Day trip bathing travel journals to hot springs where we visited by train and bus

Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu

Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu

1009-2, Anogawa, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma Pref.

All hot water is Flowing from the Source. In the open-air bath where the greenery of the forest and the ray of the sun blend in, enjoy the best luxury of your mind.

Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu open-air bath
Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu indoor bath (unheated) Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu indoor bath (heated) Minakami Onsen-kyo Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu exterior

Hot water Flowing from the Source is being poured both the indoor bath and the open-air bath. So there is also a non-heating bath that you can enjoy the natural hot spring.

The facility is located in the green forest facing the babbling of river, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You will surely be healed, especially in the open-air bath in the beautiful scenery.

They provides a fishing pond and barbecue area, so you can also easily enjoy fishing, grilled the fish and barbecue etc.

Location

Rating of access

1.0 pt(from Ueno)

0.0 pt(from Niigata)

→ How to rate access

Area / Railway

Kanto Region
Gunma Pref.

JR Joetsu Line

onsen

Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta.JR: 3 hrs Takasaki Line etc. - Joetsu Line ¥ 3,080
  • Minakami Sta.Walk: 45 min 3.4 km (2.1 mi) Difference in elevation: 100 m (328 ft)
  • Suzumorinoyu
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta. JR Joetsu / Hokuriku Shinkansen: 50 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat ¥ 5,380
  • Takasaki Sta.JR: 1 hr 10 min Joetsu Line ¥ -
  • Minakami Sta.Taxi: 10 min about ¥ 1,500
  • Suzumorinoyu
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta. JR Joetsu / Hokuriku Shinkansen: 50 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat ¥ 5,380
  • Takasaki Sta.JR (SL): 2 hrs 07 min SL Gunma Minakami
    on the Joetsu Line
    Reserved seat +¥ 530
  • Minakami Sta. "ecobike" bicycle station Bicycle rental: 20 min 3.4 km (2.1 mi) ¥ 25 / 15 min
  • Suzumorinoyu
Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta. (New South Gate) Walk: 2 min
  • Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
    (4th floor) Expressway bus: 3 hrs 55 min Kan-etsu Kotsu Minakami Onsen-go ¥ 3,300
  • Minakami Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
  • Ikebukuro Sta.Tobu: 35 min Tojo Line ¥ 480
  • Kawagoe Sta. (West exit) Expressway bus: 2 hrs 25 min Kan-etsu Kotsu Minakami Onsen-go ¥ 2,800
  • Minakami Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta.JR: 3 hrs 40 min Joetsu Line ¥ 3,080
  • Minakami Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta.JR express: 55 min Shirayuki Non-reserved seat ¥ 4,280
  • Nagaoka Sta.JR: 2 hrs Joetsu Line ¥ -
  • Minakami Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta. JR Joetsu Shinkansen: 50 min Toki Non-reserved seat ¥ 5,720
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta. JR: 40 min Joetsu Line ¥ -
  • Minakami Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Routes from Tokyo
  • Ueno
  • JR
  • Minakami
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 3 hrs 45 min ¥ 3,080

  • Ueno
  • Shinkansen
  • Takasaki
  • JR
  • Minakami
  • Taxi
  • hot spring
  • 2 hrs 10 min ¥ 6,880

  • Ueno
  • Shinkansen
  • Takasaki
  • JR SL
  • Minakami
  • Bicycle rental
  • hot spring
  • 3 hrs 17 min ¥ 5,910+

  • Shinjuku
  • Expressway bus
  • Minakami
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 3 hrs 57 min+ ¥ 3,300+

  • Ikebukuro
  • Tobu
  • Kawagoe
  • Expressway bus
  • Minakami
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 3 hrs 00 min+ ¥ 3,280+

Routes from Niigata
  • Niigata
  • JR
  • Minakami
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 3 hrs 40 min+ ¥ 3,080+

