Sagarahan Ganjoji Hot Spring

Currently, new bowling is closed, but they are still operating with either men's or women's baths only on certain days (odd-numbered days are for men only). Afternoon hours start at 1 PM, but it seems okay to enter a little early if you tell the lady at the reception (I saw a local person doing this, so I followed suit). The water is very fresh, and if you stand still in the water, you can feel a slight bubbling. There are two gourd-shaped bathtubs, but the smaller one is barely big enough for one person, so it's better to think of it as just one bathtub. The water is quite hot, and the bathtub is deep, so your whole body gets thoroughly warmed. It's a little far from the center of Hitoyoshi Onsen, but it's within walking distance of the Hitoyoshi Interchange bus stop, so you can visit if you have some time before your bus.

It is open from 6am. There is a parking lot next door, but the paved section is for the barber shop next door and the unpaved section is for the hot spring. The fee is cheap at 200 yen. There are no amenities. The baths are shaped like gourds, with a small cold bath and two large and small circular baths. The hot spring water flows into the small bath, so it is quite hot. The larger bath is a little hotter. There are six washing areas, but no showers. The overall design has a sense of history and was very relaxing.

Visited in the morning on a trip in September 2017. The atmosphere was great! The water quality was great (200 yen). The staff was great! The hot spring water was free-flowing from the source! The cold bath was great! The hair dryer was 20 yen. No showers or shampoos. Instead of showering, you use the hot water from the bathtub. There are no lockers with locks, but the changing room is completely visible from the bathroom, so it's safe. It was great to have the place to ourselves!

I was impressed that this thick, free-flowing hot spring water was only 200 yen. If it only costs 200 yen to bathe, you wouldn't want to take a bath at home. Local people had left their bathing supplies out. It's great that you only need to bring a towel. When I visited, it was full of local grandmothers. The temperature was around 43-44 degrees Celsius? It's a little hot, but as the weather gets colder, this temperature might be just right.

Spring water quality: Sodium bicarbonate and chloride spring At the front desk, a cat sitting on a cushion greeted us. The bath here has a gourd-shaped, two-tiered design, and there's also a cold bath (probably just for rinsing off), allowing for alternating between hot and cold baths, making for a blissful experience. The dragon-like wooden spout and the mural depicting a Kumagawa River rafting trip (probably) are also lovely.