Hakuba Onsen, Japan, 7 recommendations

There are many quality Onsens in Hakuba area. But for foreigners, it is hard to find and decide best one because most of them does not support foreign languages. There is lack of information.

So we introduce our best choices of Higaeri (day trip) Onsen which have nice sceneries and wonderful hot water qualities.

１．7 Recommended Onsens!

「MiMizuku-no-Yu (みみずくの湯)」 and 「Happo-no-Yu (八方の湯)」 from Happo Onsen Area

Happo Onsen Area is located in the West Side (Northern Japanese Alps side) of Hakuba Station, and includes 4 Onsens, MiMizuku-no-Yu, Happo-no-Yu (formerly Daiichi Sato-no-Yu), Daini Sato-no-Yu and Obinata-no-Yu.

These Onsens take hot water from same source of spring. This spring has high alkalinity and good for your skins.

Alkalinity reach to over pH11 and this is very rare on a global basis. It is highest among Japanese Onsens.

Basically Alkali water react and soften cuticle of your skin, emulsifies and melt skin secretion such as smegma and smoothen your skin. This is called ‘Bihada (beautiful skin)’ effect.

Also, this water is good for recovery from physical exhaustion, nerve pain, muscle pain and joint pain.

①MiMizuku-no-Yu (みみずくの湯)

We can see great view of hakuba mountains from this open-air bath, that’s why we recommend this Onsen.

Dip in this hot spring, beautify your skin and refresh your mind. Then after Onsen, we can eat in MiMizuku-chaya restaurant in the same place (open from 11am to 5pm). Onsen Udon noodle (390 yen) is famous in this restaurant.

MiMizuku-no-Yu (みみずくの湯)
5480-1, Kitashiro Happoguchi, Hakuba village,Nagano
(長野県北安曇郡白馬村大字北城八方口５４８０−１)　
TEL：0261-72-6542
Adult 600yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 300yen.
Open from 10am to 9:30pm (cut-off time 9pm)
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 11.3

②Happo-no-Yu (八方の湯)

We secondly recommend Happo-no-Yu.
This Onsen was called Daiichi Sato-no-Yu but renewal opened on December, 2014 by new name, Happo-no-Yu.

So still facility is new, but not so big Onsen and easy to access from prefectural main road. As a result it is crowded in evening time.

Obinata-no-Yu is closed in winter time.

Happo-no-Yu (八方の湯)
5701-2, Kitashiro, Hakuba village, Nagano
(長野県北安曇郡白馬村北城5701-2)
TEL：0261-72-5705
Adult 800yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 400yen.
Open from 9am to 10pm (cut-off time 9:30pm)
Holidays: none, but open only afternoon on Wednesday
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 11.1

「Kurashita-no-Yu (倉下の湯)」 from Shionomichi Onsen area

Shionomichi Onsen Onsen Area is located in the West Side (Northern Japanese Alps side) of Hakuba Station, and includes 4 Onsens, Kurashita-no-Yu, Garden-no-Yu, Ecoland-no-Yu and Iwatake-no-Yu.

These Onsens take hot water from same source of spring. This spring has chloride and hydrogen carbonate quality, and changes color of water to ginger after exposition to air.

The water is good for skin inflammation such as atopy, nerve pain, muscle pain, joint pain and motor weakness. It’s salty water.

③Kurashita-no-Yu (倉下の湯)

We recommend Kurashita-no-Yu. There is a great view of Northern Japanese Alps from open-air bath.

Kurashita-no-Yu (倉下の湯)
9549-8, Kitashiro, Hakuba village, Nagano
(〒399-9301 長野県北安曇郡白馬村北城９５４９−８)
TEL：0261-72-7989
Adult 600yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 300yen.
Face towel to buy: 200yen.
Mallet Golf play fee become free after Onsen usage.
Open from 10am to 10pm (cut-off time 9:30pm)
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: none but there are washing places.
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 7.14

「Tenjin-no-Yu (天神の湯)」 from Himekawa Onsen area (姫川温泉) and Katakuri Onsen area (かたくり温泉)

There are 4 Onsen areas in hakuba, That means Hakuba has 4 sources of spring. We already introduced Happo Onsen area and Shionomichi Onsen area.
Other 2 Onsen areas are Katakuri Onsen area and Himekawa Onsen area.

Katakuri Onsen has mild alkaline water and Himekawa Onsen has natrium (sodium) and chloride water.

④Tenjin-no-Yu (天神の湯) from Himekawa Onsen

We recommend Tenjin-no-Yu from Himekawa Onsen which is located in Hakuba Highland Hotel. There is big bath tab and we can enjoy nice view of mountains from open-air bath.

