• DO NOT FOLLOW GOOGLE DIRECTIONS (it will take you the fastest route, but this road is usually closed)

• Drive route 18 towards Joetsu City.  Find traffic light with Komeri shop on left hand corner.  Turn left and drive all the way to the end of that road into the town of Tsubame Onsen.

• Park in public parking at the base of the town. (town has only 5 or 6 buildings)

• Walk up through the town, up stairs to a very small shrine, follow the asphalt path up 100 meters or so. Find entrance to hot spring on right. (5 min.)

• Strip, rinse off, enter bath and enjoy (30 minutes)

• Dry off, dress, walk back to car.  (10 minutes)

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Total Cost:  Free

See Map Location: Tsubame Onsen Kogane no Yu

Things to carry: towel 

Seasons: Winter season might be dangerous and snowshoes would be required to just get close to the onsen itself.

 

Extra:  This onsen is out in the open and there is no-one there watching over it 24/7,  therefore most people in Japan enter the onsens nude, however, if you decide to wear a bathing suit that is fine as well.  

 

Also,  being that there is no-one watching over the onsen, and the fact that there are very few people there at any one time, if you want to go co-ed into the bath then that is fine also. (the entrance is different for men and women but there is a very short path around the rocks between the baths that can be used to move between them if you wish).  However, when going co-ed please keep your ears open for other guests arriving, so that you can return to whichever side you are supposed to be on quickly so as not to impose on others.