.

It's a small, free-flowing hot spring loved by locals. The water is alkaline, slippery, and soft with a yellowish tint. There are two indoor baths, some with hot water, and an open-air bath. Since it's a small day-trip hot spring, it might be best to check with the ticket counter if there are a lot of parking spaces. The parking lot is unpaved.