Kaikake Onsen Kaikake-onsenkan
686, Mitsumata, Yuzawa Town, Minami-Uonuma District, Niigata Pref.
An onsen flowing from the source of the natural spring that is supplied naturally into the bathtub. It's a "secret onsen" that was hidden by UESUGI Kenshin
The source is natural spring. Hot water is flowing down from the source to the open-air bath tub. The source is close to the open-air bath, so the freshness of water is excellent.
It has a long history such as appearing in the literature of 1488. It is said that it was the UESUGI Kenshin's hidden onsen in the Warring States Period. In the Edo Period, it was called "eye hot spring" and is said to be effective against eye diseases.
The wild open-air bath is surrounded by clear streams and greenery of trees, and has the feeling of being in nature. At night, the lanterns are lit, further deepening the onsen atmosphere.
Location
Area / Railway
Ko-shin-etsu Region
Niigata Pref.
JR Joetsu Line
Click on a station/bus stop to see detailed information.
Minami-echigo Kanko Bus timetable etc.
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
- Ueno Sta.JR: 3 hrs 50 min Takasaki Line etc. - Joetsu Line ¥ 3,410
- Echigo-yuzawa Sta. (East exit) ※Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus: 23 min Seibu Crystal Line ¥ 440
- Kaikake Onsen Bus StopWalk: 10 min 0.8 km (0.5 mi)
- Kaikake-onsenkan
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
- Ueno Sta. Joetsu Shinkansen: 1 hr 25 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat※¥ 6,050
- Echigo-yuzawa Sta.Taxi: 30 min
about ¥ 4,000
13.4 km (8.3 mi) - Kaikake-onsenkan
Route from Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
- Ikebukuro Sta. (East exit) Walk: 3 min
- Seibu Bus Bus StopExpressway bus: 2 hrs 56 min Nagaoka Niigata Line ¥ 2,600 - ¥ 6,000
- Yuzawa Expressway Bus Stop※ Walk: 5 min0.4 km (0.2 mi)
- Kobara Bus Stop※ Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus: 19 min Seibu Crystal Line ¥ 430
- Kaikake Onsen Bus StopWalk: 10 min 0.8 km (0.5 mi)
- Kaikake-onsenkan
Route from Niigata
- Niigata Sta.JR: 2 hrs 50 min Shin-etsu Line - Joetsu Line ¥ 2,310
- Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
- Niigata Sta.JR express: 50 min Shirayuki Non-reserved seat※¥ 3,510
- (Transfer at Nagaoka Sta.) JR: 1 hr 20 min Joetsu Line ¥ -
- Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
- Niigata Sta. Joetsu Shinkansen: 50 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat※¥ 4,950
- Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Routes from Tokyo
- Ueno
- JR
- Echigo-yuzawa
- Bus
4 hrs 23 min ¥ 3,850
- Ueno
- Shinkansen
- Echigo-yuzawa
- Taxi
1 hr 55 min ¥ 10,050
- Ikebukuro
- Expressway bus
- Yuzawa
- Bus
3 hrs 33 min ¥ 3,030 - ¥ 6,430
Routes from Niigata
- Niigata
- JR
- Echigo-yuzawa
- (The rest is the same as above)
2 hrs 50 min+ ¥ 2,310+
- Niigata
- JR express
- Nagaoka
- JR
- Echigo-yuzawa
- (The rest is the same as above)
2 hrs 10 min+ ¥ 3,510+
- Niigata
- Shinkansen
- Echigo-yuzawa
- (The rest is the same as above)
50 min+ ¥ 4,950+
- The price of JR Express and 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.)
- The number of operating buses, that Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus bound for Naeba, will greatly change depending on the season.
- Expressway Bus Yuzawa Bus Stop is located at the Yuzawa Interchange on the expressway. To get to JR Echigo-yuzawa Station from there, you can take a local bus from Miyabayashi Bus Stop or Kobara Bus Stop. To get for Naeba, you get on from Kobara Bus Stop. (To go to Kobara Bus Stop, you will go up the stairs to the Mikuni Road.)
- If there is snowfall or snow, it may take longer than the above required time.
- 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 Kaikake-onsenkan
(Directions from Kaikake Onsen Bus Stop)
- Go down the downhill
- Turn left at the Kaikake Onsen signboard, and go down the narrow road
- Beyond the narrow bridge
: bus stop
Click the map to open Google Map
Informations about Hot spring travel
- JR East (Japan Railway)Web Site
- JAPAN RAIL PASS info(JR GROUP)
- Route Search (Japan Transit Planner)
- Japan Route Finder & Calculater (NAVITIME)
- Train Timetable Search(EKITAN)
- Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus timetables
- Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
- Expressway bus Search (Bus Hikaku-Navi)
- Taxi Tel numberYuzawa Town(Mapion)
- Rent-a-carReservation(TABIRAI)
- Naeba Tourism & Hotel Association
- Hotel / Ryokan Echigo Yuzawa (Rakuten Travel)
- Hotel / Ryokan Niigata Pref.(Jalan)
- Hotel / Ryokan Niigata Pref.(Yuko Yuko)
- Weather forecast Yuzawa Townoverview
- Weather forecast Yuzawa Townhourly
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.
(→ Continuation from Yukisasanoyu)
Today, Nishi-san and Kita-san enjoyed
Naeba Onsen Yukisasanoyu in mid-morning.
