Kami no Yu

Kami no Yu (上の湯) is a small local bath in Iwaki Yumoto, and it feels like one: mostly neighborhood regulars, greetings flying around the bathhouse, and fittings and an atmosphere that reviewers call very Showa. Ten people make it crowded. The water is hot, with a faint sulfur smell, and even the washing taps run onsen water. Bathers describe skin that feels soft afterward and warmth that lingers. The heat and the regulars' own bathing etiquette can be a lot for a first-timer, so go expecting a local bathhouse rather than a leisurely soak. Streets nearby are narrow, and there are only a few parking spaces a short walk away.