Tateshina hot spring

If you're coming down the Venus Line, this public bath is located a little way to the right, right in front of Tateshina Post Office. There's parking in front of the building. It can only accommodate about 10 cars, but there's the large Tateshina Pool-Dira parking lot to the north, which you can also use! Entering the building through the unique noren curtain, you'll find the women's shoe lockers on the right and the men's shoe lockers on the left. There are no locks, so be careful not to get confused. The reception desk is directly in front, and to the right is a ticket machine. Interestingly, tickets cost 600 yen for adults and 360 yen for children, so they're not half price. The prices are a bit high for a public bath in Nagano Prefecture, but I guess that's to be expected in a resort area. You can also purchase shampoo and razors here. Once you enter the changing room through the noren curtain, you'll see rows of shelves with baskets for changing clothes. Perhaps to promote social distancing, there are baskets placed every other shelf. There are 100-yen returnable lockers on both sides of the basket shelf, so please use them if you have any valuables! There is one sink, but no hair dryers or amenities, although you can borrow one at the front desk. There are also household scales and chairs for resting. When you enter the bathroom, there are five washing areas without showers on the left, and four washing areas with showers on the right, both of which only have body soap. The faucets have separate hot and cold water faucets, and the temperature is adjusted by pouring water into the washbasin. The hot water is drawn from a hot spring, so the flow is unstable, as if it might explode!? But that's what makes it so extraordinary and enjoyable. The bathtub is tiled and features impressive thick log supports. The water temperature is listed as 43°C, but it's probably closer to 44°C, so those who don't like hot water may not be able to use it. Fortunately, there is a valve for adding water at the outlet, so you can adjust the temperature as you like, but it's best to let someone around you know before using it. The washbasins and chairs are all in one place, so be sure to return them to their original place when you're done using them. There is an abundant supply of hot water, and it's an exquisite hot spring that is directly drawn from the source, with only water added to adjust the temperature, so it's worth stopping by when you're sightseeing at Venus Line, Pilatus Tateshina, and Kirigamine!

I walked around Kirigamine in the morning, then went down to Tateshina Onsen to take a day trip to the hot spring. Along the way, I saw various signs for day trip hot springs. I wasn't sure which facility I was planning to go to, so I visited the Ozu Yasujiro Memorial Museum and Mugeiso before going to the hot springs. A woman who was giving a tour there introduced me to this public bath. It was very close to Mugeiso. She said that there is no place to rest or eat at the public bath. The hot spring is Tateshina Onsen, and the water is quite hot. If it's a real hot spring, that's fine. There was a parking lot right in front, so I parked my car there. There was a noren curtain that said Tateshina Onsen. When I went through the noren, it really felt like a public bath. I put my shoes in the shoe locker and paid the bathing fee at the ticket machine. The bathing fee was 600 yen. They said they had body soap but no shampoo, so I bought shampoo. 100 yen. A small bottle of shampoo. If there is any left over, you can use it again. I brought my own towel, so that's all I had to pay. The changing room was right next to the reception. It was a Saturday afternoon, but there were quite a lot of people there. The bathroom only had a bathtub and a washing area. There were about 10 washing areas, about half of which had showers and half didn't. There was nothing else. No sauna, no cold bath, no open-air bath. It was very simple. It was smaller and simpler than the public baths in Tokyo. It really felt like taking a bath in a hot spring. That's what a public bath is, and maybe that's what's so great about public baths. The hot spring water is an acidic chloride spring. It's not very acidic. It's colorless, transparent, and almost odorless. There's only a faint smell. The temperature of the source was 43 degrees, so it wasn't that hot. I wasn't planning on staying long anyway, so it was just right to wash off the sweat and soak in the hot spring. It seemed to be frequented by a lot of locals. I could hear familiar faces talking to each other. It seemed like one of the users was wiping the floor of the changing room clean. Of course, there were no amenities provided. If you ask at reception, they will lend you a hair dryer. I waited in the changing room for a while until the sweat dried before going out.

This isn't a tourist destination, but rather a public bathhouse frequented by locals. There's only a simple, tiled indoor bath, no open-air bath. The washing area is difficult to use, and while there's body soap, there's no shampoo or conditioner. Apparently, water is added to the water to lower the temperature, but it's not circulated or disinfected. My skin felt moisturized after soaking, and it was a very pleasant hot spring. The facilities are a bit old, and the atmosphere isn't particularly conducive to relaxation. The water is nice, so it's not a bad place to quickly wash off the sweat.

I'm a vacation home owner. I love this bathhouse, but here's some information for those planning to visit. •Locals have a very strong presence. (First-time visitors might feel uncomfortable?) •Not recommended for families with children •Only one bathtub, temperature over 42°C •You can add water, but you'll likely be met with disapproval. •Only body soap provided •Only one hair dryer •Cash only •No rest area or sauna Recommended for those who can tolerate hot water and who believe in "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." I love this culture, and I hope it remains a local tradition.

I used this on my way back from hiking. There was parking for about 5-6 cars. The fee is 600 yen for adults! Cash only. There is only body soap provided in the bath area, so you will need to bring your own shampoo and treatment. Towels are also charged separately. The bath area is not large, with maybe 8 showers. The bath is not that big either, but there were not many customers so it was not a problem. I soaked in the free-flowing hot spring water to relieve my fatigue.