Yatsugatake Jomon Natural Hotspring Togariishi no Yu

This hot spring is incredibly rustic. If you're expecting a regular hot spring, you'll be surprised. I don't recommend it for people looking for a regular hot spring. They give you an explanation before you check in, but there are no lockers, washing areas, showers, or anything like that. After checking in, you change into sandals and walk into the forest, where you'll find the changing room and hot spring inside an area surrounded by straw walls, as shown in the photo. The hot spring is literally a free-flowing rock bath. I'm sure the water is drawn directly from the source. The quality is excellent. It smells of sulfur, just like a hot spring. However, it seems like the rocks aren't even cleaned much. There's algae growing on the bottom, which makes it slippery, so it says you should wear sandals when entering. However, there were only a few sandals, or sometimes only one sandal was left. When I actually got in, there was algae growing in places and it was slippery. I was worried about the sanitary situation, so I didn't feel like sitting in the water. I would have preferred to take a shower if possible. It was a cold day, so I thought I'd get out once I'd warmed up, but the water was lukewarm except for near the hot spring outlet, so it took a while to warm up. I ended up soaking in it for about 30 minutes before getting out, and although it was cold until I put my clothes on, I was warm afterwards. But 1,250 yen (holiday rate) plus 250 yen for a towel is a bit pricey...if they're going to charge that much, I wish they'd keep it a little cleaner. There's a drinking fountain on the other side of the building where hot spring bathers can drink freely, but it has a metallic taste and isn't very tasty. The staff are kind, but I won't be returning. Just to add, there is a private bath in the indoor bath for an additional fee, and it seems to have showers and other amenities, but there is only one private bath, so it's usually booked.

This is Tateshina, near the Togariishi Jomon Archaeological Museum and its national treasure clay figurine known as the Jomon Venus. Our destination was the Jomon Natural Hot Springs, Togariishi no Yu. Nearby is Togariishi Onsen. "Jomon no Yu" (Jomon Hot Spring) is a pretty misleading name, lol. To reach Togariishi no Yu, you have to find a tiny sign and then walk down a narrow, unpaved path. Find the small wooden board next to the impressive sign for Tateshina Executive House to enter. After checking in, we walked into the forest. Although the baths are separated by gender, the open air on the other side is breathtaking. The forest is filled with tall trees. The sunlight filtering through the trees is soothing. The cloudy green water allows you to relax in nature. There's also a comfortable reclining bath. The changing room has a wonderful atmosphere and a sense of openness. The water is rich in sulfates, and the spring water is drinkable. The mysterious hot spring apparently grows algae within a day. They provide straw sandals to prevent slipping, so you can wear them while you soak in the hot spring. This mysterious hot spring also offers a "juice fast" plan, where you can stay overnight and fast by drinking carrot or apple juice and the hot spring water.

This is my first visit. This open-air bath is nestled in the middle of nature, with little human intervention. The rest area and changing room are made from natural wood. There is no washing area, so shampoo and other cosmetics cannot be used. This appears to be due to drainage issues. Also, shampoo and soap are not necessary; the hot spring water provides these. Apparently, there is a washing area in the private indoor bath. This open-air bath is truly immersed in nature, and we had it all to ourselves. I'd like to visit again in the fall or winter. P.S. I called the day before to confirm the opening hours, and was told they open from 9:00, but it turns out they open from 10:00. However, I'm grateful that they opened at 9:00, as I'd come all the way there. 2025.10.26 Today, the indoor bath is private. Since there is only one indoor bath, the limit is 50 minutes, and the fee is 1,500 yen per person. You can use the open-air bath as much as you like for 1,250 yen per person. However, when it comes to changing rooms, it's warmer if you rent a private one, and there's a shower so you can wash before getting in. You can use the open-air bath from spring to early autumn, but in winter you're limited to the indoor bath.

This outdoor magatama open-air bath was built by Tetsuya Goto, a master of open-air bath design. ♨️ This man-made open-air bath allows you to relax in the forest with peace of mind. 🌱It's a very relaxing place. ♨️🌳🗻 Park your car in the parking lot and pay inside. Please enter your address! ✍️ This time, we enjoyed a private hot spring. 🙌 The algae growing in the hot spring are very resilient and grow quickly, making the long, slippery layers slippery. Therefore, we bathed in the provided straw sandals. 🩴. The cloudy water made it difficult to see where we were stepping, so we carefully watched out for the rocks and took our time to avoid slipping. ♨️ This hot spring is very warming. ♨️You'll sweat a lot. ♡ This is a powerful hot spring. Even honeybees come to drink the hot spring water. 🐝 The drinking fountain is located in a different location.

It's pronounced "Togariishi no Yu." I went there for a day trip. There are two quaint open-air baths, one for men and one for women. The open-air bath is designed to resemble a magatama (magatama jewel), and the water is a greenish-white color, flowing directly from the hot spring. According to the explanation, the green color is caused by algae growing. The hot spring water is drinkable and is said to have a detoxifying effect. I recommend this place for anyone who wants to enjoy a relaxing soak in the open-air bath. The bathing fee is 1,250 yen. There is no indoor bath, sauna, washing area, sink, hair dryer, shampoo, or body soap, so if you're looking for these things, I recommend another day trip hot spring. July 2025