Kusatsu, Japan's Hot Spring Capital
Kusatsu Offers More Than Just a Soak in Hot Water From Hell
Sep 2, 2009
Over the years, the mountainous hot spring town of Kusatsu in Japan's Gunma Prefecture has attracted both locals and foreigners alike. Extremely popular during both winter and summer, the town has a remarkably different personality than hyper kinetic Tokyo. This is where relaxation and culture take precedence from ephemeral trends and everyday commerce.
Facts About Kusatsu
A regular four-hour bus service makes a weekend trip tp Kusatsu both convenient and affordable. Since Kusatsu is located to the north of Tokyo, the weather stays mild in the summer, thus making it an ideal place of interest during the summer vacation. The town receives a lot of snow in winter, attracting winter sports enthusiasts as well as those who want to warm their bones to escape the bitter cold. Accommodation for every taste and budget is plentiful, and the town also offers numerous other activities for the whole family.
When in Kusatsu, Take a Dip in Its Hot Springs
The official Kusatsu homepage in English claims that that the therapeutic hot spring water of Kusatsu "can cure every sickness except lovesickness". Indeed, the piping hot water that gushes from the bowels of hell is highly acidic and contains high amounts of sulfur, chloride, aluminum and sulfate. This cocktail practically kills all kinds of bacteria, making the water ideal for various skin problems and other afflictions from sore muscles to rheumatism.
Etiquette Regarding Hot Spring Bathing
First-timers to Japanese hot springs (called "onsen" in Japanese) might need to abandon their prudish tendencies before even setting foot in one of Kusatsu's many public hot spring baths.
This is because the Japanese bathe in the nude in front of other people.
Yes, the Japanese see absolutely nothing wrong with walking around in their birthday suits in front of total strangers. Since this might come as a shock to non-Japanese bathers, it is useful to come to Kusatsu armed with tips on how to behave in a Japanese hot spring:.
- Men and women have separate bathing areas (so please wipe that sweat off your forehead)
- All belongings should be left inside lockers (and wrap the locker key rubber band around your wrist).
- Bathers are requested to thoroughly wash their bodies before dipping into the hot spring.
- Some bathers like to place a small towel on the head when bathing to keep the head warm; however, the towel itself should NOT be dipped into the hot spring water.
- Do not stay inside the hot spring too long; any dizziness is a signal that one has had enough.
In Kusatsu, public hot spring baths are so numerous that one can take a dip up to three times a day. The choices are endless; there are hot spring pools both indoor and outdoor (where bathers can enjoy natural scenery - especially breath-taking in autumn, when foliage bursts in various shades of yellows and reds), pools with waterfalls that beat down and massage stiff backs, wooden tubs that cocoon bathers, smooth stone pools... after a while, one can actually get addicted to "onsen".
Other Interesting Things to Do and See in Kusatsu
- visit the "Yubatake" (roughly translated into "hot water field"), which serves as a de facto meeting point of Kusatsu. Here visitors can view traditional wooden "gutters" which are used to transport the hot spring water to the various public baths scattered around the town. The "Yubatake" is lit up at night, and the colorful lights flitting in and out of the steam rising from the hot spring give a sense of an otherworldly (hellish?) look.
A side note: the smell of rotten eggs (due to the high amounts of sulfur) is pervasive here.
- Watch the "yumomi" show. The hot water which gushes out from the ground is almost at boiling point, so it must be cooled down first before any human dips in it. However, simply adding cool water will dilute the hot spring's therapeutic properties, so the locals of Kusatsu have come up with an ingenious way to cool down the water - beat the water with wooden paddles until it cools down to (a still HOT) 41 degrees Celcius. In the past, women sang in unison while beating the hot water, and this is what is called "yumomi".
- Try skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Nothing feels better than a dip in hot spring water after a whole day out in the snow.
- Let small fish eat your dead skin in "fish therapy". All you have to do is dip your hands or feet, and let the small fish suck away dead skin. It might look disgusting and feel ticklish at first, but you will be rewarded with clean and soft skin.
For those who want more information, the official Kusatsu website offers more insight on traveling, accommodation, food and unique local souvenirs.
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