Asagama Onsen Park: Furusato no Yu Bath House

n addition to the thirteen public onsen, Nozawa Onsen has an unofficial fourteenth sotoyu bathhouse: Furusato no Yu.

Located on the slope leading up to Ogama, this traditional wooden building blends naturally into the atmosphere and history of the village. It is a gensen kakenagashi bath, meaning that natural hot spring water flows continuously from its original source.

Compared with the other sotoyu, Furusato no Yu is more spacious and offers facilities more commonly found in larger onsen bathhouses. These include towel hire, a waiting area with drinks, hairdryers, individual showering areas with shampoo, conditioner and body soap provided, and several baths for each gender: one outdoor bath and two indoor baths on each side.

An entry fee applies.

The baths are generally more comfortable for longer soaks, making Furusato no Yu a great place to slow down, relax and enjoy the hot spring water at your own pace.