Shibu Onsen
Shibu Onsen
4.5
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ditje63
San Francisco, CA3 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
The 9 onsens (hot springs bath houses) attracted me to Shibu Onsen. The large wooden key, the stamps etc. However....we found the onsen were far too hot to even put your feet in, and pretty run down. The whole town had a very out of season feel (maybe it is better in winter?). Lots of places were closed. We stayed in a ryokan that was totally overpriced and very faded (and dusty) glory, not worth it. We did go see the Snowmonkey park and that was amazing, but my advise is to skip Shibu Onsen and stay in a nice ryokan in Yudonaka station.
Written June 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Madshus
Canberra, Australia1,358 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We stopped at this charming place for 30 min after we saw the snow monkeys. It’s an intriguing place with quite a few bath houses and ryokan lining the narrow lanes. There are also shrines. I’d like to come back and stay here to enjoy the onsens.
Written January 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WildJunket
Amsterdam, The Netherlands141 contributions
Oct 2018 • Family
We came to stay at Shibu Onsen to visit the Snow Monkey Park but we’re surprised by how cute and quaint this town is! Best of all, it has 9 traditional hot springs (onsens) that anyone staying in associated ryokans can visit for free. The onsens are small hotspring pools that locals use to bathe themselves in but still an interesting experience to have.
Written October 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PickACard
Los Angeles, CA26 contributions
Nov 2011 • Couples
Just got back from a quick trip to Shibu Onsen. We had a hard time finding comprehensive information on the place so I thought I'd give a write up to help anyone thinking about putting this on their Japan itinerary. First off, understand that while TripAdvisor lists this as an attraction, Shibu Onsen is actually a town in and of itself.
Depending on where you are traveling from in Japan, Shibu Onsen can seem like a fairly remote destination. Because it's not on a major high-speed rail line you'll have to switch trains at least once. It's really not that bad though. We left Tokyo Station on the 7:30AM Asama 505 Shinkansen Saturday morning, arrived in Shibu Onsen at around 10:30AM and left the next day after breakfast. There was no snow for skiing, so one day was really the perfect amount of time to see this place. Again, it's a fair bit of travel for a one night stay, but totally worth it.
GETTING THERE (by train):
A quick google search will return current timetables for both local and high-speed trains. Wherever you're coming from, you'll have to get to Nagano first. When the bullet train drops you off at Nagano station, exit and go down the stairs to the right; ahead you will see the entrance for the local train station where you will board for Yudanaka. The express train to Yudanaka takes about 45 minutes. Most of the hotels/ryokans in Shibu Onsen will send someone to come pick you up at Yudanaka station, just be sure to let them know when you're arriving. It's about a 5 minute ride to town. If your hotel doesn't have a shuttle service or for some reason isn't available to pick you up (like ours was,) there are some super friendly English language student/volunteers who will promptly sniff you out and help you find the right bus or a taxi.
ACCOMMODATION:
Book early. We had a hard time finding a place with availability two weeks before out intended stay. It's a small town and it fills up fast. If you can't find accommodation in Shibu Onsen I wouldn't bother coming here. Only guests at Shibu Onsen hotels/ryokans are allowed access to all nine of the public onsen everyone will be trotting back and forth from. Stay in Yamonouchi town or another nearby hamlet and you will have to pay to get into the ONE bath you are allowed access to. Not only that, but you'll have to arrange transport to drop you off/fetch you when you're all wet and clad in only a robe and slippers. It's much nicer to just stroll back to your hotel while the monkeys scurry across the power lines over your head. (Note: Some of those monkeys looked like they were on a serious mission; best to lock up the windows to your room when you go out so you don't come back to pilfering visitors.)
We stayed at Shibu Hotel. It was right in the center of town (but then, the town is so small, what isn't...) Nice, clean hotel, very friendly staff and a beautifully laid out, if not marginally revolting, private breakfast. But don't go by me, Japanese cuisine isn't really my thing.
The room we stayed in was Japanese style. Wherever you stay, opt for this; it just completes the whole cultural experience ...and the futons were actually quite comfortable.
Most hotels have their own private onsen. We took a final soak in ours after breakfast on Sunday before we left for Yudanaka station.
