Nagano Takayama Village
Yamada Onsen, with 700 years of history, and one of Japan's finest authentic outdoor saunas that blends into the forest and the starry sky
"The TOJIBA Matsukawa-kan" is a therapeutic sauna ryokan in Yamada Onsen, Shinshu Takayama Onsenkyo, Takayama Village, Kamitakai District, Nagano Prefecture, revived from a traditional house with over 150 years of history. The hot water is free-flowing straight from the source at Yamada Onsen, a hot spring with a 700-year history, faintly scented with sulfur and filled with beautiful mineral deposits drifting through the water. It is an outstanding natural hot spring with a pleasantly sharp heat that warms the body remarkably well. Its greatest feature is the sauna area, built with passion by the owner, a sauna enthusiast. It is equipped with the Forest Sauna, where you can be soothed by the silence of the woods and the flames of a bonfire, and the Sky Sauna, a completely private rental sauna on a rooftop 1,000 meters above sea level with sweeping views of the valley and a sky full of stars. The deep cold plunge bath, luxuriously fed with exceptionally beautiful and cool natural spring water from Takayama Village, pairs with it in a class of its own.
Yamada Onsen, with a 700-year history, faintly and elegantly scented with sulfur and filled with beautifully crystallized mineral deposits drifting through the water. Used as 100% free-flowing spring water straight from the source, it has a very gentle feel on the skin, and its pleasantly sharp heat leaves the skin smooth while warming the body all the way through. Guests staying overnight can also enjoy it in a private semi-open-air bath.
A full-fledged Finnish sauna with wood-burning and electric stoves, standing quietly as if blending into the trees of the forest. The temperature is kept extremely high, and by performing self löyly, the room fills with intense, pleasantly aromatic steam heat. At night, you can savor supreme perspiration while feeling the flickering flames of the bonfire with all five senses.
A luxurious private sauna for exclusive rental, quietly located on a high rooftop and available only by reservation. The large tower stove, where self löyly is possible, shows excellent heat recovery, and through the big windows you can luxuriate at your own pace while gazing at the beautiful sunset sinking into Matsukawa Gorge in the evening and, at night, a star-filled sky that seems to pour down on you.
An exquisite deep cold plunge bath filled with exceptionally pure natural spring and stream water from Takayama Village, which locals rave about as simply delicious. It is crisp and refreshing in temperature, yet has an extremely smooth and gentle feel on the skin, so it carefully and kindly cools down the body after sauna use.
Open Year-Round
Nagano
A celebrated spot with drinkable North Alps groundwater and the nation’s top electric baths
Nagano
A premium Karuizawa resort where you can totonou in a natural hot spring with water flowing directly from the source and the forest’s spring water
Nagano
A highland hot spring resort standing by Lake Shirakaba
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.
