Kusatsu Yubatake: Onsens and Inns Tours in Gunma

Yubatake is the ideal place for those who want to relax – Credits: Reproduction

When visiting Japan, you cannot miss the Yubatake in Kusatsu, Gunma

The relatively mild temperatures of this year's winter, hovering around ten degrees Celsius, atypical for the coldest season in Japan, did not scare away tourists from one of the best-known spots in Gunma Prefecture: Yubatake (湯畑, hot water field) . Ideal for those looking for thermal waters to relax, the place has several bath houses – the famous onsens (温泉).

Yubatake gushes about five thousand liters of water per minute at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius – Credits: Reproduction

More than 5.000 liters of hot water per minute

Located in the city of Kusatsu, the Yubatake is actually a hot spring that gushes out about five thousand liters of water per minute at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. Due to the high temperature, a wooden cooling system was created which also has the function of distributing the slightly less hot water to the ryoukans (旅館, inns) and to the bathhouses.

Yubatake Kusatsu at night: surreal image – Credits: Reproduction

At night the landscape of the Yubatake is transformed by the lighting

At night, the landscape around the Yubatake is surreal. The lighting merges with the water vapors, creating a spectrum of lights and colors. Not even the unpleasant smell of sulfur, typical of geothermal regions, takes away from its charm. And yet, people walking along the sidewalks and shops in traditional bathing suits – yukatas (浴衣, kimonos worn after bathing) and getas (下駄, wooden sandals) – show that the place is ideal for relaxing.

In addition to the thermal waters, workshops that offer workshops for making art in glass stand out.

In addition to the thermal waters, workshops that offer workshops for making art in glass stand out.

Around the Yubatake, in addition to the inns, bathhouses and various souvenir shops, there are several other tourist attractions nearby. The Hall Erwin von Bälz memorial museum stands out. The German physician was the first to describe the medicinal properties of the hot springs of Kusatsu. It is also worth visiting one of the many workshops that offer workshops for making handcrafted glass pieces.