Another part of Kusatsu that must be visit. This park is just near the Yubatake Onsen, There are so many natural spring where everybody can put their feet and relax to its nice view and warm water. So nice here

First stop after arrival : Sainokawara Park and its famous open air hot springs. I couldn't stop admiring the emerald green waters that must be filled with all kinds of minerals good for the body. The bright autumn colours around us made it even more perfect.

Small but pretty park in Kusatsu. It has a nice Onsen at the far end. It looked especially beautiful lit up at night in the snow.

Recharge at Kusatsu Onsen! Having spent a day in the great outdoors, it is time to relax in one of Kusatsu’s natural hot spring baths, commonly known as onsen. Bathing has been a major part of Japanese culture since antiquity, and Kusatsu Onsen’s baths are a fantastic chance to dip your toe (and more!) into this essentially Japanese cultural experience. Do not just take our word for it either—Japan’s major travel agents have voted Kusatsu Onsen the number-one onsen in Japan for over sixteen years in a row. The bountiful waters drawn directly from the Yubatake hot spring fields naturally contain acid, sulfur-containing aluminum sulphate, and chloride, with pH values between 1.7 and 2.1, and temperatures varying between 51 and 94 degrees Celsius. An iron nail placed in the hot spring would be reduced to rust in just nine days. But do not worry, the centuries-old yumomi method of cooling the water makes it perfectly safe for everyone to enjoy, and the accompanying ceremony is now a local attraction, with regular demonstrations enlivened by folk songs. The rich mineral content of Kusatsu’s waters have become known for their metabolism-boosting effects and as a natural way to promote more beautiful skin. The hot springs are also said to be beneficial for a variety of conditions, including muscle pain, bruises and sprains, fatigue recovery and more. Said to cure basically everything except lovesickness, you are bathing in good company—even the leaders of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period (1603–1867) ordered barrels of hot spring water to be delivered to Edo Castle.

Wonderful spring water park, open to the public, leading up to a small shrine and then the Sainokawara Onsen at the end of the park.

Want to see hot spring water flowing into a river. This small park with its short walk is beautiful! Dip your hands into the multiple small streams and feel warm spring water. Amazing

A large natural park west of town. A series of paths makes for comfortable stroll. There are also benches and foot baths around, and an open air onsen further up. Note in winter, it takes time for staff to clear the trails from snow.

Very nice open baths for your feet. Great nature park with steaming onsen holes

We came on a Tuesday 11am, but they closed for some unknown reason so we were a bit bummed out, but the scenery + environment outside the hotspring was great, there was also free footbaths too.

Scenically beautiful both in the day time and at night. I found exploring the various loops and up the stairs to the Shrine prior to checking out the outdoor Onsen the most enjoyable parts.

I visited in April the weather was perfect 😊 The place is just 10 mins walk from Yubatake and it really worth a visit! Please don't miss the chance!

Beautiful park with a public bath. Access from Yubatake by foot only or parking lot along the way to the highest point (public road) in Japan

The park is not huge, spent like 40 mins. Very interesting seeing onsen water from the little ponds. There were few spots you can enjoy a foot bath, remember to bring a towel & not to wear very tight pants so u can enjoy it. Nice scenes.

Onsen in the park. Love it! No towel provided. Bring your own or buy on the spot. Also no hair dryer and shower facility.

sainokawara park is a great park!! highly recommended. the steam from the onsen makes the park look more mysterious and a sight to see. may look underwhelming from the photos but park looks way better in person.

It was a beautiful park even though most of the area was covered by snow (too bad I didn't take picture of the whole park 😞 ). I saw the small shrine up the hills and walk myself across the park to finally reach Sainokawara Rotenburou. There was some construction along the way so make sure to follow the temporarily they provided on the way so you don't get lost.

Worth going to. Shopping and eating street leading to the park entrance. Myriads of foot hot springs flowing down from the mountain. Picturesque scenery and fresh air leading to hiking trails and the famous open air onsen.