MONKEY PARK:
Since we arrived early on Saturday and most hotels/ryokan won't check you in until 3PM, we dropped off our bags and took the hotel shuttle up to the monkey park. (Again, most accommodations will provide this service.) It's about a five minute drive to the parking lot. From there you hike about ten minutes to the ticket booth, pay your 500 yen and go gawk at the monkeys. It's amazing how nonplussed these animals are by the crowd of humans standing around snapping pictures of them bathing. You can get right up on them; great photo ops.
We chose to walk back to town from the park. It takes an additional 40 minutes or so. Local cars drive alarmingly fast on the tight windy road, but the woods you walk through are beautiful. Do it.
ONSEN:
Despite it being completely booked out, the town seemed pretty deserted after we returned from the monkey park and we were starting to wonder if we had somehow come off-season. At about 5PM it started to sound like a herd of Clydesdales were arriving in town as people starting hot-spring hopping in their robes and wooden slippers. We stripped down, wrapped ourselves up in our robes (again, your hosts will provide you with everything you need, including a map) and went out to join them.
Cough up the 300 yen for the souvenir towel your hotel will sell you so you can get the stamp for each onsen you visit. Do all nine onsen. It'll take a while, but you'll feel so superior to all the people not actually going into the onsen but just collecting stamps for their souvenir towels. The onsen are open from 6AM until 10PM.
VERDICT:
Between transportation costs (the bullet train isn't cheap) and high priced accommodation (like everywhere in Japan) this turned out to be quite an expensive side trip, but we don't regret a minute of it.
If you're even considering this trip; do it. You'll really feel like you have experienced something unique.
Depending on where you are traveling from in Japan, Shibu Onsen can seem like a fairly remote destination. Because it's not on a major high-speed rail line you'll have to switch trains at least once. It's really not that bad though. We left Tokyo Station on the 7:30AM Asama 505 Shinkansen Saturday morning, arrived in Shibu Onsen at around 10:30AM and left the next day after breakfast. There was no snow for skiing, so one day was really the perfect amount of time to see this place. Again, it's a fair bit of travel for a one night stay, but totally worth it.
GETTING THERE (by train):
A quick google search will return current timetables for both local and high-speed trains. Wherever you're coming from, you'll have to get to Nagano first. When the bullet train drops you off at Nagano station, exit and go down the stairs to the right; ahead you will see the entrance for the local train station where you will board for Yudanaka. The express train to Yudanaka takes about 45 minutes. Most of the hotels/ryokans in Shibu Onsen will send someone to come pick you up at Yudanaka station, just be sure to let them know when you're arriving. It's about a 5 minute ride to town. If your hotel doesn't have a shuttle service or for some reason isn't available to pick you up (like ours was,) there are some super friendly English language student/volunteers who will promptly sniff you out and help you find the right bus or a taxi.
ACCOMMODATION:
Book early. We had a hard time finding a place with availability two weeks before out intended stay. It's a small town and it fills up fast. If you can't find accommodation in Shibu Onsen I wouldn't bother coming here. Only guests at Shibu Onsen hotels/ryokans are allowed access to all nine of the public onsen everyone will be trotting back and forth from. Stay in Yamonouchi town or another nearby hamlet and you will have to pay to get into the ONE bath you are allowed access to. Not only that, but you'll have to arrange transport to drop you off/fetch you when you're all wet and clad in only a robe and slippers. It's much nicer to just stroll back to your hotel while the monkeys scurry across the power lines over your head. (Note: Some of those monkeys looked like they were on a serious mission; best to lock up the windows to your room when you go out so you don't come back to pilfering visitors.)
We stayed at Shibu Hotel. It was right in the center of town (but then, the town is so small, what isn't...) Nice, clean hotel, very friendly staff and a beautifully laid out, if not marginally revolting, private breakfast. But don't go by me, Japanese cuisine isn't really my thing.
The room we stayed in was Japanese style. Wherever you stay, opt for this; it just completes the whole cultural experience ...and the futons were actually quite comfortable.
Most hotels have their own private onsen. We took a final soak in ours after breakfast on Sunday before we left for Yudanaka station.
