What other travelers are saying about Maruko Onsen Village
This hot spring resort is located very close to Shikayu Onsen. Bessho Onsen and Tazawa Onsen are also within my range. It's a remote hot spring resort in the mountains, famous for its mild, lukewarm waters, which reminded me of Yugi Onsen. Reisenji is slightly larger, though.
If you take the road along the Reisenji River from the national highway, you'll reach the center in about 1.6km, and just after the fork in the road there are signposts numbered 1 through 8, providing little guides to the famous spots. It might be worth looking for them while you're out for a walk.
[Overall Impression]
This is the best hot spring.
I've bathed in over 100 natural hot springs in the past, but this is top-class.
[Spring Water Quality]
Alkaline simple hot spring.
A large amount of water gushes into the bath.
[Location]
It's in a very mysterious place, with absolutely no sign of people.
This location is great.
One of Nagano Prefecture's most esoteric hidden hot springs.
It could probably have been called a hot spring town in the past, but now it's a run-down hidden hot spring known only to those in the know.
The admission fee for the public bath is 200 yen.
Parking is available next to the temple and above the public bath.
There are no shampoos or hair dryers, and no lockers with locks, so you need to be careful with your valuables.
The inside is like a Showa-era public bathhouse, with only an indoor bath.
The hot spring is fairly warm, so you can enjoy a long soak.
There are many hot springs in Nagano Prefecture, but the water here is truly amazing!! At first glance, it's colorless, transparent, and odorless, and looks no different from a super public bath, but the feeling on your skin after a bath is so different!!! I can only describe it as a hot spring imbued with miraculous powers!! It even miraculously cures back pain!! Wow, I'm not being scientific, but the water is truly amazing!! There's no convenience store or anything, the exterior is old, the postbox is incomprehensible, the changing room is small, there are no showers, there's no caretaker so you have to stand in the locker, but it's just the best!!! If we're just looking at the quality of the water, I think it's one of the best in the country!! I don't like it when it's crowded, but I hope it becomes a little more famous...
Reizenji Onsen, one of the hot springs in the Maruko Onsenkyo area (Kakeyu, Oshio, and Reizenji)
From Ueda, take Route 254 and turn left at the sign that says "Reizenji Onsen 2km". Follow the narrow road along the river for about 2km, and you'll see a magnificent temple (Reizenji). Beyond that is a charming hot spring town (four inns are currently operating).
This time, I enjoyed the public bath. It's a traditional public bath style!
Parking is available a little further down from the public bath, in a gravel area with space for 5-6 cars, and there's also a private parking lot at Reizenji Temple.
Opening hours are 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Admission is ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for children (up to 6th grade). Bringing your own towels and soap is essential.
Upon entering through the separate entrances for men and women, you'll find a counter where you pay the fee to the attendant 👴. (If he's not there, put the money in the payment box ⚠️ Make sure you pay properly☺️‼️) It's probably a good idea to bring some change just in case✨
Put your shoes 👟 in the shoe locker. Passing through the curtain, you're immediately in the changing room 😃 There are lockable lockers for valuables. It's small.
The hot spring water is free-flowing ♨️ (calcium, sodium, sulfate spring). The scent is faint.
The bath is indoors only (40-42℃ 🌡️). The temperature is just right 😃. It gets full with about 10 people.
There are four washing areas. The nostalgic Kerorin bath buckets are a nice touch 👌. There are only water and hot spring taps. (Of course! ⚠️🚿 There are no showers.) Perhaps due to the components of the hot spring water, it doesn't lather very well.
But... I love this kind of bathhouse! 😻
Since it's a hot spring deep in the mountains, it feels like you have it all to yourself depending on the time of day. It was empty, so I was able to soak for a long time and feel completely refreshed. 😸
I really hope these kinds of retro Showa-era bathhouses remain forever! 🤩
It's a bit far, but I'll definitely visit again to recover from fatigue and feel refreshed! ‼️😄✨
Maruko Onsen features sodium-chloride-sulfate spring water that reaches temperatures between 50-60 degrees Celsius. The mineral composition is traditionally believed to help with circulation issues, muscle pain, and skin conditions. The waters have a slightly saline quality due to their chemical makeup.
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Ueda Station, which takes approximately 90 minutes. From Ueda Station, board a local bus on the Maruko Line for a 20-minute ride to the village. If driving, take the Joshinetsu Expressway and exit at Sakaki IC, then continue about 15 kilometers to reach the village.
Yes, day-use bathing is widely available throughout Maruko Onsen Village. Public bathhouses like Dai-yu charge between 300-500 yen for admission, while ryokan facilities offering day-use access typically cost 1,000-2,000 yen. Most facilities operate during daytime and early evening hours for day visitors.
Yes, most public bathhouses expect visitors to bring their own towels following traditional onsen customs. However, small towels are usually available for purchase at the facilities for a few hundred yen if you arrive without one. Some ryokan day-use packages may include towel rental in their fee.
The village is located near Bessho Onsen, another historic hot spring area, and is within easy reach of Ueda's cultural sites including temples from the feudal period. The Chikuma River valley offers seasonal natural scenery, and the broader Ueda area features historical connections to the Sanada clan and their castle ruins.
