Activities
Soak Your Feet at Sainokawara Park
Cathy CawoodSainokawara Park in Kusatsu Onsen Town has a large public foot-bath, and warm stream flows along one side of it.
To the west of Kusatsu Onsen Town is Sainokawara Park. It was once feared as a spring that spawned a Japanese ogre, but those superstitions are a thing of the past. Today, the open-air riverside hot springs enjoy the popularity they deserve. Dappled around the area are shrines and monuments to literary figures and prominent historical visitors to the area.
Indulge in the experience of the four seasons as you walk along the paths next to the pools of hot water where you can rest your weary feet. Snow-capped mountains greet you in winter, cherry blossoms beckon to you in spring, and the colors of summer and autumn will soothe your spirit.
If you're looking for a little more coverage than the great outdoors can provide, look no farther than Sainokawara Rotenburo. This nearby outdoor bathing facility is separated by gender and can comfortably fit one hundred people. The water is acidic chloride sulfate and aids in the healing and relief of digestive diseases and injury recovery. Every Friday, families and couples can enjoy mixed bathing times when bathing suits and towels are allowed into the bath.
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A 10-minute walk from the yubatake in Kusatsu Onsen Town.
Sainokawara Park in Kusatsu Onsen Town has a large public foot-bath, and warm stream flows along one side of it.
In Japan's hot-spring and ski resort of Kusatsu, the Kusatsu Hotel is a charming, atmospheric Japanese hotel with traditional rooms and baths.
In Japan's Gunma prefecture hot-spring resort of Kusatsu, Hotel Ohruri is a charming hotel, with affordable, comfortable rooms, good facilities and relaxing baths.
Surrounding the heart of Kusatsu’s famous Yubatake lies Kirishimaya Ryokan, a Japanese style inn owned by Nakazawa-san. However you can call Nakazawa-san by his nickname Gary. Gary Nakazawa is a local of Kusatsu and you will be surprised by his knowledge of medicinal effects of the water, of the Yumomi ritual and Jikan no Yu. The staff members here are Gary Nakazawa and his wife; and although it is a ryokan, at times it felt like I was at a homestay as Gary was more than happy to ask me what I did that day, telling me all the people he had met, recommending nearby attractions and sharing me his knowledge of Kusatsu’s waters.
The charming side streets have some tasty surprises awaiting your discovery.
In the hot-spring resort of Kusatsu in Japan's Gunma Prefecture, Tsukinoi is a charming patissier and restaurant serving fresh cakes and Italian food.
In the hot spring resort of Kusatsu in Japan's Gunma Prefecture, Souan Cafe is a small, charming place for lunch or a snack.
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (or Mount Shirane) is an active stratovolcano in Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture. This 2,160-meter tall volcano has had notable eruptions in 1983 and 2018. There are three crater lakes at the summit of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane. The largest is Yu-gama crater lake; with its turquoise blue waters and rafts of yellow sulfur, it makes for a striking and mysterious vista to all who visit. It is also the most acidic lake in Japan. The volcano and its crater lakes, located just outside of Kusatsu Onsen Town, are a popular tourist destination, especially in autumn when the leaves are at their most vibrant. Hiking trails circle the crater lakes and make the hiking season, from mid-April to early November, a wonderful outdoor excursion. The most popular path is the from the Shirane Resthouse to Yu-gama. Thanks to the paved trail, the walk takes only ten minutes and is easy for people of all ages and skill.
Meaning the ‘riverbed of the west’, Sai No Kawara Park (西の河原公園) is often mistranslated as ‘riverbed of the underworld’
In the hot-spring and ski resort of Kusatsu in Japan's Gunma prefecture, Kataoka Tsurutaro Art Museum holds exhibitions of charming painting, ceramics and calligraphy.