Overview
Kusatsu Onsen is a hot-spring resort in the town of Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture, at the eastern foot of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane. Its natural discharge of more than 32,300 liters per minute is the largest in Japan, and it ranks among the country's three most celebrated hot springs.
Highlights
- ●Largest natural hot-spring flow in Japan
- ●The famous central Yubatake field
- ●One of Japan's three great hot springs
- ●Strongly acidic waters from Kusatsu-Shirane
History
In the Muromachi period the monk Banri Shukyu named it, with Arima and Gero, one of the three great springs, and in the Edo period the scholar Hayashi Razan called them the three great springs of the realm. In Edo-era hot-spring rankings it consistently held the top rank of ozeki. In the Meiji era the German physician Erwin von Baelz, who taught at Tokyo University, praised its therapeutic benefits.
Access
The resort is in the town of Kusatsu. Access is generally by public transport or car; please check maps and official sources for details.
Best season
As a hot-spring town it can be enjoyed year-round. The steam rising from the Yubatake feels especially atmospheric from autumn into the colder winter months.
Map
36.6228, 138.5966 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Watch the steam and scenery at the central Yubatake
- 2Experience local traditions such as the yumomi water-stirring
- 3Visit the public bathhouses dotted around town
- 4Enjoy the baths with views toward the Shirane range
Did you know?
💡 Locals have long said the springs can cure every ailment except lovesickness.
Nearby spots
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