MONKEY PARK:
Since we arrived early on Saturday and most hotels/ryokan won't check you in until 3PM, we dropped off our bags and took the hotel shuttle up to the monkey park. (Again, most accommodations will provide this service.) It's about a five minute drive to the parking lot. From there you hike about ten minutes to the ticket booth, pay your 500 yen and go gawk at the monkeys. It's amazing how nonplussed these animals are by the crowd of humans standing around snapping pictures of them bathing. You can get right up on them; great photo ops.
We chose to walk back to town from the park. It takes an additional 40 minutes or so. Local cars drive alarmingly fast on the tight windy road, but the woods you walk through are beautiful. Do it.
ONSEN:
Despite it being completely booked out, the town seemed pretty deserted after we returned from the monkey park and we were starting to wonder if we had somehow come off-season. At about 5PM it started to sound like a herd of Clydesdales were arriving in town as people starting hot-spring hopping in their robes and wooden slippers. We stripped down, wrapped ourselves up in our robes (again, your hosts will provide you with everything you need, including a map) and went out to join them.
Cough up the 300 yen for the souvenir towel your hotel will sell you so you can get the stamp for each onsen you visit. Do all nine onsen. It'll take a while, but you'll feel so superior to all the people not actually going into the onsen but just collecting stamps for their souvenir towels. The onsen are open from 6AM until 10PM.
VERDICT:
Between transportation costs (the bullet train isn't cheap) and high priced accommodation (like everywhere in Japan) this turned out to be quite an expensive side trip, but we don't regret a minute of it.
If you're even considering this trip; do it. You'll really feel like you have experienced something unique.
Written December 3, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dorothiee
Los Angeles14 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
We stayed in Shibu Onsen for 3 nights in January, and it was wayyy too long. Very quiet, quirky town that does have its charms but in a bit of a rundown way. The 9 public onsen are pretty great in theory, but just go know that they are basically just small indoor tubs without views or amenities. They are hotter than hell, but you can adjust the temperature- you can add cold water (sometimes with a hose or a faucet) and sometimes stop the flow of hot water via a wooden trap in the spigot.
We were hoping for real old Japan, deep relaxation in some pretty outdoor baths with views of the mountains, maybe some snowy hiking, but were disappointed. There are some shrines and a nice brewery where you can do sake tastings (Tamamura) but we felt it was more of a day trip or at most a one-nighter. If you do stay overnight, I recommend springing for nice accommodation with its own good onsen. Get meals as there's not a ton of food options. We stayed at a local ryokan that was unheated (in freezing temps) and that was a drag.
On the other hand, Obuse (20-25 minutes closer to Nagano on the same train line) was a winner. It's an old samurai town with a strong history of art and cultural life. Lots of character and old buildings, as well as lovely cafes, shops, and restaurants, surrounded by snowy mountains. There are some onsen in the nearby hills that apparently have nice views. And still pretty easy to get to those monkeys (who are totally great.)
We were hoping for real old Japan, deep relaxation in some pretty outdoor baths with views of the mountains, maybe some snowy hiking, but were disappointed. There are some shrines and a nice brewery where you can do sake tastings (Tamamura) but we felt it was more of a day trip or at most a one-nighter. If you do stay overnight, I recommend springing for nice accommodation with its own good onsen. Get meals as there's not a ton of food options. We stayed at a local ryokan that was unheated (in freezing temps) and that was a drag.
On the other hand, Obuse (20-25 minutes closer to Nagano on the same train line) was a winner. It's an old samurai town with a strong history of art and cultural life. Lots of character and old buildings, as well as lovely cafes, shops, and restaurants, surrounded by snowy mountains. There are some onsen in the nearby hills that apparently have nice views. And still pretty easy to get to those monkeys (who are totally great.)
Written January 16, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ratpackers
Singapore, Singapore253 contributions
Apr 2013 • Friends
This is my 2nd visit since 2011. I brought my family here and this time we stayed for 2 nights instead of 1 night, unlike what I did the first time.
First and foremost, the onsens are not gross, unlike what some of the reviewers have said. There are 9 bath houses in this small village and they are local, public bath houses. The locals use them daily to bath themselves. All the bath houses get a cleaned out every night. There are onsen etiquette which one have to observe before soaking into the bath and one of it is to bath/wash yourself clean before stepping into the bath.
