Kusatsu Hot Spring

Kusatsu Hot Spring

The Kusatsu Hot Spring is one of the country's three great hot springs (others are Arima and Gero Hot Springs). It even achieved the highest rank among all the hot springs during the Edo period. It is indeed one of the greatest hot springs that represent Japan.

Reportedly, this hot spring was opened approximately 1300 years ago and has been loved by many famous figures such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Issa Kobayashi. It boasts its abundant amount of water and natural discharge while its temperature is hot.

It is famous for "Yumomi," a traditional custom of stirring the water in the tub with wooden boards while singing the Kusatsubushi (traditional song). This is a method that was discovered to naturally lower the temperature of the hot spring without adding any cold water.

Kusatsu has 6 hot springs and among them, Yubatake Hot Spring is well known which utilizes the system of pouring the gushing water through a wooden tub to naturally lower its very hot temperature.