Beautiful scenery leading up to Sainokawara onsen at the end. The park itself was beautiful and a nice walk where you can also dip your feet or hands into some of the onsen. The main rotenburo or outdoor hot spring was quite simple. Perhaps in autumn or winter season it would be much better to go since we went in summer.

A nice walk around if you go that area. Just 15 mins away walk from the main sightseeing area. There is a local food store selling the assorted Japanese marinate vegetables at the entrance of the park, worth a look.

Calm place to wander around when near Yubatake. Theres a foot bath area and the park leads to the sainokawara bath at the end.

It's a very nice place to visit. I went there during the evening just before going to the Onsen. It's a beautiful harmony between the flowing water, the sound, the steam, the trees and the lights.

Nice volcanic national park, located about 30 minutes drive north of Karuizawa, just across the border into Gunma. Lush greenery all around. Well laid out paths. Short route (~40 minutes) is scenic with views of the crater and a walk through the forest. The longer route (~70 minutes) undulates around the crater with slopes up and down throughout. Friendly staff in the information centre.

Beautiful place, so quiet and stunning views. Good infrastructure. There’s accessibility too, good for disabled persons.

Expensive (adults 700 yen, children 500 yen) and the scenery is not particularly pretty - just a paced path among volcanic rocks. Perhaps it's nice in autumn?

An underrated place to visit, filled with spectacular vistas of the surrounding areas filled with snow capped mountains and numerous lava rock formations We tried to source for the timetable for the Seibu bus online before our trip but to no avail. We dropped by the Tourist Information centre and the friendly lady explained the timetable for the bus to the park to us. She also explained the availability of a 2-days bus pass which can be bought from the bus driver. This pass costs 2,000 yen and it already easily covered the price of a one day return trip to the volcanic park, if we had paid by cash or SUICA for each trip individually. The first bus to the park leaves JR Karuizawa Station Bus stop 1 at 10am and the next at 11.55am. We spent about 3 hours strolling in the park taking in the spectacular vistas of the valleys draped in beautiful fall colors with Mount Asama and the surrounding mountains in the background. We took the return bus at 1.30pm from the park back to Karuizawa. Each trip took about 45minutes. It was an extremely magical experience and having been to a similar park in Iceland, this volcanic park in Japan easily trumps the one in every aspect. There were limited international tourists given how little information was available online on public transport to the park.

This place was an amazing place. According to the Japan-guide website this park is shaped by volcanic sediment deposited here during the 1783 big eruption of Mount Asama. You can have the best view of Month Asama from here. Also There is a Japanese Shrine. There are different trails to go inside the park. All trails are guided by boards and they will give a guide when you purchase the ticket. Entrance ticket was 650円 and parking is free of charge.

This place worth the visit, easy access, amazing history and views. Mount Asama, an active volcano, had a big eruption in 1783, covered over a town, basically like the Pompei of Japan. Today, there is a shrine out on the hardened magma lava rock fields, easy paved trails to get up close, and spectacular views. Also surprised to see photos of John Lennon when he visited.

The weather wasn’t great during our visit, so we couldn’t see Mount Asama. It was fine as we had a hike planned for the next day. But I’d suggest coming on a clear day if you can. The landscape is stunning with interesting volcanic rock formations from the big eruption of Mount Asama, and you can even spot seasonal plants and flowers growing near the lava. It really reminds you of the power and beauty of nature. Right at the center of the park, there’s a Buddhist temple dedicated to Kannon, linked to Ueno’s Kaneiji Temple in Tokyo. There are also souvenir shops and a restaurant. Parking is free.

Great view over Mount Asama as well as the lava rocks that were formed from the eruption of the volcano. We headed there around noon on a Saturday, and the park was still pleasantly quiet and there were not many others around, making it a very peaceful experience. There are several trails to choose from within the park, with several sitting areas along the way. Access-wise, Seibu buses run straight from Karuizawa station, but infrequently, especially on weekends.

It is a place where you can feel the earth is alive. The air is still. You should reserve at least one hour to walk the longest route slowly. You can see a plume of smoke at the top of Mt. Asama. You will be able to reconfirm that this mountain is an active volcano.

