🗺️ Yudanaka Shibu Onsen Town渋温泉街

Located in Nagano Prefecture, the "Yudanaka Shibu Onsen" is composed of nine hot springs, mainly distributed in the Yokoyu River and Yakanese River basins. One of them is Shibu Onsen, which has a history of about 1300 years since its opening. It has long been a popular destination for hot spring therapy. The hot spring water in Yudanaka Shibu Onsen is quite abundant, and there is a local saying that "if you dig a little into the ground, hot spring water will gush out." All the inns and public baths in the hot spring town use 100% natural hot spring water. Among them, nine well-maintained public baths are particularly famous, and guests staying at the inns on Shibu Onsen Street can use them for free. Other tourists can only use the "Shibu Oyu" at the ninth bath (500 yen, operating hours 10:00 – 17:00). A recommended itinerary for visiting Yudanaka Shibu Onsen is the "Nine Bath Pilgrimage." This involves carrying a "Bathing Wish Towel," which allows you to stamp a commemorative seal each time you visit a different bath with varying water quality and therapeutic effects. By borrowing a key for the public baths from your inn and purchasing a wish towel (350 yen), you can enjoy the hot springs at various locations. It is said that after soaking in all nine public baths, you can "wash away the hardships and troubles of life" (the Japanese words for "nine" and "suffering" sound similar), and then visit the "Shibu Takayakushi Shrine" located in the mountains of the hot spring town to pray for your wishes to come true. The joy of the Nine Bath Pilgrimage lies in experiencing the unique historical atmosphere of ancient hot springs, discovering your favorite hot spring qualities, and interacting closely with local residents and travelers from all over the world. After enjoying the hot springs, it is recommended to wear a yukata and wooden sandals while leisurely strolling through the nostalgic hot spring town. You can also savor various local delicacies, such as traditional hot spring buns, Italian gelato, and specialty soba noodles.

The hot spring town consists of nine hot springs and has a history of about 1,300 years since its establishment. The hot spring water is abundant, and all the inns and public baths feature 100% natural hot spring water sourced directly from the springs. The "Nine Springs Pilgrimage" allows visitors to experience various types of hot springs with different qualities and therapeutic effects, making it a very popular itinerary.