Suwa Onsen

The rooms were spotless and the staff warm and friendly. With birdsong in the background, the nature-rich setting was relaxing. The hot spring water is high quality, with a concentration that's rare elsewhere. This doesn't feel like a traditional Japanese inn so much as a guesthouse or Japanese-style cottage beside a hot spring facility. The large public bath seems to attract local residents like a public bathhouse, so it gets quite crowded. I didn't use the in-room bath because it wasn't what I expected. Whether I'd recommend it to families or couples really depends on what they're looking for. I would recommend it to solo travelers or groups of friends who want a lively atmosphere.

The receptionist explained that the left bath is the regular one, while the baths on the right and the outdoor bath run hotter. I like hot baths, but the right one was much hotter than I expected. For me, the left was hot, the outdoor one a little hotter, and the right was extremely hot. The water is brown, a chloride spring that contains iron. This facility is part of the 88 Baths Tour, and adults pay ¥400 at the ticket machine. The parking lot is beside the road, with the entrance down the hill. I visited after noon on a weekday and saw only about three or four other bathers.

The staff and even the regulars were kind and explained how the baths work. In summer, the water may be a bit too hot. It's so hot that you'll want a cold bath. The regulars called one bath lukewarm and another hot, but to me they felt more like hot and extra hot. Still, the water colors differ, so the spring qualities may differ too. I'd recommend trying a dip at the end, even if you have to brace yourself.

The cloudy brown water has a faint iron smell, and the spring quality felt really good. I visited on a day trip, which cost 400 yen to enter. There are several tubs at different temperatures, hot and slightly hot. I went at night and didn’t spot the open-air bath, though it seems there is one. One thing to know: my towel turned brown when I dried off, so if that would bother you, rinse well in the shower before leaving.