Nagaoka Kamaburo Onsen Ryokan

20250913 At Kamaburo Onsen Ryokan ♨️ (650 yen), I gave up on the kamaburo I'd been looking forward to because it wasn't hot enough. Apparently that's normal (;'∀') I didn't know that.

At 3 PM, the entrance slippers were scattered all over the place. I told myself it was okay since I'd only come for a day bath and paid 650 yen, then went in. But there was a lot of visible hair in the drain. I checked the boiler area too, and it didn't look very clean. When I got home, I wanted to wash thoroughly, so I took a bath there and felt relieved. I like hot springs and saunas, but this was a first for me. For context, I'm not a germaphobe.

I've visited the bathhouse several times, and the water temperature is one thing I really like. It's just right for a long soak, and the steam bath isn't too hot but still makes me sweat a lot. The price is now 650 yen after being there recently for the first time in a while. I guess that's how things are these days. What hasn't improved across my visits is the changing room. It's uncomfortable and feels unsanitary, which is disappointing. The humid air fogs the mirror so badly you can't see, water drips from the ceiling, and there's hair and dust on the floor. The ceiling fan and hair dryer are old, and the sink could use a proper clean. The cleaning and upkeep clearly aren't enough. After bathing, I want to take my time with my hair dryer and skincare, but the damp, unpleasant room makes me want to get out as quickly as possible. I hope it improves before my next visit.

I went for a day visit, but the changing room smelled really bad, like fermented sweat. The mat in the cauldron bath was sweaty too, especially where people lie down, so it would take some nerve to sleep on it. It's an old hot spring, so maybe that's to be expected. If you're especially fussy about cleanliness, I wouldn't recommend it. Wild people would probably enjoy it a lot.