In the afternoon, their next destination is "Hitou"
(secret onsen) Kaikake Onsen.
The two who have gotten off at the Kaikake Onsen Bus Stop along the Mikuni Road.
They go down the hill to head to the once UESUGI Kenshin's hidden onsen.
Boy ... Are we going down such a narrow and steep slope? I don't want to come by car.
Exactly. Especially if you're driving.
Bridge to Kaikake Onsen
After going down the slope, cross the bridge.
This bridge is narrow too. It's only one car wide, you know.
Oh, I get it. This is definitely a secret hot spring. It's also convincing that it was the hidden onsen of UESUGI Kenshin.
♨ The road around here was steep, and chains were put in as handrails for safety. That situation was called "Kanekake", and it became the place name "Kaikake". (From the Kaikake-onsenkan website)
Hey, there is no space to escape if a car comes. If it comes while crossing this bridge, it's the situation as "Stand by me", you know.
Fortunately, they finished to cross the bridge without a car coming from behind. And finally, the two have arrived at Kaikake-onsenkan.
Exterior
Finally arrived!
Wow, it's quite a majestic building, you know.
A wheel beside the entrance
Oh, there is a wheel on the side of the entrance. It's a tribute to UESUGI Kenshin's Wheel Tactic, then?
What? Wheel ... Yeah, oh, yeah. Right, surely.
Huh? Do you know the Wheel Tactic?
Well, hey, that's what ... the driver, handling the steering wheel. UESUGI Kenshin's exclusive driver.
Oh yeah, the driver who sends UESUGI Kenshin to the company ... is wrong!
Bathing room ceiling
Nishi-san and Kita-san head for the bathing room immediately, then get in the indoor bath at first. It has two baths: heated water and unheated.
It's like a wooden half-timbered old house. Pretty good, you know.
Exactly. It has a feeling of rustic and cleanliness, and it feels good.
Indoor bath
This is lukewarm water. After all, I prefer lukewarm.
This hot water feels gently. It's so nice.
♨ The movie "Stand by Me" (USA, 1986). In this movie, there is a scene that when the characters are crossing an iron bridge over a valley, a train comes from behind.
♨ The Wheel Tactic is a battlefield formation that it is said to be used by UESUGI Kenshin in the Battle of Kawanakajima. (However, there is also a theory that it is a fiction of a later era.)
Next, they finally went to the open-air bath, which boasts Kaikake Onsen. The surrounding view is the snow-capped mountains.
Hot water spout in the open-air bath (the source is in the hut on the upper right)
Oh, open the door and it's already a bathtub ... Look, hot water is coming from there.
I see, it's naturally pouring into this bath. The hot water spout is like a bit of waterfall.
Open-air bath
This lantern has a nice atmosphere. The rocks match the surrounding, this open-air bath is so great!
The hot water is soft and really nice. You can soak in for a long time.
Open-air bath (hotter)
There is a tub here ... oh, this one is a little hotter.
It might be good for a cold day. But it's warm today, so lukewarm water makes me feel good.
Open-air bath
It's all thanks to me ...
... Why?
In that way, Nishi-san and Kita-san enjoyed the open-air bath at Kaikake Onsen leisurely.
(April 2013)
Impression & rating
A hot spring that uses natural spring water as it is. I hope hot springs like this will last forever.
4.0 pt
Impression & rating
The atmosphere of the open-air bath is very good. I thought it would be a waste to return on a day trip.
3.5 pt
The Onsen facility
- Address
- 686, Mitsumata, Yuzawa Town, Minami-Uonuma District, Niigata Pref.
- Phone
-
domestic: 025-788-9911
international: +8125-788-9911 - Website
- Kaikake-onsenkan
- Day trip bathing hours
- around 11:00 - 15:00(Last entry at 14:00)
- Business days
- Open everyday
- Charge
-
[Weekdays]
Adults: ¥ 1,000 / Elementary school students and under: ¥ 500
[Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays]
Adults: ¥ 1,200 / Elementary school students and under: ¥ 600 - Baths
-
Gender-separated indoor bath, Gender-separated open-air bath
- Open-air baths reported in this page will be replaced by men's baths and women's baths depending on the time of day. Day trip bathing is during the men's bath time, so women cannot bathe in the open-air bath in the above report for the day trip bathing.
The hot spring data
(According to hot spring analysis report etc.)
(Survey date: Sep. 24, 2012)
- Spring quality
- Sodium / Calcium - Chloride spring (Hypotonic Weak alkaline Hot spring)
- Gushing place
- 686, Mitsumata, Yuzawa Town, Minami-Uonuma District, Niigata Pref.
- Temperature
-
36.2 ℃ (97.2 ℉)
[air temperature: 15 ℃ (59 ℉)] - Water volume
- 406 L / min (Natural spring)
- pH value
- 7.7
- Total ingredients
- 1.994 g / kg
- Perception
- Colorless, clear, odorless, salty
Today Beer
Echigo Beer (Pilsner)
(Purchased at Echigo-yuzawa Station)
The local craft beer in Echigo. After drinking for the time being, I looked at what is written on the can. It said "Echigo Beer Pilsner is a fragrant authentic Pilsner Beer that uses only the Czech aroma hops, where the birthplace of Pilsner". When I read it, I felt that it was fragrant. (¥ 280 / 350 ml) (→ Echigo Beer website)
- 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.