798. Shojukan, Shima Onsen, Gunma (pt.1) ★★ I booked it with a duplicate reservation. An old, heartfelt ryokan. The staff are all Japanese, nice and friendly, and they welcomed me very warmly. The ryokan is periodically included in JR onsen stay perks for lodging at ryokan. The ryokan has many private baths, and booking is required for the outdoor separate bath area, while all the other private baths are first come, first served. About the onsen: 1. Large private semi-open-air bath. It used to be mixed bathing, but at the time of my visit it was presented as private. The water is clear. As for the temperature, the first section of the bath is 42, the second section is 42.5. There is utaseyu. There is a sauna. 2. Private indoor barrel bath. The water is clear, and the temperature is 41. It is easy to breathe inside. 3. Private indoor square bath. The water is clear, and the temperature is 41. It is easy to breathe inside. 13.01.2026 14.01.2026
Day Use
NoBathing & Water
Uses natural hot spring water
Open-air outdoor bath
Enclosed indoor bathing area
Dry heat sauna room
Capabilities
Private bath available for day-use visitors or hotel guests to reserve
Shared bathing area for all genders
Listed on the website as mixed bathing, but based on a visit in January 2026, it should be declared as a private bath.
Policies & Services
Allows entry with visible tattoos
Many private baths in the ryokan
Restaurant or dining open to visitors (not just hotel meal plans)
Shower, wash stations, soap and shampoo provided
Towels available to rent or borrow
Relaxation space for after bathing
Highlights
UtaseyuAbout
A timber-framed inn sitting along the Shima River, with a garden open-air bath (rotenburo, 露天風呂) that guests consistently praise. The signature bath, historically mixed, now run as a reservable private bath, is a rocky outdoor tub fed by the Shionoyu source. The inn is old and unpretentious, with a resident inn cat that has charmed many a visitor.
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4.0
2 reviews
from 1 reviewer
798. Shojukan, Shima Onsen, Gunma (pt.2) ★★ About the onsen: 4. Outdoor bath area. It is located separately from the ryokan, 2-3 minutes away. To use it, you need to arrange a time with the staff, and the staff will take you there. The visiting slot was available only in the morning and daytime because of the bear risk, a bear had been spotted in the area. The area is fenced, and there is a small building with a rest area. View of the trees through the fence. 4.1. Upper rectangular bath with two sections, the main bath and a lying-down area. The water is clear, with a temperature of 43 for the bath and 42 for the lying-down area. 4.2. Middle stone bath. The water is clear, with a temperature of 40.5. 4.3. Lower stone bath, but they asked not to use it, as I understood it is not currently being maintained. The water is clear, with a temperature of 40. 5. Men's indoor bath. The water is clear, with a temperature of 41.5. It is comfortable to breathe inside, it was cool. 6. Private indoor bath. The water is clear, with a temperature of 42.5. It is comfortable to breathe inside. A very warm, intimate place. Recommended if you like this kind of old Japanese atmosphere, old smells, a warm feeling, a distinctive simplicity, and private baths. 13.01.2026 14.01.2026
Last updated August 1, 2026