All the bath houses are locked and your hotel will provide you with a master key for access to all the bath houses. They are divided into men and women's sides and have special names. Each bath houses are numbered and they are supposed to cure different ailments. You can purchase a piece of cloth for about 350yen and collect 9 different stamps from the bath houses, with the final 10th stamp to be collected at the shrine. It is said that good fortune will come (or a highly successful marketing strategy) after you soaked in all 9 bath houses and offer a prayer at the shrine when you collect the last stamp.
There is nothing much to do in this small village indeed if you are looking for action. I stayed two nights out of my 8 days Japan trip because I realised from my past experience staying in this town that, it is totally worth while to take the time out from your quite often, a hectic/rush holiday and kick back and relax. Shibu Onsen, offer just that. We arrived in the late afternoon at 5pm, had dinner at the hotel and started our onsen tour till no. 5.
We slept early, took the morning shuttle provided by the our ryokan at 9am to the monkey park and spent the rest of the day walking around the area of Kanbayashi. We returned to Shibu Onsen by public bus bound for Yudanaka Station around 5pm, had dinner and continued our completion of our onsen tour. We had an early night and set off at 650am for the 3 train out of Yudanaka back to Tokyo. Two nights were perfect for us.
Nagano is famous for their soba and there are two soba restaurants at Shibu Onsen.
First and foremost, the onsens are not gross, unlike what some of the reviewers have said. There are 9 bath houses in this small village and they are local, public bath houses. The locals use them daily to bath themselves. All the bath houses get a cleaned out every night. There are onsen etiquette which one have to observe before soaking into the bath and one of it is to bath/wash yourself clean before stepping into the bath.
All the bath houses are locked and your hotel will provide you with a master key for access to all the bath houses. They are divided into men and women's sides and have special names. Each bath houses are numbered and they are supposed to cure different ailments. You can purchase a piece of cloth for about 350yen and collect 9 different stamps from the bath houses, with the final 10th stamp to be collected at the shrine. It is said that good fortune will come (or a highly successful marketing strategy) after you soaked in all 9 bath houses and offer a prayer at the shrine when you collect the last stamp.
There is nothing much to do in this small village indeed if you are looking for action. I stayed two nights out of my 8 days Japan trip because I realised from my past experience staying in this town that, it is totally worth while to take the time out from your quite often, a hectic/rush holiday and kick back and relax. Shibu Onsen, offer just that. We arrived in the late afternoon at 5pm, had dinner at the hotel and started our onsen tour till no. 5.
We slept early, took the morning shuttle provided by the our ryokan at 9am to the monkey park and spent the rest of the day walking around the area of Kanbayashi. We returned to Shibu Onsen by public bus bound for Yudanaka Station around 5pm, had dinner and continued our completion of our onsen tour. We had an early night and set off at 650am for the 3 train out of Yudanaka back to Tokyo. Two nights were perfect for us.
Nagano is famous for their soba and there are two soba restaurants at Shibu Onsen.
Written April 16, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yu_take
Perth, Australia65 contributions
Dec 2011 • Couples
I really love the idea of having 9 public baths to try out in this onsen town!
Unfortunately, staying there for only 2 nights didn't give us enough time to try all of them!
Because we also wanted to try the onsen in our ryokan, and our main aim was to visit the Jigokunodani Snow Monkey Park.
People in this town are really nice and helpful and having a walk in this town in winter was just wonderful!
We managed to eat the best ramen I ever had in my life! Made by a grandma who has run the business for like over 20-30 years!
And we bought some buns and local delicacies from a local bakery that were so yummy~!!
I definitely will come back to Shibu Onsen again to try all the 9 public baths and eat the yummy ramen again =D
Unfortunately, staying there for only 2 nights didn't give us enough time to try all of them!
Because we also wanted to try the onsen in our ryokan, and our main aim was to visit the Jigokunodani Snow Monkey Park.
People in this town are really nice and helpful and having a walk in this town in winter was just wonderful!
We managed to eat the best ramen I ever had in my life! Made by a grandma who has run the business for like over 20-30 years!
And we bought some buns and local delicacies from a local bakery that were so yummy~!!
I definitely will come back to Shibu Onsen again to try all the 9 public baths and eat the yummy ramen again =D
Written October 23, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JaneYost
York, PA640 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
We walked back from the monkey park through Shibu Onsen, deliberately choosing to do so just to see this ancient little riverside mountain town. It was an easy walk due to it being all downhill on the way back to Yudanaka.
