Photo: Filler · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Shirasawakōgen Onsen
Shirasawakōgen Onsen is a hot spring town in Gunma, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 57°C, hot. It measures pH 9.8 — strongly alkaline. Officially the water is classed as simple spring. Its sources put out around 450 litres a minute.
The water here
Simple spring
Mild and low in dissolved minerals. Usually clear and gentle on the skin, which is why these baths are often recommended for first-timers.
With tattoos
Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.
Where to stay
Hot spring towns nearby
Similar water elsewhere
The numbers
- Water temperature
- 57°C
- pH
- 9.8 (strongly alkaline)
- Discharge
- 450 litres a minute
- Address in Japanese
- 群馬県沼田市白沢町
Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.
Read more
Planning a first soak? Read how an onsen stay works, and what to do if you have tattoos.