[Ikaho Onsen Travel Guide] Enjoy Two Types of Hot Spring Waters and the Charm of a Traditional Onsen Town

Near the spring source area of Ikaho Onsen, about a 5-minute walk from Ikaho Shrine after climbing the 365 stone steps, you’ll find Kajikabashi Bridge.
This wooden bridge stands out with its vermilion color, and surrounded by lush trees, Kajikabashi Bridge is also known as a famous spot for autumn leaves.
The vivid colors in the daytime are stunning, but the illuminated autumn leaves at night are even more magical and beautiful.
The illuminations are held from around late October to around mid-November, when the autumn leaves are at their best, so try to time your visit accordingly.
Although never officially confirmed, Kajikabashi Bridge is said to have inspired the red bridge in front of Aburaya in the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away.
For fans, it’s a place worth visiting.

Ikaho Shrine stands at the top of the Stone Steps Area and is enshrined as the guardian deity of Ikaho Onsen.
It enshrines Onamuchi no Mikoto and Sukunahikona no Mikoto, deities said to govern hot springs and healing.
Thanks in part to the local character of the area, this shrine is loved not only by local residents but also by tourists.
Its simple appearance is matched by a solemn atmosphere.
At the annual grand festival held on September 19 each year, you can watch mikoshi portable shrines being carried toward Ikaho Shrine and experience traditional Japanese culture through festival music and tea ceremonies.
If your travel dates line up, be sure to visit.

Beyond Ikaho Shrine and just a short walk from Kajikabashi Bridge, you’ll find the Ikaho Onsen Drinking Spring.
As the name suggests, this facility lets you drink Kogane no Yu, one of the hot spring waters of Ikaho Onsen.
Because it contains a lot of iron, it has a distinctive taste, but it offers a rare chance to experience the hot spring from the inside out.
Please note that there are set limits on how much water you can drink at one time and in one day.

Located halfway up the stone steps in the Stone Steps Area is Ikaho Onsen Ishidan no Yu.
It is a day-use bathing facility, and the second floor serves as a rest area.
Because you can enjoy Ikaho Onsen casually and at a reasonable price, it is very popular.
If you get tired from sightseeing or walking around, be sure to relax at Ikaho Onsen Ishidan no Yu.

A little farther beyond Ikaho Shrine, you’ll find the Ikaho Open-Air Bath.
This day-use bathing facility lets you casually enjoy Ikaho Onsen to your heart’s content.
Be sure to soothe your tired body after climbing the stone steps.
It is a place with a pleasant setting surrounded by nature and a unique sense of quiet.
You can also experience the refreshing feeling that only an open-air bath can offer.
It uses free-flowing water from the source of Kogane no Yu and has long been loved as a bath associated with fertility blessings.
If you want to fully enjoy Kogane no Yu in an atmospheric setting, this is the perfect place.

Kusatsu Onsen is famous as one of Japan’s three most celebrated hot springs. It boasts the highest naturally flowing volume in Japan at over 32,300 liters per minute, and its source water is also known for its high acidity and excellent antibacterial properties.
Yubatake, the town’s symbol, sends up steam and the scent of sulfur as natural hot spring water continuously wells up, with a volume of 4,000 liters per minute.
There are walkways and benches around the area, making it a great place for a stroll.

Located in the upper reaches of the Shima River, which rises in the Mikuni Mountains, Shima Onsen is a famous hot spring with more than 1,000 years of history, set within a lush national park.
Its best-known benefit is for stomach and intestinal ailments. It has been selected as one of Japan’s three great hot springs for gastrointestinal health.
Because it is located near Kusatsu Onsen, it has also long been famous as “the finishing bath of Kusatsu.”
This name comes from the old custom of ending a therapeutic bathing stay by soaking in the sulfate spring waters of Shima Onsen, known for their moisturizing and skin-brightening effects, after bathing in the highly acidic waters of Kusatsu.

The collective name “Minakami 18 Hot Springs” refers to 18 hot springs scattered across the southern slopes of Mount Tanigawa in the heart of the Joetsu border mountains.
With the Joetsu Line and Kan-Etsu Expressway running nearby, the area developed as a convenient hot spring destination alongside Kusatsu and Ikaho.
Because lodging facilities are built along the valley of the upper Tone River, every inn offers views of the gorge and surrounding mountains.

Manza Onsen is located at the foot of Mount Kusatsu-Shirane in the northwestern part of the prefecture, on high ground at an elevation of 1,800 m.
As a highland resort within Joshinetsu National Park, it is an appealing hot spring destination year-round, offering a cool summer retreat and skiing in winter.
The hot spring waters, which contain one of the highest sulfur contents in Japan, are hot at Approx. 176°F and boast a daily flow of 5.4 million liters, with more than 20 different spring sources and a wide range of therapeutic benefits.