Kasuga Onsen Kasuga no Mori

Kasuga no Mori is a ryokan in the forest at the foot of Mount Tateshina in Nagano, about 900 meters up. The hot spring it draws on, Kasuga Onsen, has a history of more than 300 years. Its two communal baths, Tateshina-no-yu (蓼科の湯) and Shirakaba-no-yu (白樺の湯), each pair an indoor bath with a garden-style rotenburo, and the men's and women's sides swap over the course of a stay so guests can try both. The water comes in a hot pool and a milder one for a longer soak, and there's a jet bath and a sauna too. The Western and Japanese-Western rooms also have their own bath, filled with the same onsen water. The water is soft, and known locally for leaving skin smooth. The garden rotenburo sit among trees and a small pond, with the view changing through the seasons: fresh green, autumn color, snow. Beyond its baths, the inn has long served as a base for school trips and sports and training camps, with a gymnasium, a summer pool, and a gate-ball court on site.