Shiobara Onsen
塩原温泉郷
A hot spring resort area stretching about 15 km along the Hakkawa Gorge, with roughly 1,200 years of history and 11 hot spring areas. The gorge is especially beautiful in autumn.
Shiobara Onsen lies in the west of Nasushiobara City and spreads about 15 km along the Hakkawa Gorge. It has 11 hot spring areas and around 150 hot springs, each with different water qualities. The springs are said to have been opened about 1,200 years ago. In the Meiji era, literary figures such as Natsume Soseki and Ozaki Koyo stayed here, and Ozaki Koyo's novel "Konjiki Yasha" describes the area. The centre of the resort has the "Yuho-no-Sato", a rare foot-bath corridor about 60 m long, which can be visited for free, with a small fee for a foot soak. You can also try local specialties such as "yu curry" and the soy-flavoured "yu-hyotan" gourd dish. In autumn, the gorge is covered in colourful foliage, and you can enjoy it on walking trails or by car. From JR Nasushiobara Station, take the JR bus for about 65 minutes, or take a direct expressway bus from Tokyo. It is worth staying a night.
Opening hours
Open all day (facility hours on official website)
Nearby sights
- Ryuka Falls
- Momijidani Suspension Bridge
- Nasu Highland Park
- Nasu Safari Park
- Minamigaoka Ranch
- Shika-no-Yu (Nasu Yumoto Onsen)
- Sessho-seki (Killing Stone)
- Mt. Chausu & Nasu Ropeway