In addition to looking at the landscape lights of volcanic lava, the surrounding scenery is also very good. Since the distance is far from the urban area, and it is very dark in autumn and winter, it is also recommended that you come to visit earlier.

Great walk in a beautiful volcanic scenery. Different park to choose from, all are easily walkable.

Great experience especially the view and fresh air and the bell tower! You can see really far away. You will need to pay for ticket and parking is free. Toilet before entering into the ticket gate as well as there are buses that comes here. Do check out luminous moss, bell tower and if you have time do the long route. If not just make it to the bell tower and the kannon, goddess of mercy temple. The fire kannon, is just a painting seems less authentic and not worth the walk. Recommend coming in spring and summer when mountain flowers blossom. There are steep road with higher attitude but have a few sitting areas on the way. Winter on a Monday was very quiet with most shops closed

Meh, was ok - commercialization of historic practices in a show for ¥600. Guess you only live once and it was interesting. Go just before 9 am to buy ticket for the 9:30 show and you won’t stand in line as long as later in the day.

The show is unique. Impressive to see some cultural side of onsen and kusatsu. Best view spot is actually facing the screen. However the introduction was lame, the host talked too much and content was irrelevant. Also, the queue to buy tickets and going in were messy. Be there at least 30 mins in advance.

Definitely a must to visit. The video they showed at the beginning has english subtitles but the rest is in japanese. But to experienced it, it was worth it for me. I was happy to see the performance even it was short.

Amazing ceremonial performance that is a must see for anyone that is interested in Japanese or Onsen history. In depth history and demonstration of how the Hot Spring water is cooled down. You must purchase tickets in advance for a scheduled time.

Traditional method of cooling hot spring water (yumomi) in Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma prefecture is very famous. Nicely dressed ladies are performing a dance while singing and performing a act to cool water. Kusatsu onsen is surrounded by mountains and active volcano. This area is famous for skiing and hiking too. Kusatsu Onsen is one of the top 3 hot spring in Japan. Fabulous place to visit.

If you visit the website, there is a 50 yen off coupon, which could be helpful for people ordering in larger groups. Discounts tend to add up! Its a good idea to check the show times available on your day beforehand as well. You can purchase tickets 30 minutes before each show time at the ticket window. People start lining up around then as well, and being toward the front of the line will give you better choice of your seat. We enjoyed the show, but it is entirely in Japanese, so reconsider if that will bother you. There was a dance at the beginning, then a long talking portion with some audience participation, and finally the two yumomi demonstrations with singing. It was interesting, but not something I would see more than once personally.

There is a 50 yen coupon discount on their website. Buy your tickets from the ticket counter and then proceed to queue at the queue for entrance (just beside across the road) Very touristy spot but interesting 45 minutes performance .

I went here on a holiday. The queue is long even if in the morning and the afternoon, so you should come a bit early. The show is short, but overall I can enjoy it. My child also likes it. I can feel the ancient old time atmosphere here.

This is must see place in Kusatsu onsen. My hotel has coupon for 50yen discount . Event I went earlier in the morning still a long que but it goes fast and I was lucky to be able to stand up to have a good view of the show .they only perform three shows in a day so the first one at 9:30am is highly recommended .

Once a lifetime experience of an unique Japanese culture. One of Japan's famous hot spring village, the water at Kusatsu onsen 草津温泉 was at 95°C where the residents in this area started this ritual to cool down to bearable hot spring temperature. ¥700 is maybe a little too expensive for this simple show.

Great experience. You buy ticket at the counter for that day and have to line up about 30 min before the performance starts. Make sure you have a face mask with you as they don’t allow to enter without it. The ticket for an adult person is 600 yen and totally worth the price. You’ll see a short video about Kusetsu history, that has english subtitles. Also you’ll see the dance and traditional cooling-water method that is very unique and interesting. The whole show lasts about 30min.

