Mure Onsen Tengu no Yakata

It gets fairly busy in the evening with local people stopping by after work. On the other hand, at odd hours in the morning or afternoon, it can sometimes be almost private. The staff are all kind and hospitable, a local hot spring facility. Still, I wish the hair dryers were free. (If you think about it as being able to use a high-end Dyson for ¥100, maybe that’s cheap enough.)

Mure Onsen Tengu no Yakata Day-use onsen in Shinano. Photos of the baths are from the internet. Admission: ¥600 Dedicated to the great tengu of Mount Iizuna. Lake Reisenji is nearby, and you can partially see it from the indoor bath and the rest area. The onsen is originally cold, 21°, so it is not an onsen but a reikosen (冷鉱泉), a cold mineral spring that has the same effect as an onsen, according to the owner. It is heated, mixed with regular water, and lightly chlorinated, the smell is slight and almost unnoticeable. But the water flowing over the rocks into the onsen is cold. There are two indoor baths, one a bit hotter, around 38, and the second much cooler. The rotenburo is also not hot at all, which was actually quite welcome, since it was about 35 outside. Standing up, you can see the mountains, and sitting in the onsen, there is a great view of the log fence. There is a tiny sauna and a mizuburo with tap water. Shocking detail, all the hair dryers in the changing room are paid, stylish Refa and Dayson ones. Locals bring their own. There are massage chairs, a shop, and a large cafeteria. There is a golf club nearby, and a camp barbecue.