Nangetsu

The hot spring was exactly what I hoped for, and I was very satisfied with the water. I don't go to hot springs often, but I was looking for one with a substantial, clinging feel. An alkaline spring that had been called the country's number one left my skin dry before, so I was a little wary, but this one didn't. After bathing and lightly rinsing in the shower, my skin didn't feel dry or tight, and the inn's towels didn't leave fibers on me. I checked in around 5 PM and went straight in. There were no other guests, so I had the bath to myself. The milky water looked beautiful, and the sulfur smell was present but not unpleasant. The indoor bath was lukewarm and the open-air one was hot. I got used to the heat by soaking in short turns. Maybe because the water is acidic, or because it's cleaned regularly, there wasn't a single insect or leaf in the outdoor bath. One concern: the men's open-air bath is completely visible from the second floor of a private house or possibly ruins nearby. That may bother some people; I don't know about the women's side. I didn't stay in long, but felt a little dizzy afterwards and sweated a lot, so hydrate before going in. The bath alone would earn five stars, and if day-use bathing isn't crowded, that might be a good way to visit. When checking out, reception may not be open, so I suggest calling from your room ahead of time. There were rooms available even though I booked only a few days before peak season. The hot spring seemed good quality, since I didn't need body cream afterwards, and with relatively few rooms it felt nearly private. Wi-Fi and a fridge were available, and the guest rooms and bath were reasonably clean. The concerns: parking wasn't signposted and was hard to find, perhaps on the left across the road from the inn. The inn is old, and stains on the floor to the room made it feel less clean. After check-in I found a finger-sized hole in the window screen. My yukata smelled damp or moldy, and the replacement smelled bad too, so I'd bring pajamas. The men's outdoor bath could be seen from a second-floor private house, probably abandoned. The room-only price, 23,000 yen, felt a little high.

The meal room was separate, and the food was nicely prepared and plentiful. We were very pleased, and the bath was excellent too. My husband and I stayed over summer vacation. The rooms were well cared for and felt clean, though the exterior and hallway carpets were old and didn't look clean. We were careful not to let our yukata hems drag along the hall.

Even on a day trip, you can bathe in the cloudy water straight from the spring at Nasu Yumoto. The indoor bath is quite hot, while the outdoor one is lukewarm, and the baths feel bigger than they look in the pictures. It's an easy place to reach without a car because the bus stop is right outside. There's a washing area, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, shower caps, hair dryers, and all-in-one lotion.

The baths were fantastic. The water comes from Shikanoyu, and there are hot water at about 42°C, warm water around 40°C, and an open-air bath around 38°C. They're open around the clock. There are no faucets, so you have to use the shower, but there's also a cold-water hose tap that's great for cooling off. The building has no elevator or vending machines, so bring water. There is a fridge where you can chill a 2L bottle. I really wanted to stay in Nasu Yumoto, so I booked through a reservation site, but the state of the inn was disappointing. Weeds at the entrance made me pause, and inside, the building seemed poorly maintained and the floors weren't especially clean. The stairwell walls were stained. The room itself was well cleaned, though there were still marks on the walls.