Nagano Matsumoto City
A bathhouse tied to the lord of Matsumoto Castle, where you can experience history with all five senses in a quiet sauna
"Yuyu-an Biwanoyu" is a historic day-use hot spring facility in Asama Onsen, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture. It stands on the site of a former bathhouse that once flourished as the official bath for the lord of Matsumoto Castle (the lord of Matsumoto Domain), and its samurai-residence-style gate and beautiful Japanese garden with a 400-year-old pine tree create an elegant atmosphere. The hot spring is a colorless, clear, silky bath with a pleasantly smooth feel, one of the famous springs of Asama Onsen. The large public bath features a cypress open-air bath, a bubbling bath, a quiet high-temperature dry sauna, and a cold plunge bath for one person. In addition, there is a rustic open-air bath and a private open-air bath that can be reserved for exclusive use, perfect for enjoying complete privacy.
A venerable Asama Onsen spring with more than 400 years of history as the official bath of the lord of Matsumoto Castle (the lord of Matsumoto Domain). This colorless, clear, mildly alkaline simple hot spring leaves the skin silky during bathing, and after you get out, a refreshing sense of cleanliness lingers. You can leisurely enjoy this elegant beautifying bath in the cypress-scented open-air bath and the spacious indoor bubbling bath.
Advance reservation required for the private open-air baths Raku-sai and Yu-an. In a rustic setting, you can enjoy the luxury of soaking in Asama Onsen's famous waters without anyone disturbing you. While feeling Matsumoto's seasonal nature and the refreshing breeze with your whole body, you can spend a private moment with family or someone special.
A separate open-air bath for men and women located a short distance from the main building, surrounded by nature. You can savor the warmth of Asama Onsen in an open space while feeling the surrounding rich trees and the changing seasons on your skin. With a refreshing breeze passing through your body, you can enjoy an exceptionally soothing bath as if visiting a hidden hot spring.
A calm high-temperature dry sauna in a space filled with the atmosphere of a samurai residence that carries on 400 years of history. In this silent space with no TV or music, you can face yourself while being gently enveloped in pleasant heat. Designed for small groups, it lets you slowly work up a sweat while enjoying the scent and soft warmth of a classic sauna.
A compact cold plunge bath for one person, provided in the large public bath. Although it uses tap water, the crisp, refreshing cold water unique to Matsumoto, Shinshu, tightens the body instantly and is ideal for cooling down after the sauna. You can luxuriate in the cold water all to yourself, breathe deeply in silence, and then move directly to the nearby open-air outdoor bathing area.
[Day-use bathing] 9:00–21:00 (last admission 20:00)
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JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
The Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
61 SELECTIONS
Most of what we surveyed never even made it onto this site. This book is a further cut from what did. Our editor bathed in every onsen and sauna in it, and wrote only what they confirmed on the ground.
