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Yakushi Onsen

Gunma · 薬師温泉

Yakushi Onsen is a hot spring town in Gunma, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 40.8°C, comfortably warm. It measures pH 7.1 — close to neutral. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring and sulfate spring. Its sources put out around 17 litres a minute. 1 inns take visitors here.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 3 h
CarNot needed
JR PassCovers the train
  1. Train to Nakanojō Station (JR)
  2. Local bus, about 40 min

Fly into Haneda or Narita. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Chloride springSulfate spring

The water here

Chloride spring 塩化物泉

Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.

Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉

Clear water with a faintly bitter taste. Known for holding heat.

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.

Rooms with an open-air bath — GunmaInns with a private bath — Gunma

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Higashiagatsuma Town

Opens Rakuten Travel, which lists inns in English. Onsen Guide earns a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Hot spring towns nearby

Kawanaka OnsenGunma · 川中温泉Same area
Sulfate springSulfur spring
Nurukawa OnsenGunma · 温川温泉Same area
Matsunoyu OnsenGunma · 松ノ湯温泉Same area
Sulfate spring
Hatonoyu OnsenGunma · 鳩の湯温泉Same area
Chloride springSulfate spring

Similar water elsewhere

Towns further away with the same kind of water — useful if this one is hard to reach or fully booked.

Kirinzan OnsenNiigata · 麒麟山温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring
Furutōbe OnsenAomori · 古遠部温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring
Kanose OnsenNiigata · かのせ温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring
Iwakura OnsenAkita · 岩倉温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring
Hatonoyu OnsenGunma · 鳩の湯温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring
Tōgatta OnsenMiyagi · 遠刈田温泉Also sulfate and chloride, similar pH
Chloride springSulfate spring

The numbers

Water temperature
40.8°C
pH
7.1 (close to neutral)
Discharge
17 litres a minute
Inns
1
Address in Japanese
群馬県吾妻郡東吾妻町

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Read more

Japanese Wikipedia

Planning a first soak? Read how an onsen stay works, and what to do if you have tattoos.