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Mikagura Onsen

Niigata · 御神楽温泉

Mikagura Onsen is a hot spring town in Niigata, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 54.6°C, hot. It measures pH 7.96 — mildly alkaline, the slippery kind. Officially the water is classed as bicarbonate spring and sulfate spring. 1 inns take visitors here.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 4 h
CarNot needed
JR PassCovers the train
  1. Train to Tsugawa Station (JR)
  2. Local bus, about 30 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.

Bicarbonate springSulfate spring

The water here

Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉

Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.

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.

Inns with a private bath — Niigata

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Aga 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

Mikawa OnsenNiigata · 三川温泉Same area
Chloride springSulfate spring
Tsunogami OnsenNiigata · 角神温泉Same area
Bicarbonate springSulfate spring
Kirinzan OnsenNiigata · 麒麟山温泉Same area
Chloride springSulfate spring
Kanose OnsenNiigata · かのせ温泉Same area
Chloride springSulfate spring
Shichifuku OnsenNiigata · 七福温泉Same area
Sulfur spring

Similar water elsewhere

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

Gaga OnsenMiyagi · 峩々温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate
Bicarbonate springSulfate spring
Gūnai OnsenHokkaido · 宮内温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate
Bicarbonate springSulfate spring
Shintainai OnsenNiigata · 新胎内温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate
Bicarbonate springSulfate spring
Onioshi OnsenGunma · 鬼押温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate
Bicarbonate springSulfate spring
Ryūjin OnsenWakayama · 龍神温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate, similar pH
Chloride spring+2
Makkari OnsenHokkaido · 真狩温泉Also sulfate and bicarbonate, similar pH
Chloride spring+2

The numbers

Water temperature
54.6°C
pH
7.96 (mildly alkaline)
Inns
1
Address in Japanese
新潟県東蒲原郡阿賀町広谷

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.