Ofuro Cafe Hakujunoyu

Travel journal of day trip bathing to hot spring

Characters

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: 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's hot spring is "Hakujunoyu" in the northern part of Saitama Prefecture. This onsen is said the one of the best in Kanto Region about the thick of the source. When Nishi-san and Kita-san get off Shimowatarase Bus Stop by Asahi Bus, then a flag of "Hakujunoyu" has been seen.

Exterior

Oh, we've arrived? here? I don't feel like a hot spring resort.

Well, basically, hot springs in Saitama don't have much history. Most of hot springs are like Super Sento, not traditional onsen towns.

I've thought arriving soon because Saitama is close to Tokyo. But it took time than I expected.

♨ A flag of Hakujunoyu The sign of Hakujunoyu

Right. Saitama is actually large, and here is on the edge. The other side of the river is Gunma.

They enter the facility, go through the shop and restaurant, and go up to the second floor. (The bathing room is on the second floor.) Today is a weekday, so it seems to be not crowded.

Floor around bathtub

At first, the floor is the highlight.

Wow, it's really amazing ...

The ingredients of hot spring water overflowing from the bathtub have been deposited. So, the floor of the bathing room is in a state like a "Senmaida".

♨ The river mentioned here is Kannagawa River. It is flowing through Gunma and Saitama prefectures.

Onsen ingredients have been solidified, and become like this naturally. In short, the water is so thick.

It looks like a limestone cave ... Oops! It hurts to walk. But this is already a fine art, you know.

Step over the "Senmaida" floor and finally enter the bathtub.

Indoor bath

Basically, this water has a lot of iron.

That makes sense.

Some people may be yuatari by this water.

Next, they go to an open-air bath.

Open-air bath

Oh, the open-air bath is lukewarm. It's just right temperature.

I thought you say so.

And the open-air floor is incredible, too. Isn't it really rare?

Exactly. All the wet floor is colored reddish brown. In short, the water is so thick.

Open-air bath

But I can't see the view around than I expected. I wish they had made a better view, since the second floor.

It's more about enjoying the water than the view.

Maybe that's the way ... Hmm? This water, isn't there anything floating on the surface? Oil?

♨ It seems that the pipes are replaced every six months because the hot water piping is clogged with the precipitate.

♨ "Yuatari" is a symptoms of feeling dizzy and sick by onsen.

Well ... Ah, it's not oil. I think the ingredients of the hot spring are solidified. In short, it's yunohana.

Open-air bath (Kozayu and floor)

So? ... but it doesn't feel good.

Hmm, but, in short, the water is The water is so thick!

Don't say before me!

♨ It seems that precipitates may float on the surface of water when it is not sufficiently stirred, such as when there are few customers.

Library room

Nishi-san and Kita-san took a long bath so that they could not be "yuatari". After getting out of the bath, they had "Hime Pork Bowl" at a restaurant and enjoyed Hakujunoyu all day long.

(August 2013)

♨ "Hime Pork Bowl" has two types: sauce red and salty white.

Impression & rating

The presence of water is amazing. But the water condition seems to be different depending on the day and time, so I think it's better in the morning.

2.0 pt

Impression & rating

The Senmaida-like floor is worth a look. The open-air bath is not bad either. It's good to feel to relax as the whole of facility.

3.0 pt

→ How to rate

The Onsen facility

Yugo Hakujunoyu

Address: 337-1, Watarase, Kamikawa Town, Kodama District, Saitama Pref.
Phone: domestic: 0274-52-3771
international: +81-274-52-3771
Website: -
Bathing hours: 10:00 - 23:00(Last entry at 22:00)
Business days: Open all year round (closed several days a year for maintenance)
Charge: Adults: ¥ 700 (¥ 800 on Sat.,Sun. and Holidays) /
Elementary school students: ¥ 400
[after 21:00]
Adults: ¥ 390 / Elementary school students: ¥ 200
Baths: Gender-separated indoor bath, Gender-separated open-air bath

Ofuro cafe Hakujunoyu

Address: 337-1, Watarase, Kamikawa Town, Kodama District, Saitama Pref.
Phone: domestic: 0274-52-3771
international: +81-274-52-3771
Website: Ofuro cafe Hakujunoyu
Bathing hours: 10:00 - 23:00(Last entry at 22:30)
Business days: Open all year round (closed several days a year for maintenance)
Charge: Adults: ¥ 780 (¥ 880 on Sat.,Sun. and Holidays) /
3 years old - Elementary school students: ¥ 400 /
Under 3 years old: free of charge
[after 21:00]
Adults: ¥ 450 / Elementary school students: ¥ 200
Baths: Gender-separated indoor bath, Gender-separated open-air bath
Remarks: Tattoos are not allowed

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

(Field examination date: Mar. 31, 2005)

Spring quality: Sodium - Chloride spring (Hypertonic Neutral High temperature spring)
Source: Kannagawa-onsen
Gushing place: 327-1, Aza-Yanagiikehigashi, Watarase, Kamikawa Town, Kodama District, Saitama Pref.
Temperature: (at the hot water spout in men's bath)
42.0 ℃ (107.6 ℉)
[air temperature: 19 ℃ (66.2 ℉)]
pH value: 6.9
Total ingredients: 31.49 g / kg
Perception: Slightly yellowish-brown cloudy salty almost odorless

(Note) The above data is the result of analysis of "treated water" with water added and heated.
The data without water addition and heating are as follows.

(Field examination date: Jan. 31, 2000)

Spring quality: Sodium - Chloride spring (Hypertonic Neutral Low temperature spring)
Temperature: 25.4 ℃ (77.7 ℉)
[air temperature: 9 ℃ (48.2 ℉)]
Water volume: 130 L / min (Pumping after drilling)
pH value: 6.7
Total ingredients: 36.33 g / kg
Perception: Grayish white cloudy, salty and irony, slightly mud odor

Today's Ekiben

Black Pork with Miso Sauce Bento

(Purchased at Omiya Sta.)

An Ekiben of "Sainokuni Black Pork" fried with ginger and "Secret Miso Sauce". With a rich seasoning as expected, it was delicious even when cooled. In addition, white rice and black rice were blended, so I felt a little lucky. (¥ 980)

※ End of sales around 2019-2020

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.

TRAIN ONSEN Travel Journals to Hot Springs in Japan