Category: Onsen | MustLoveJapan - Video Travel Guide of Japan

Onsen

An onsen (温泉) is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. A volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism. Onsen come in many types and shapes, including outdoor (露天風呂 or rotenburo) and indoor baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or private often run as part of a hotel, ryokan.

Ikaho Onsen

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Information

Ikaho onsen (伊香保温泉) is the hot spring spot in Gunma. Like Kusatsu, it is very popular spot for Onsen in Gunma. Around the hot spring, there are many hotels which use the Hot spring water. There are many tourist attractions in this Onsen town. Especially, around the stone stairs, many hotels, spas, restaurants and entertainments you can enjoy. This stone stairs were built in the war period, 16th century. Ikaho Onsen has great autumn tints.

Tourist Info.
There are many parking spots. In the end of October to middle of october. There is lighting up for autumn tints.

Access.
0. at Shin Maebashi Station
1. use JR Agatsuma line to Shibukawa (14 min.)
2. use local bus to Ikaho (20 min.)

Detail

This hot spring is noted in Japanese mythology "Manyoushu" which is the first written book in Japan. So, this area has about 2000 years of history. The town was built around 1575 by Takeda. The stone stairs located in the middle of the town were actually built by this time.

The hot spring water is very low temperature and not much contain the healing material. However, there are many hotels and restaurants around this hot spring. So, Ikaho is still very famous travel spots.

Most of hotels has hot spring spa, but there are also public bath which use the hot spring water. So, you can visit this town just for hot spring.

In the fall, you can enjoy great autumn tints in Ikaho. There is beautiful light up for that.