Yubata Onsen

Gunma · 湯端温泉

Yubata Onsen is a hot spring town in Gunma, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 9.6°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. It measures pH 8.2 — mildly alkaline, the slippery kind. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring. Its sources put out around 2 litres a minute. 1 inns take visitors here with room for about 16 guests.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 1½ h

From Kyoto / Osakaabout 3 h

CarTaxi from the station

JR PassNot a JR line

Train to Yoshii Station
Taxi, about 10 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 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.

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 — Gunma Inns with a private bath — Gunma