Not a lot to see other than an old old town with a few onsens, a couple of small temples, eggs boiling in water with a sign to take one and leave some money (which we did and it was delicious!), a few lovely looking ryokans, and some grocery or cake stores with very hospitable proprietors almost begging us to come in. To me, these places were the most interesting part about Shibu Onsen. We bought or sampled some foods and chatted with real Japanese folks just waiting for us westerners to come sauntering through and make their day.
I did have the impression that staying here for too long might be a bit arduous for some. We were staying down in the next town, Yudanaka, which wasn't nearly as charming as Shibu, but then again it was a little more connected with the pulse of life down there. So it's a toss-up, depending on what you're looking for ... pulse of life and closer to trains, or ancient charm and closer to monkeys.
Not a lot to see other than an old old town with a few onsens, a couple of small temples, eggs boiling in water with a sign to take one and leave some money (which we did and it was delicious!), a few lovely looking ryokans, and some grocery or cake stores with very hospitable proprietors almost begging us to come in. To me, these places were the most interesting part about Shibu Onsen. We bought or sampled some foods and chatted with real Japanese folks just waiting for us westerners to come sauntering through and make their day.
I did have the impression that staying here for too long might be a bit arduous for some. We were staying down in the next town, Yudanaka, which wasn't nearly as charming as Shibu, but then again it was a little more connected with the pulse of life down there. So it's a toss-up, depending on what you're looking for ... pulse of life and closer to trains, or ancient charm and closer to monkeys.
Written April 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sydneysider48
Sydney, Australia1,189 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
We stopped off here for two days to break our busy holiday and to see the snow monkeys, as it is the closest town and therefore a great base. Our onsen provided transport both to and from the railway station and to the entrance to the snow monkey park.
The town is a classic Japanese onsen town, with great views of snow covered mountains and the constant bubbling sound of water rushing down the river and through drains everywhere. There are many onsen and plenty of restaurants, as well as nine public baths to which entry is free if you are staying in a local hostelry, and a charming foot bath.
The two temples are nothing special but we were lucky to be there at the peak of the blossom season and the sakura, particularly surrounding the temples, were absolutely beautiful.
The train ride from Nagano to Yudanaka - the nearby station - was really delightful, passing through small towns but more interestingly, many small blocks with espaliered fruit trees in blossom and vegetable gardens being tilled to welcome the spring, surrounded by hills with the bare trees just starting to shoot their bright green leaves and mores snowy mountains.
The town is a classic Japanese onsen town, with great views of snow covered mountains and the constant bubbling sound of water rushing down the river and through drains everywhere. There are many onsen and plenty of restaurants, as well as nine public baths to which entry is free if you are staying in a local hostelry, and a charming foot bath.
The two temples are nothing special but we were lucky to be there at the peak of the blossom season and the sakura, particularly surrounding the temples, were absolutely beautiful.
The train ride from Nagano to Yudanaka - the nearby station - was really delightful, passing through small towns but more interestingly, many small blocks with espaliered fruit trees in blossom and vegetable gardens being tilled to welcome the spring, surrounded by hills with the bare trees just starting to shoot their bright green leaves and mores snowy mountains.
Written April 26, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
c Kano
South Pasadena, CA194 contributions
Nov 2014 • Family
First, if you want both ambiance and onsen, you should stay in the village of Shibu Onsen. I was tempted by many ryokans and hotels around the periphery, including Yudanaka (where the end-of-the-line train station is located). But Shibu Onsen is not only closer to the Monkey Park, it's really small and quaint and quite walkable.
It's not fancy here, but really down to earth. The innkeepers and business owners all know eachother. There are places that approach "luxury", but also folksy places that are reasonably priced. All are authentically Japanese. You will indeed hear the clip-clop of geta (wooden sandals) echoing through the tiny streets and alleys. People do walk around in robes and geta going from public onsen to public onsen. Some ryokan (inns) have their own baths, too. And not to be missed are the ashi-yu (foot baths).
All the baths, even the foot baths, approach scalding hot. It takes getting used to, and some will never be able to do it. But most people get used to it after 10 or 30 minutes.
