Free bathing! |
Number of baths | |||
♂ | ♀ | ♂♀ | |
inside | - | - | - |
outside | - | - | 4 |
Spring information | |||
Onsen in Gunma-ken |
Chojukan (Hoshi Onsen)Hamaya ryokan (Kawafuru Onsen)Takaragawa (Takaragawa)Anahara yu Toushuukan (Oigami)Gorokaku (Oigami)Chuseikan (Shima Onsen)Chuseikan ryokan (Shima Onsen)Shima Grand Hotel (Shima Onsen)Shima Tamura (Shima Onsen)Sekizenkan (Shima Onsen)Hotel Kojokaku (Sarugakyo Onsen)Shirane Onsen (Marunuma Kogen)Yamaguchi Rotenburo (Shima Onsen)Kawarayu (Kawarayu)Mountain View Lodge (Kusatsu Onsen)Nikawa no yu (Kusatsu Onsen)Ootaki no yu (Kusatsu Onsen)Sai no kawara (Kusatsu Onsen)Shirahata no yu (Kusatsu Onsen)Manza Prince Hotel (Manza)Manza Kogen Hotel (Manza)Manzatei (Manza)Shiriyaki Onsen (Shiriyaki Onsen) |
Other prefectures in Kanto |
| Kanagawa-kenSaitama-kenTochigi-kenTokyo-to |
Other links |
www.geocities.jp/ku_konyoku/ya... |
){kind=spacer} This free bath, popular among local people, is located just next to the river |
(explanation on symbols) |
Global rating :  | |
| This free open-air bath was built in 2002. From the main road, visitors go down a couple of stairs and cross a bridge to reach the bathing area (note that there is no dedicated parking lot for cars, but you probably can stop in front of a shop or ryokan). There is a roof covering partially part of the bath, and a couple of small wooden wall to block the direct view from the opposite shore and the bridge, but you will find this rotenburo rather unsheltered. However, it is a mixed bath and made of pure onsen water, so still a nice place to bath. | |
| Size : | |
| There are in fact four different stone baths, but they are just one next to another. The water is arriving in the top one, and flows toward all the baths, reaching eventually the river. Therefore, there is a nice temperature gradient (from too hot to just warm)... | |
| View : | |
| While the location is nice - just a couple of meters away from the river - it is difficult to really enjoy the view: on the opposite side of the river, large ugly ryokan are packed together, creating a concrete wall in front of the bathers. Since this is not the side of the buildings visitors should see, little effort was made to render those buildings a little nicer. Not to mention that if you see all rooms from the bath... they see you bathing, too! | |
| Modesty : | |
| There are nice, modern separated changing rooms, but no showers nor private bath for women. It might be a little difficult for women to soak here, especially if there are already people in the water. Although with four bath, you might find one just for you... | |
| Area : | |
| Shima Onsen is situated along the Shima river, at the end of a mountainous valley. For more than 1000 years, its waters have been considered effective for the treatment of many diseases, making it one of the top onsen town in Japan. But unlike many of those towns, Shima onsen is still a quiet place, perhaps due to its remoteness. The Okushima lake, formed by a dam, is also worth a visit. | |
){kind=spacer} Small separations only shelther a little the mixed bath - but at least there are nice changing rooms | ){kind=spacer} | |
){kind=spacer} It is unfortunate that the opposite shore is really ugly! The ryokan built next to the river are really awful | ||