越後田中温泉 しなの荘

Shinano-so has an indoor bath, well loved by locals, and a small outdoor bath overlooking the inn's garden where the water runs pleasantly mild rather than hot, one of each for men and women, plus a hinoki bath attached to one of the special guest rooms. The spring itself runs cool, so the water is warmed before it reaches the tubs, and it comes out smooth and faintly brown, with a silky feel on the skin. It's a small ryokan in a quiet satoyama village where the Chikuma River becomes the Shinano, recognized by the Nihon Hitou wo Mamoru Kai (日本秘湯を守る会), the association for Japan's secluded hot-spring inns. Day-trippers can use the baths too, alongside overnight guests.