BOSENKAN

Bosenkan is an old ryokan on the Hida River in Gero, in business since 1818. Its men's outdoor bath sits right above the river, open to the sound of the water and the hills around it, while the women's bath is a large indoor hall lit by big windows onto the garden; both include a separate shallow pool for small children. The water itself is clear, colorless, and mild, the kind that's gentle enough to leave skin feeling smooth. For more privacy, a reservable outdoor bath in the garden pairs hinoki-wood tubs with a stone-lined pool facing the river and the rail bridge. It's for overnight guests only, booked at check-in on a first-come basis. Some rooms come with their own outdoor bath facing the river, and there's a small foot bath out in the Japanese garden as well. The building itself still shows its age, in a good way: an old-fashioned lobby, a wide garden, and a lounge to sit in once you're out of the bath. Day-use bathing is available too, on a limited schedule.