Tamagawa Hot Spring

Yamanashi is home to many day-trip hot springs, including Yamaguchi Onsen, Tortoise Onsen, and Kokubo Onsen, all located in the Kofu Basin. Tamagawa Onsen is one of these, and we visited it this time. Since we were traveling by train, we had no choice but to take the bus, or at worst, a taxi. However, since we cut our plans short in Yamanashi City, the only bus to Tamagawa Onsen was to AEON Mall, so we hopped on a bus from Kofu Station. 🚍️ After about a 30-minute ride, we arrived at AEON Mall Kofu Showa. From there, we walked about 20 minutes through fields and finally saw the sign for Tamagawa Onsen. The photo of the entrance is hard to see because we edited the photos to remove personal information and remove cars, but there were about 6-7 cars parked there. 🚘️🅿️ There are shoe lockers to the left of the entrance, but there aren't many. I wonder if they only allow a limited number of people inside at one time... The reason became clear when I entered the bathhouse. 😅 There were slippers in the shoe locker, and it seemed like they were swapped for slippers. Once you changed into your slippers, the reception desk was immediately to your right. The fee was 500 yen! 🪙 So cheap! In the changing room, there were plastic slats on the floor and lockable lockers. There weren't many. I remember there being around 15-18. Once I entered the bathhouse, I was surprised to see the abundance of hot water, as it overflowed from the bathtub and covered the floor. 😳 There were only four faucets on the right, no shampoo or other amenities, and only two bars of soap. It was fitting that this was a facility where you could wash your body with soap and truly enjoy the bath. There were two bathtubs, and I couldn't tell if they contained different spring water or if they were the same. The smaller one was cloudy and had a strong iron smell, while the larger one appeared to be a light brown with air bubbles. Unlike moor springs, it tightens the skin. According to the analysis chart, it's a sodium chloride/bicarbonate spring. 🤔 The water temperature is just right, around 40-42°C, perfect for a long soak. All I can say is that the water is rich and wonderful. ☝️ Overall, the facility itself is a long-established one, so it's not exactly a fancy day-trip hot spring, and it's not particularly large, but the high-quality water makes up for it, making it a must-visit for serious hot spring lovers. ☝️ By the way, on a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji right in front of you as you leave the facility. 🗻

It was a Saturday in early February 2026. I arrived at 10am, just after opening. The parking lot on the building side was already full, with about seven cars parked there. I parked in the unpaved lot across the street. The toilets were only on the left side of the entrance. There were none in the changing rooms. The reception was on the right. It was a day with light snow falling, so when I paid the 500 yen fee at the reception, I was told, "It's cold today, so please take your time and warm up." There were four of us in the group that rushed to get in when it opened. There were two baths, one large and one small, and the smaller one at the front was relatively hotter. I soaked in the one at the back with the lukewarm, splashing water outlet. Even though it was lukewarm, I was sweating after 20 minutes. The foaming was also amazing. My body was covered in foam, just like frost-covered trees. I checked the water coming out of the well, but to me it was tasteless and odorless. I enjoyed it for 40 minutes before calling it a day. Other people were also bathing for about 30 to 40 minutes. The water was very nice. Thank you for the meal. There was a sign saying that bathing time was limited to a maximum of 1.5 hours, but since there is no cold bath, I think that might be strict.

Is this a gold or silver spring? ? Yamanashi has many incredibly high-quality, extremely cheap hot springs, but I was surprised when I went in here! ️ When I opened the sliding door to the bathhouse, the hot spring water overflowed the tub and flowed like a flood. This is truly a spring overflowing from the source. There are also two types of baths: one is a slightly brownish gold spring, and the next to it is a fine carbonated spring that reflects the light, making it look almost silver spring. It makes you feel like you're in Arima Onsen? It all feels so luxurious, and all of this costs only 500 yen! Yamanashi is amazing! 👍 I heard there's only one type of hot spring, and the color appears different due to the density of the carbonation. The proprietress, whose grandfather was the founder of the bath, is cheerful and lovely. I'll definitely be back.

Tourist visiting an onsen (have visited 5 by now): - 500 yen pp - tattoo friendly - bring your own soap etc - no English manual / instruction or explanation - male side: 2 baths, one clear water around 35 degrees, one opaque / Milky around 40 c. - all the bathroom is very aged, colored red from the minerals. The entire floor is continuously flooded. The small chairs, showers everything is aged. All in all it added to a sensation that it wasn't very hygienic compared to other onsen.

There are two types of water: a slightly hot, cloudy bath, and a clear bath that is just the right temperature. The clear bath is more popular, and everyone enjoys a long, relaxing soak in it. The amount of water is so large that it's almost overflowing, to the point that it's a bit worrying. I was glad that there was no smell of disinfectant. There is no open-air bath, but you can see Mt. Fuji right in front of you from the parking lot.