Just found out that there is Mount Kusatsu, I always go to the hot springs. Today we arrived at Mount Kusatsu. It's a shame because it's foggy and the weather isn't good, you can't see the sulfur, the road is being repaired, and the parking lot is closed, a little below there is a place to park, there are wild blueberries growing on the rocks, the area is really beautiful and amazing, you can feel the clouds and sky very close. I'll come again.

Went there on a cloudy rainy day with mist obscuring the distance peaks. The drive up is quite scary with hair pin turns and there are sections with strong hydrogen sulphide smell coming through the cracks in the ground.

Off limits to hikers since 2018 volcanic eruption 🌋

Mt,Shirane claim from the parking about 20minutes very hard.But very beautiful lake waiting for you.the lake color emerald green very beautiful!

Beautiful

This Place Is Heaven of Earth to Me..❤️

(Translated by Google) One of Japan's 100 famous mountains. I climbed with a piston from the Ishizu Sulfur Mine ruins. It is a mountain that can be climbed in a short time, but the view from near the top is spectacular. In addition to Mt. Asama and Mt. Shia, you can also see the Northern Alps in the distance. The road to the summit of Mt. Honshirane was rough, but the distance was short so it wasn't a problem. (Original) 日本100名山の一つ。石津硫黄鉱山跡からピストンで登りました。短時間で登れる山ですが山頂付近からの景色は見事です。浅間山や四阿山以外にも、遠くに北アルプスも望めます。本白根山頂へ向かう道は荒れていますが、距離は短いので苦になりませんでした。

(Translated by Google) Unfortunately, the rest house near Yugama remains closed along with the parking lot, but we headed from Shibu Pass to Mt. Yokote, ate Kumazasa soft-serve ice cream while looking at the Northern Alps, and then headed down to Yamanouchi Town in Nagano Prefecture, eating soba at the roadside station and returning. … I think it's the best driving course. (Original) 残念ながら湯釜近くのレストハウスは駐車場と共に閉鎖されたままですが、渋峠から横手山に向かい北アルプスの山を見ながら熊笹ソフトを食べ、長野県山之内町に下り道の駅で蕎麦を食べ折り返す… 最高のドライブコースだと思います。

The ski resort is great for beginners. slopes are not so tough, so not scary to train for the first time. The snow was also good in February. And the best thing is that after snowboarding you can go to the best ever onsen of Kusatu

Great for beginners! The majority of slopes are flat which makes it easier for beginners to learn, however if you are a higher level skier looking for exciting slopes, I wouldn’t recommend it. Great food and easy access to the ski station from city center

Small but really nice resort, on top of a volcano ! Only a few difficult spots but still really enjoyable for a day

You can bring your own gears and stuff and ski here, entry free. You can rent it from the shop at the venue, there are couple of places nearby that rent out the suits and gears. Bit crowded in the season. Nice place.

The snow in this area is not as powdery and heavy as in northern Japan such as Hokkaido and Aomori. The slopes consist 50% beginner’s courses. Some of the routes are too flat or upwards. For first timer skiers and snowboarders it will be a good place to have fun. There is an area for kids too. The rental shop has old equipments and colorful wears. Canteen has quite a number of choices for lunch. Overall I recommend this place for first timer and beginners. There is one short route for intermediate level but might be too boring for those who seek challenges.

We did not go there to ski, but we did go there to take the cable car up the mountain to watch skiers. If you are not skiing, there isn’t much else to do aside from taking in the nice view of kusatsu valley and food at the canteen (and zip line and swing), but I would say it was a nice trip.

This place is lovely! Weekends has night ski, we stayed at a nearby ryokan and they picked and dropped us off.

Very good ski resort with various options for experts, beginners and kids. One of the closest ski resort to Tokyo. Highly recommend for everyone. Having various options of hot spring after skiing.

Good for beginner skiing or skiing with family. Not very fun for advanced skiers and snowboarders. Rental equipment is a bit old and limited in selection. A day here was doable and rewarding for foreign tourists.

Great place for winter activities, rentals are reasonably priced and if you have your own gear you just pay for the lift. Gondola ride was great, also the zip line. After skiing we checked in our airbnb with built-in onsen, great vacation. We go here January every year.