It's not fancy here, but really down to earth. The innkeepers and business owners all know eachother. There are places that approach "luxury", but also folksy places that are reasonably priced. All are authentically Japanese. You will indeed hear the clip-clop of geta (wooden sandals) echoing through the tiny streets and alleys. People do walk around in robes and geta going from public onsen to public onsen. Some ryokan (inns) have their own baths, too. And not to be missed are the ashi-yu (foot baths).
All the baths, even the foot baths, approach scalding hot. It takes getting used to, and some will never be able to do it. But most people get used to it after 10 or 30 minutes.
Written January 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I need to make it to from Shibu Onsen to Nagano station by 08:30am on22nd March. Was hoping to get to Yudanaka Station by 0700. I am wondering if taxis are available that early in the morning from Shibu Onsen, or if I can purchase bus and train tickets in advance (tight connections).
Written February 26, 2023
We are visiting Shibu Onsen in February 2023 and are hoping our son and his girlfriend ,who are currently living for a year in Tokyo, can travel with us. She uses an electric wheelchair and while trains are ok, can anyone please advise regarding the availability of Japan Taxis /accessible transport from and around Yudanaka? If there is no suitable transport, unfortunately they are unable to visit. 🙁
Written November 9, 2022
How do we know which hotells allow Free pubic entrance to the 9 Onsen's? Which hotel did you stay in?
Written November 28, 2019
sho
Tokyo Prefecture, Japan
Only Shibu Onsen allow you to enter the 9 Onsen's for free.
If you stsy other hotels, you can enter only the ninth Onsen.
Written February 10, 2020
Visited Shibu Onsen today Saturday, Nov 9. Everything was closed. The baths were open but all the shops with the exception of one or two, and cute restaurants were closed. I don't believe it is a public holiday. We arrived around 2pm and left at 3pm, no sign of activity or the stores opening. Why is this...very disappointing
Written November 9, 2019
Bonjour,
J'ai deja booké mes hôtels et je ne peux donc plus réserver un ryokan dans cette. Ville. Ma question est donc la suivante existe-Il un moyen pour profitez des 9 bains sans avoir à réserver une nuit dans un ryokan?
Written October 4, 2019
Hi, we are planning to go here but will probably arrive late night 8-9pm. The next day will have to wake up early and leave to go for the alpine route so we have limited time to explore the place the next morning. Is it still worth to go here that pretty late and stroll around and experience the onsen and ryokan? I know most of the ryokan allow late checkin but not sure if there still onsen or shops available at night that we can enjoy with..
Written February 1, 2019
Does this place allow swimwear to be worn? If not does it have baths for private use?
Written January 11, 2019
Hi,
Did anyone ride a taxi from Nozawa to Shibu Onsen? How much will it cost?
Thx
C
Written November 3, 2017
My Husband has many tattoos. We are planning a 6 day snowboard trip to also see the monkeys, enjoy good food and hopefully visit the baths but will he be unable with the tattoos to go in any? Is there any one that may let him in? Any assistance would be wonderful.
Written July 3, 2017
They will always be entitled to the right to reject inked people. We cannot ignore that.
Shibu Onsen has 9 tiny public onsens all along the street. Number 9 is the largest (Although still small). The rest can fit max 2-3 adults in a tub! There are some really isolated ones which were vacant with eim lighting, especially 1-4. So maybe you couple can visit those!
Otherwise, I don't really see a problem. Me and my husband both Asians and tattooed, and we did public onsen all the time there. The private onsen right in my room, was redundant! But of course, be prepared for stares but it didn't come to a point that I felt uncomfortable or forced to leave. I just returned their stares with a friendly smile, observed their etiquette (brief bow in courtesy and don't be loud) and all was good :)
We did early in the morning, they open at 6am, again before dinner about 6pm, and final time at night before they close at 11pm. I guess these are the non-peak hours :)
Worst scenario, enjoy the onsens in your ryokan! Guests usually don't make a fuss in the accommodation. The locals are pretty tolerant. And I am pretty sure their water source is the same one with the public onsens!
Hope it has been useful :)
Written July 4, 2017
Is shibu onsen closed on 26 jan? i just went there. Is like dead town. No shops are open.
Written January 26, 2017
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