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Hot spring · Kusatsu, Gunma
Yubatake
The hot water field in central Kusatsu, with seven wooden channels where steaming spring water flows down to the ryokan, lit up at night.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
A look at the place
Yubatake in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Discover
About Yubatake
The yubatake, the “hot water field,” is the center of the village of Kusatsu. It is one of the main sources for the resort: water wells up from the ground at high temperatures and runs in cascade along seven wooden channels across a sloping plaza. Along the way it loses heat to the air and leaves a yellowish mineral deposit in the channels, the yunohana, collected and sold as bath salt.
At the end of the channels the water falls into a small greenish waterfall surrounded by steam, and from there it is routed through pipes to the ryokan and bathhouses in the village. The smell of sulfur is strong. Around it, a stone fence bears the names of notable visitors to Kusatsu, including the German physician Erwin von Bälz, who publicized the village’s waters in the late 19th century.
The yubatake is surrounded by wooden ryokan, shops selling manju sweets, bath salt and crafts, and by a small temple, Kosen-ji, on a stairway above the plaza. Next to it is Netsunoyu, where the yumomi performance takes place. There is a public foot bath alongside the channels.
At night, the yubatake is illuminated, and the steam lit by the lights is Kusatsu’s most familiar image. The plaza is open day and night, free of charge, near the bus terminal.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 30 minutes to an hour, including a walk along the channels and the foot bath.
Best time
At night, when it’s lit, and in winter, when the steam is denser in the cold air. Early in the morning the plaza is quieter.
How to get there
From the Kusatsu Onsen bus terminal it’s about a 5-minute walk, going down the main street.
Tip
Return to the yubatake at night, after dinner, to see the illumination. Buy yunohana at the shops around the plaza if you want to take the bath salt home.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Yubatake
What is the yubatake?
It is the “field of hot water” in the center of Kusatsu: thermal water runs through wooden channels to cool before going on to inns and bathhouses.
Can you bathe in the yubatake?
No. The channels are for viewing only. There is a public foot bath next to it and several bathhouses nearby.
Is the yubatake illuminated at night?
Yes, every night, with lights that color the steam.
What is yunohana?
It is the mineral deposit that forms in the yubatake channels, collected and sold as bath salt.
Beyond the guide