Tenjin-no-Yu movie from 1’35”.

Tenjin-no-Yu (天神の湯)
21582, Kitashiro, Hakuba village, Nagano
(〒399-9301 長野県北安曇郡白馬村北城21582)
TEL：0261-72-3450
Adult 600yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 300yen.
Face towel to buy: 100yen.
Bath towel to buy: 300yen.
Open from 11am to 8pm (cut-off time 7:30pm)
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 7.4

「Motoyu Tsugaike-no-Yu (元湯 栂の森)」from Tsugaike Onsen.

⑤Motoyu Tsugaike-no-Yu (元湯 栂の森)

Next, we go away from Hakuba area a bit.

Going northern area from Happo Onsen area, there is Tsugaike ski resort (栂池スキー場). In this area, 「Motoyu Tsuga-no-Mori (元湯 栂の森)」 is located. Water is a bit green and mild alkalinated.

Bath is not big and as soon as Tsugaike ski resort is closed in evening, many skiers rush to this Onsen. So It’s better to choose time to go.

Motoyu Tsuga-no-Mori (元湯 栂の森)
496-1, Chikuniotsu, Otarimura village, Nagano
(〒399-9422 長野県北安曇郡小谷村千国乙496-1)
TEL：0261-83-3300
Adult 700yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 500yen, Elder 500yen.
Open from 9am to 8pm (close at 4pm on Wednesday)
Holidays: indeterminate
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 7.45

「Norikura sou lodge(乗鞍荘)」and 「Hakuba Alps Hotel (白馬アルプスホテル)」 from Wakaguri Onsen area.

Going further north across Tsugaike ski resort (栂池スキー場), Hakuba Cortina ski resort is located. In this area, we confidently recommend Wakaguri Onsen (若栗温泉).

Ginger colored water is sodium hydrogen carbonated. Also sulfur is mixed and smelled. This water is effective to nerve pain, muscle pain and joint pain.

⑥Norikura sou lodge (乗鞍荘)

Abundant hot water is flowing through bath tab. There is no open-air bath but we can enjoy Hakuba mountains view from inside bath.

Wakaguri Onsen Norikura-sou (若栗温泉　乗鞍荘)
5506-1, Chikuniotsu, Otarimura village, Nagano
(〒399-9422 長野県北安曇郡小谷村千国乙５５０６−１)
TEL：0261-82-3073
Adult 600yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 500yen, Infant 300yen.
Open from 10am to 9pm (cut-off time 8:30pm)
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: none
pH 7.89

⑦Hakuba Alps Hotel (白馬アルプスホテル)

In this hotel, we can also enjoy Wakaguri Onsen. There is open-air bath here.

Onsen movie starts from 1’09”

Hakuba Alps Hotel (白馬アルプスホテル)
12851, Chikuniotsu, Otarimura village, Nagano
(〒399-9422 長野県北安曇郡小谷村千国乙１２８５１)
TEL：0261-82-2811
Adult 800yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 500yen
Open from 10am to 22pm
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: 1 by sex
Open-air Bath: 1 by sex
pH 7.45
　

２．Onsen Map

　おすすめ温泉などの位置図。各温泉の位置や写真は番号を選択すると見られます。

３．Alps Onsen museum for mania

There is Onsen museum in Omachi city which is connected to 「Yakushi-no-Yu (湯けむり屋敷　薬師の湯)」.
History of Onsen in Northern Japanese Alps and relationship with human is displayed.

By museum ticket, Yakushi-no-Yu is also available. Yakushi-no-Yu has 18 bath tabs!! You can’t miss it even you are not Onsen mania.

Alps Onsen museum Yakushi-no-Yu (アルプス温泉博物館)
2811-41, Omachi Onsen-kyo, Oaza Taira, Omachi city, Nagano
(〒398-0001 長野県大町市大字平大町温泉郷２８１１－４１)
TEL：0261-23-2834
Adult 700yen, Child (from 3 to 12 years) 300yen, infant 100yen.
(By museum ticket, available to use Yakushi-no-Yu)
Open from 7am to 21pm (10 am to 21pm from November 1st to June 30th.)
Holidays: none
Inside Bath: 16! by sex
Open-air Bath: 2 by sex
pH 8.6

There are many Onsens in Hakuba area but what we introduced here is really nice day trip Onsens to go. Some of it are located in Hotels and lodges but all Onsens we introduced is day trip Onsens and don’t need to stay the night as a guest.

Enjoy!