Interesting stop even when there’s no snow. A new zip line was installed and costs ard 20usd per ride, seems like a good deal. For the less adventurous, taking a round trip tour on the cable car to the top was also nice.

Dans l'ensemble un zoo pas mal et original, le dôme circulaire lui donne une apparence futuriste très sympa ! Les animaux présentés sont colorés et variés ! Cependant, l'ensemble est assez petit, et il y a des animaux empaillés bizarres... Et ce qui baisse ma note c'est que les oiseaux sont en cage au lieu d'être en volière... (Translated by Google) Overall, a not bad and original zoo, the circular dome gives it a very nice futuristic appearance! The animals presented are colorful and varied! However, the set is quite small, and there are some weird stuffed animals... And what lowers my rating is that the birds are in cages instead of in an aviary...

I don’t usually post reviews but this experience disturbed me to my core. Such beautiful animals looked depressed and dirty, confined to cages. There was one who kept gnawing at the wall in some sort of distress… right next a dirty small container stuffed full of Baby Chicks as some sort of petting zoo. I was there for about 35 mins and neither zookeeper nor visitors really seemed to care. I cannot believe this place exists, let alone in Japan where standards are so high - yet everyone there was having such a good time (the 4 star reviews speak for itself). How? How are locals okay with this? I don’t know what else to say. Apparently these animals are “rescued” but you have to wonder if this state of living is any measure better. Don’t visit here unless you want your trip to be ruined.

Small but worth to visit... The explanation about the animals are pretty funny.... Interesting to know how they started the place . Head of the zoo , share his experience .

I was excited to see Capybara inside onsen, but turned out it’s depressing place… The staffs were friendly and it’s a good thing that most animals were rescued but the animal’s environment made me really concerned. The cages were so small! Monkeys were trying to get out..

Small but very nice indoor zoo. Mostly reptiles. But also some birds, capybara and monkeys. Reasonable priced.

What an amazing zoo!! You can see lots of rare animals/ reptiles here. And you can even interact with/ touch some of them! Tho the facilities are a bit old, I can see that the staff are paying great effort in taking care of the animals. They wrote detailed descriptions and drew cute pictures about the animals. I had a good time here indeed!

Was excited at first to see the facility and all it had to offer. There are a wide variety of animals kept at the facility that we haven't seen before. It's just a pity they were kept in very small enclosures that did not seem to be me maintained at all (rusted cages, degrading platforms, dirty cages) without much enrichment or hiding place. The animals appear to be on display to be looked at without much regard for their mental or physical health. Some animals, like the monkeys, were also kept separately and seemed very depressed or sickly. Animal lovers should stay away. Would not recommend.

It's a very interesting zoo. Explanations about each animal's characteristics and their memories are funny and informative. Most of the cages are small for the animals. Thoug it was nice to read that some of the animals are not taken from nature directly but saved from illegal trades etc. Recommend to visit.

Sad, depressing cruel. This is a deeply distressing place. The animals here are kept in extremly small cages, the conditions are awful, rusting metal in there cages, some animals cages left on the floor. Tropical birds in the smallest possible cage. Nearly all of the animals were showing signs of deep distress, stress and mental issues, pacing and repeated motions. Tropical birds malting and distressed feathers from stress. Mo ekys running up and down over and over due to lack of space. Nothing in the cgaes for them to enjoy. Animals kept side by side in darkened environment. Really really sad to see such wonderful animals treated in such a disgusting way, I hope this place is shut down as soon as possible and the people kn charge who have kept these animals in such conditions should be jailed or fined. There is no excuse for this in such a rich country in 2023. A shame on Japan and it's usual extremely high standards. I wish I hadn't gone and really wish I hadn't given my money to such a prison. In the photos u will see a tortoise being kept with the skeleton of another tortoise directly in front. A gecko/lizard glass cage left on the floor next to cleaning equipment, the tiny cages, birds kept with nothing inside there cages at all, horrible how can people treat animals this way?

If you are in the area you should visit. the variety and chance for direct animal interaction that you rarely experience now make it worth the visit.