Togariishi Onsen Jomon Hot Spring

Visited "Jomon no Yu" on May 12, 2025. This inexpensive public bath, run by Chino City, is a small but beautiful hot spring facility. Due to its location, it seems to attract many tourists after hiking around the Northern Yatsugatake Mountains and Kirigamine Mountains. The open-air bath is small, but its location in the forest is very relaxing. The water is a thick, sodium bicarbonate-containing spring containing Glauber's salt, and exceeds the standard for metasilicic acid and metaboric acid, making it a hot spring that is likely to keep your skin warm, moisturized, and sterilize and repair your skin. Inside the building, there was a tatami room where you could lie down and a small snack bar, but it seemed the restaurant was closed today. What a shame. Open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with last reservations 30 minutes before closing. Adults pay ¥600 (¥400 within the city limits). There are free shoe lockers in the back. Changing rooms and valuables lockers cost ¥100, with return shipping. The body soap and rinse-in shampoo are budget-friendly versions of Phoenix brand. Hair dryers cost 100 yen for 5 minutes, but you can bring your own. Water dispensers are provided. The indoor bath area has a main bath (with jets and a waterfall bath for two), a dry sauna, a cold bath, and an outdoor open-air bath. The water is a hypotonic, neutral sodium bicarbonate sulfate spring that is colorless, transparent, slightly salty, and odorless. The spring temperature is 40.9°C. Metasilicic acid content is 123.6mg, metaboric acid content is 18.4mg.

I stopped by here on my way back from hiking Mt. Tengu, part of the Yatsugatake Mountains. It's located on the way from Chino City to Karasawa Onsen, the trailhead for Mt. Tengu, so if you miss Karasawa Onsen's day-trip bathing hours (until 3:00 PM), this is a convenient option. The men's side is equipped with 15 shower booths, one large indoor bath (with two cascading shower spaces), a cold bath (full for two people), a sauna (always kept at 95°C), and an open-air bath (covered). It's priced very reasonably at 600 yen for visitors from outside the prefecture (400 yen for Chino residents). On the flip side, hair dryers cost 100 yen for 5 minutes, and toothbrushing is prohibited throughout the facility (as a measure against infectious diseases). There's only 56 parking spaces, so it may be difficult to find space during peak hours on weekends and holidays. The restaurant is currently closed, so be careful if you're planning on eating in. There is a rest area, though, so you can relax. I was very satisfied and would like to use it again.

A hot spring facility where you can relax, surrounded by tranquil nature. It's not flashy, but the calming atmosphere is very pleasant. The spring water is very soft and warms you gently from the inside out. Your skin will feel moisturized after a bath, which is especially appreciated in the cold season. The facilities are neat and easy to use, and there's a cozy atmosphere that makes you feel like a place that locals use on a daily basis. Above all, it's the type of hot spring that makes you think, "If it were in my neighborhood, I'd go there every day." It's the perfect place to take a break from sightseeing or to end your trip. Recommended for anyone looking to relax and unwind in nature.

Togariishi Onsen "Jomon no Yu" may be small, but it's an excellent hot spring with outstanding spring quality. The water is slightly brownish in color and has no distinctive smell. It has a thick spring quality that clings to the skin. The facility includes one indoor bath, an open-air bath, a sauna, and a cold water bath. The resting area is divided into two areas, with a space where you can relax at tables and a space where you can lie down comfortably on tatami mats. The facility as a whole is small, but it is a great hot spring where you can enjoy a relaxing bath.

The parking lot was almost full, but the bathroom wasn't too crowded and I was able to use it comfortably. There's a hot spring, sauna, and cold bath, which is perfect for soothing after a day of skiing. The sauna is dry, so the temperature feels lower. The cold bath was quite cool, which was nice. Maybe around 12°C? I was also surprised at how cheap the bathing fee was. The restaurant closed after 6pm. I wish they'd stay open a little later.