  • Niigata
  • JR express
  • Nagaoka
  • JR
  • Minakami
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 2 hrs 55 min+ ¥ 4,280+

  • Niigata
  • Shinkansen
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • JR
  • Minakami
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 1 hr 30 min+ ¥ 5,720+

  • The price of normal Shinkansen is "Basic fare" plus "Super express charge". (These are determined according to the distance.) "Super express charge" has two types: Reserved seat and Non-reserved seat. Reserved seat charge adds ¥930 (during the busiest season), ¥730 (during the busy season), ¥530 (during the normal season) or ¥330 (during the off season) to Non-reserved seat charge. (For details, please refer to JR East_Ticketing and Busiest / Busy / Normal / Off season calendar.)
  • To use the bicycle rental "ecobike Minakami Town", install the dedicated APP on your smartphone, register as a member, and scan the QR code on the bicycle. (Contact TEL: 03-5308-0406)
  • SL Gunma Minakami travels from Takasaki to Minakami, mainly on Saturdays and Sundays. However, there are many days when it is not operating, so check in advance with the operation calendar.
  • Kan-etsu Kotsu Expressway bus "Minakami Onsen-go" operates seasonally from autumn to spring, with one round trip a day.
  • The above fares are based on cash. When using an IC card, the fares may differ slightly.
  • The above times and distances are approximate. Does not include transfering or waiting times.

How to get to Suzumorinoyu

(Directions from Minakami Sta.)
  1. Exit the station and go left (south)
  2. Cross the bridge and turn right at Juraku
  3. Turn left, then turn right and go up the hill
  4. Turn left on the national route and immediately turn right at the traffic light (toward Sarugakyo Onsen). After walking 2.2 km (1.4 mi) along the road and passing through under an expressway

Click the map to open Google Map

Travel journal of day trip bathing to hot spring

Characters

Nishi-san
Nishi-san
He is an orthodox hot springs lover and particular about quality of springs. He loves the hot springs flowing from the source, the hot water with a presence, and the rustic atmosphere.
Kita-san
Kita-san
He doesn't care much about quality of hot springs. He loves the open-air bath, and prefers hot springs that have visible features such as good views.

Today, Nishi-san and Kita-san are coming to Minakami Onsen-kyo near the border of Niigata prefecture, north of Gunma prefecture. They are heading to "Hotokeiwa-onsen Suzumorinoyu" in Minakami Onsen-kyo. Away from Minakami Town area, they are walking on a quiet country road for a while.

Because I often hear "Minakami" in the weather news, so I thought it big city, but it wasn't. Why weather news pick it up?

Ah, the weather news, for sure ... Did it flourish in the past ...

 

In winter, even if Kanto is sunny, but only Minakami is often snow, you know.

In short, it has a part of climate of the Sea of Japan. It's close to Niigata, so may be quite cold in winter.

They arrived saying such a thing.

Suzumorinoyu entrance

Entrance

Oh, here.

Have we already arrived? It is close, isn't it?

It was just the right distance for a walk. In this season.

If you walk around in winter, you may be in distress.

After passing through the entrance, an open-air corridor leads you to the building with the bath.

The monthly average temperature in Minakami is -1.3 ℃ (29.7 ℉) in January and -1.0 ℃ (30.2 ℉) in February. A lot of snow falls, and the deepest snow is 117 cm (3.8 ft) in January and 150 cm (4.9 ft) in February.

Suzumorinoyu exterior

Exterior

Oh, it looks like a wooden hut, but the inside is beautiful.

Is this here new yet?

Well, I think it's pretty new.

The two go to the bathing room at once. First, the indoor bath, there is a large heated bathtub in the foreground and a small non-heated bathtub in the back.

Suzumorinoyu indoor bathtub (heated)

Indoor bathtub (heated)

Wow, it's so beautiful!

Oh, yeah! The green outside is nice.

The windows are big and it's spacious.

