Ishidan No Yu

781. Ishidan no yu, Ikaho Onsen, Gunma An old-school onsen for ¥800, or ¥500 for locals. It is on the Ikaho stone steps. The stated hours are 10:00 to 20:00. Indoor bath. Inside, it was almost impossible to see anything because of the steam, neither the color of the water nor what the bath itself looked like. This was made even worse by visiting in the evening without daylight. There is access to a balcony, but there are no baths there. The water temperature was 42. Breathing inside was tolerable. I remember this place as being a mixed experience, overpriced and seeming geared toward tourists. 11.01.2026

Ikaho Ishidan Onsen, a classic old-timer bath. 410 yen. An authentic old onsen, one bath, kakenagashi. The water source is in the shape of a lion's head, but it's so encrusted with minerals that you can barely recognize it. No rotenburo, but there's a balcony where you can step out, cool off and admire the snowy mountain peaks and the view of Ikaho's famous stone staircase. Very soulful. Worth visiting if you want to feel that old spirit.