Kusatsu Onsen

草津温泉 · Gunma Prefecture · Kusatsu Town

Photo: Uryah · CC BY-SA 3.0

Kusatsu Town, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, at about 1,200 metres altitude; counted in folk listings among Japan's Three Famous Hot Springs (with Arima and Gero — a folk grouping, not an official ranking); Yubatake is the town-centre landmark.

Know before you go

Red lines: shower fully before bathing, do not wear swimwear in baths (except rented private baths), do not soak towels in the water, and do not photograph inside baths. Taboos: after drinking, or with tattoos, follow each bath's rules — some baths refuse tattoos, so confirm in advance and do not force entry — and tie up long hair. Good manners: bathe quietly, limit bathing time, and drink water afterwards. Common mistakes for outsiders: (1) soaking long in strongly acidic water and irritating skin — first-timers should bathe briefly and repeatedly
(2) expecting free public baths to be fully equipped spa facilities — they have only simple changing areas and no lockers, so do not bring valuables.

This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.

Stories & people

History

Kusatsu’s yumomi tradition

Kusatsu’s spring water is very hot, so residents developed yumomi: stirring it with long wooden boards to cool it. Today, performances accompanied by the Kusatsu-bushi song present this local tradition. Stories identifying the springs’ first discoverer belong to legend.

Source: Official tourism or heritage information

Culture

Culture & customs

Background

source water is 50–90°C in scale, strongly acidic, with among Japan's largest outputs; an Edo-period saying held that Kusatsu waters cure every ailment except lovesickness, and Tokugawa shoguns had water carried to Edo Castle; in the Meiji period German physician Erwin von Bälz studied and promoted its spa value; Yumomi (湯もみ), cooling water by stirring with wooden boards, is now demonstrated at Netsu-no-Yu (熱乃湯).

Local customs

(1) Yubatake (湯畑) at night amid steam
(2) Yumomi demonstration (湯もみ見学) with Kusatsu Bushi songs (草津節) at Netsu-no-Yu
(3) the three free public baths — Shirahata-no-Yu (白旗の湯), Chiyo-no-Yu (千代の湯) and Jizo-no-Yu (地蔵の湯)
(4) open-air baths and foot baths at Sainokawara Park (西の河原公園)
(5) strolling Yuro Street (湯路) in yukata and tasting onsen manju (温泉まんじゅう).

Etiquette & taboos

Don’t DON'T

Red lines: shower fully before bathing, do not wear swimwear in baths (except rented private baths), do not soak towels in the water, and do not photograph inside baths. Taboos: after drinking, or with tattoos, follow each bath's rules — some baths refuse tattoos, so confirm in advance and do not force entry — and tie up long hair. Good manners: bathe quietly, limit bathing time, and drink water afterwards. Common mistakes for outsiders: (1) soaking long in strongly acidic water and irritating skin — first-timers should bathe briefly and repeatedly
(2) expecting free public baths to be fully equipped spa facilities — they have only simple changing areas and no lockers, so do not bring valuables.

Locals appreciate DO

Please respect local residents, open areas, and on-site rules.

Plan your visit

Practical info

Getting there	Intercity: about 25 minutes by bus from JR Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station on the Agatsuma Line, or about 3 hours by direct bus from Shinjuku; there is no railway in town. Local: on foot or by town loop bus. Tickets and payment: buses take IC cards or cash; lodging usually includes meals; public baths are free and some facilities charge separately. Fare scales are as officially published; damage or misuse in bath facilities is compensated under facility rules, at the scale posted on site.

Getting there

Intercity: about 25 minutes by bus from JR Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station on the Agatsuma Line, or about 3 hours by direct bus from Shinjuku; there is no railway in town. Local: on foot or by town loop bus. Tickets and payment: buses take IC cards or cash; lodging usually includes meals; public baths are free and some facilities charge separately. Fare scales are as officially published; damage or misuse in bath facilities is compensated under facility rules, at the scale posted on site.

Travel tips

Kusatsu water is very hot, so shower first to adapt
mountain nights are cool, so bring a light jacket even in summer. The three free baths differ in heat, with Shirahata-no-Yu hottest — choose within your tolerance.

Sources & verification notes

Official tourism or heritage information

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