Suzumorinoyu indoor bathtub (non-heated)

Indoor bathtub (non-heated)

The hot water is so good, too. It feels fresh.

Next is an open-air bath. Going down the concrete stairs, there is an open-air bath facing the river.

Suzumorinoyu open-air bath

Open-air bath

Oh! The bathtub is close to the forest!

Wow, it feels like in nature.

Falling leaves are floating. I like this kind of thing, you know.

Certainly, my heart will be washed ... because it's like having a forest bath, too.

Water temperature is lower. I really like it.

Suzumorinoyu open-air bath

Open-air bath

It is only the babbling of the river that breaking the silence of the forest. The sunlight is leaking through the gaps between the branches and leaves of the trees. And it is shining brightly, reflecting off the water.

Well, the open-air bath lover can't resist this bath.

You can say that again. The best part of an open-air bath is sense in nature, so here is great!

The scenery is nice, too.

Right. No matter what, it's good that there are no fences or blindfolds. Come to think of it, many facilities have no view from the bathtubs. You know, even if the scenery is good.

Yeah, exactly.

You don't need a blindfold here. That was a good job making an open-air bath here, wasn't it.

While listening to the river, the hot water was so comfortable. So they had been in it for a long time. Nishi-san and Kita-san, this time was also a very satisfying onsen trip.

(September 2016)

Suzumorinoyu has opened in 2001.

Impression & rating

The hot water Flowing from the Source is fresh and calm. It's nice to have a non-heated source bathtub.

3.0 pt

Impression & rating

The open-air bath has no blindfold, so you can enjoy plenty of views of the forest and river directly.

3.5 pt

→ How to rate

The Onsen facility

Address
1009-2, Anogawa, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma Pref.
Phone
domestic: 0278-72-4696
international: +81-278-72-4696
Website
Suzumorinoyu
Bathing hours
11:00 - 20:00 (Last entry at 19:00)
Varies by season
Regular holiday
Wednesdays (in the case of a national holiday, the next day)
Only last Wednesday in August. There is a temporary closure.
Charge
(Use within 2 hours)
Adult: ¥ 900 / Elementary school student: ¥ 500 / Infant (3 years and over): ¥ 400 / Under 3 years: free
Baths
Gender-separated indoor bath (with mist sauna), Gender-separated open-air bath

The hot spring data
(According to hot spring analysis report etc.)

(Survey date: Oct. 22, 2007

Spring quality
Simple hot spring
(Hypotonic Weak alkaline Hot spring)
Source
1009-1, Aza-Juni, Anogawa, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma Pref.
Temperature
35.0 ℃ (95 ℉)
[air temperature 15.5 ℃ (59.9 ℉)]
Volume
580 L / min (Pumping)
pH value
8.2
Total ingredients
0.77 g / kg
Perception
Colorless and transparent

Today's Ekiben

Joshu D51 Bento
The appearance of Joshu D51 Bento The whole of Joshu D51 Bento

Joshu D51 Bento

(Purchased at Takasaki Sta.)

The SL runs from Takasaki to Minakami. In that connection(?), "Takaben" (the Bento maker in Takasaki) sells "Joshu D51 Bento". The first thing that draws attention is the jet-black container with the front part of the SL (D51) designed. And the most characteristic is that the rice is black! It is dyed black by bamboo charcoal after an SL coal. The taste is not novel, but authentic and good.

« menu »
Rice colored with bamboo charcoal, Simmered maitake mushroom, Roasted Haruna pork, Grilled chicken, Boiled shrimp, Simmered shiitake mushroom, Simmered bamboo shoot, Kamaboko, Crunchy Japanese salt plum, Sweet chestnut, Boiled quail egg

(¥ 1,000) ( Takaben)

  • The descriptions on this page contain personal opinions and are not necessarily objective facts.
  • The information may have changed at present. In particular, the charge and price etc. has often not updated from the time of travel, so check the latest information on the official website.

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