繁體中文

Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

Shibu Onsen

Nagano · 渋温泉

Shibu Onsen is a hot spring town in Nagano, Japan. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring. 35 inns take visitors here.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 2½ h
CarNot needed
JR PassNot a JR line
  1. Train to Yudanaka Station
  2. Local bus, about 5 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.

More photographs

From Wikimedia Commons. Tap a photo for the photographer and licence.

Things to see nearby

Takanashi clan fortified residenceCastle · 5.2 km
Mount YakebitaiMountain · 8.3 km
Ryuoo Ski ParkSki area · 6 km
Higashidateyama Ski AreaSki area · 7.3 km
Kaminari FallsWaterfall · 8.4 km
Nyohō-ji TempleTemple · 4.6 km

Places from Wikidata, photographs from Wikimedia Commons. Distances are in a straight line from the town.

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 — NaganoInns with a private bath — Nagano

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Yamanouchi 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

Andai OnsenNagano · 安代温泉0.5 km west
Chloride spring
Kakuma OnsenNagano · 角間温泉0.8 km south
Chloride springSulfate spring
Kanbayashi OnsenNagano · 上林温泉1 km southeast
Chloride springSulfate spring
Yudanaka OnsenNagano · 湯田中温泉1.3 km northwest
Chloride springSulfur spring
Honami OnsenNagano · 穂波温泉1.6 km west
Chloride springSulfate spring
Hoshikawa OnsenNagano · 星川温泉1.6 km west
Chloride spring+2

Similar water elsewhere

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

Ibusuki OnsenKagoshima · 指宿温泉Also chloride
Chloride spring
Kinosaki OnsenHyogo · 城崎温泉Also chloride
Chloride spring
Akiu OnsenMiyagi · 秋保温泉Also chloride
Chloride spring
AkusekijimaKagoshima · 悪石島Also chloride
Chloride spring
Kaike OnsenTottori · 皆生温泉Also chloride
Chloride spring
Awara OnsenFukui · 芦原温泉Also chloride
Chloride spring

The numbers

Inns
35
Address in Japanese
長野県下高井郡山ノ内町

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Where it is

36.7344, 138.4331 — open the map

Read more

Japanese Wikipedia

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