Kusatsu Onsen is a popular tourist destination in Gunma Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The place can boast of thirteen public baths, all of which are free and maintained by city residents.
The water has been said to have healing properties for centuries, largely thanks to a German doctor, Erwin von Bälz, who taught medicine at the University of Tokyo. Locals also claim that the water can cure any disease except a broken heart.
Kusatsu is located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture and is therefore also ideal as a destination for skiers and hikers who can relax in the hot springs after a hard day.
A 5-minute walk from the town's bus stop, the yubatake offers guests a stunning and almost surreal image of the water used in the various hot springs. The waters begin at 70 degrees celsius before they are cooled a few degrees and taken to the hotspring baths around the onsen town.
From Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station, a bus runs to Kusatsu Onsen Town. The yubatake is a 5-minute walk from the bus stop.