Kami Yu Sō

618. Kamiyuso, Kamiyu Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.4 - private baths) ★★ 2.3. Bath Bihadanoyu (3). Stone bath behind a fence. Clear water with small white mineral deposits, 41 degrees. This bath had an issue - it seems to be near a sewage drain, because when the wind shifts there's a slight unpleasant smell. Evening insects weren't a problem. 2.4. Bath Amanogawa (4). Bath with two stone loungers and separate stone seats inside. You tend to slide off the loungers a bit. Clear water with small white mineral deposits, 41 degrees. Evening insects were tolerable. Had to rescue a big butterfly-beetle from the water. At first I thought it was too late, but it moved away from the water, climbed the wall and tried to dry off - by morning it was gone. 3. Free pass to the nearby public onsen Kamiyu Onsen Kawara no Yu (separate review). 15.06.2025 16.06.2025

618. Kamiyuso, Kamiyu Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.3 - private baths) ★★ 2.1. Bath Mizunokami (2). Stone bath. Nice view from the bath itself onto rocks, trees, and structures. View from the changing room onto the road and stream (slightly visible from the road when you walk out to the bath). Clear water, very small amount of mineral deposits. 41 degrees. In the evening the changing room had lots of insects, but near the water it was fine. Here came the sequel to the nature observation story. Again there were large insects flying over the water and scooping it every few seconds. This time I managed to capture it on video. 2.2. Bath Iyashinoyu (1). Stone bath behind a fence. Clear water with small white mineral deposits, 41.5 degrees. In the evening insects weren't an issue. 15.06.2025 16.06.2025

618. Kamiyuso, Kamiyu Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.2 - indoor bath and private bath system) ★★ 1. Spacious indoor bath. Clear water, 44 degrees. Great air inside. Very cozy. 2. Four outdoor private baths. No separate reservations needed. By the ryokan exit, there are 4 nameplates for each bath. If a nameplate is there, the bath is free. Take the nameplate with you, go to the bath, and hang it at the entrance - that's how you show it's occupied. 15.06.2025 16.06.2025

618. Kamiyuso, Kamiyu Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.1 - general impressions and verdict) ★★ Stayed overnight. No higaeri. Listed among the "secret" Hitou onsen. 20K yen per person with meals, but the place felt more premium than that price suggests. The ryokan is in the middle of nowhere near the forest. Google Maps didn't show a bus route, so I originally planned to walk there - 1.5 hours from Totsukawa Onsen. At the bus stop I discovered buses do run a few times, but I decided to stick with the walking plan. It was quite pleasant, scenic, and full of random encounters - on the way there I met monkeys throwing sticks onto the road for fun, and on the way back I nearly ran into a snake. The hotel has two room types - Western and Japanese. I got the Western one. Room is renovated, but the bathtub doesn't work (shower only, with the indoor onsen available). When I left the room I left a light on, which was a mistake - by evening the room was full of small insects. But when I slept with the light off, no more insects appeared and nobody bothered or bit me. Visited in June during firefly season. The ryokan has a special event for this: they give you flashlights, insect spray, and drive you to a spot near the ryokan where you can watch fireflies. Booked dinner and breakfast for one, kaiseki served in a shared dining room. Dinner was enjoyable but simple in terms of ingredients, which matched the price. Few guests, and it seemed like not many rooms either. But there was quite a lot of staff, all Japanese. They barely speak English; after booking they even sent a warning email about this. A great place combining several strong qualities: Hitou status, remote location, private onsen system, powerful indoor bath, top-notch public onsen nearby, nice price, and still reachable without a car. Recommended for Totsukawa trips. 15.06.2025 16.06.2025