Oigami Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices (Gunma)
Oigami Onsen is a historic mountain hot spring welling up in a gorge along the Katashina River. An old legend concerning a battle between the deity of Mount Akagi and the deity of Mount Futara lingers here, and you can enjoy the baths in a rustic, tranquil atmosphere. Its famous morning market, where local produce is laid out, offers a charming glimpse of local life.
Highlights
The deep gorge formed by the Katashina River flowing near the spa town shows natural beauty through all four seasons. The famous morning market is generally held from spring through autumn, offering locally grown vegetables, mountain delicacies, and handmade goods for encounters unique to travel. In May the "Daija Matsuri" (Great Serpent Festival), in which a serpent-shaped portable shrine tied to the legend parades through town, is also held. The rustic charm of this spa town warmly welcomes its visitors.
Seasonal Enjoyment
Fresh greenery in spring, riverside coolness in summer, and gorge-dyeing foliage in autumn each spread a different face across the seasons. The autumn colors are especially splendid, and bathing while gazing at the tinted mountains is exceptional. In winter the quiet deepens, and you can spend relaxed time amid snowy scenery.
Access and Basic Information
By car, the usual route heads along National Route 120 from the Numata Interchange on the Kan-etsu Expressway. By public transport, it takes about forty minutes by bus from Numata Station on the JR Joetsu Line. A road toward the Nikko area also runs nearby, making it a stopover base on a mountain-crossing journey. The water is a gentle simple spring, offering a mild feel on the skin.
Practical Travel Notes
The famous morning market opens in the early hours, so if you wish to take part, staying overnight and browsing at leisure is recommended. With a car, Fukiware Falls, known for its dramatic spray, is relatively close and an easy stop to combine with a walk through the gorge. Autumn colors are usually at their best from mid-October into November, when the gorge along the Katashina River turns beautifully. Public transport is limited, so a car is convenient, and some inns accept day-use bathing.
A Word of Advice
The famous morning market opens early, so if you wish to attend, staying overnight and browsing at leisure is recommended. The mountain climate makes mornings and evenings chilly, so bring an extra layer in any season. Visit in a spirit of enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.
Practical Information for Your Visit
The basics of the hot spring resort
- Spring quality: The representative spring type is a simple hot spring. It feels soft on the skin and has no strong character.
- Source temperature: 61.5 degrees C (44.8 degrees C at the point where it is used in the bathtubs).
- Number of sources: There are 8 sources, supplying hot water to 12 lodging establishments.
- Access (by car): About 20 minutes from the Numata IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway, along National Route 120 toward Nikko and Oze.
- Access (by bus): About 50 minutes from Numata Station on the JR Joetsu Line by Kan-etsu Kotsu bus bound for Kamata or Tokura; get off at the Oigami Onsen or Shimokaido bus stop.
- Morning market: In 2026 it runs from April 20 to November 20, every morning from 6:00 to 7:30, and is held even in rain. The venue is the parking lot in front of the Tone Kanko Kaikan hall.
- Enquiries: Oigami Onsen Tourism Association, 0278-56-3013
Yumoto Katei, natural hot spring for day visitors
- Spring quality: The source is called the Oigami Onsen No. 2 line, a simple sulfur spring (hypotonic, weakly alkaline). It is pumped up mechanically at 180 liters per minute.
- Indications: Listed benefits include beautiful skin, atopic dermatitis, rheumatism and diabetes, as well as sensitivity to cold, neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain and chronic skin conditions.
- Open-air bath: Yes. The open-air baths are laid out within a Japanese garden created by a gardener from Kyoto.
- Baths: The two bathhouses, Tani no Yu and Taki no Yu, offer indoor baths, open-air baths, bubble baths, lying-down baths, cascade baths and rock baths.
- Opening hours: 11:00-19:00 (last admission 18:00). Last order for meals is 15:00.
- Closing days: These are announced month by month on the news page of the official website. Some weeks it closes on particular days, so checking before you visit is essential.
- Prices: 1,000 yen for adults, 500 yen for elementary school children, free of charge for infants aged 0 to 6 (all prices include bathing tax and consumption tax and are for a full day).
- Towels and amenities: Bath towel rental 300 yen, yukata rental 300 yen. Shampoo, conditioner, body soap and hair dryers are provided free of charge.
- Private rest rooms: The Fuji no Ma rooms (8 tatami mats, 4 rooms) cost 2,000 yen for 2 hours, with each additional hour 1,000 yen. The Sakura no Ma rooms (10 tatami mats, 2 rooms) cost 3,000 yen for 2 hours, with each additional hour 1,500 yen.
- Address and telephone: 1519-4 Oyanagi, Tone-machi, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture / 0278-56-4126
- Other: In 2026 the facility marks its 30th anniversary, and a commemorative thanksgiving event is planned for October 3 and 4.
Anaharayu Toshukan (an inn with its own spring source)
- Spring quality: The source is called the Oigami No. 1 line, an alkaline simple spring. It is colorless and transparent with a scent of sulfur, and white flakes of mineral deposit float in it. Depending on the weather it can take on a greenish tint or turn cloudy.
- Baths: In addition to a rustic open-air bath in one corner of the garden, the large bathhouse has three rock baths at different temperatures. The open-air bath and the indoor bath Sengai no Yu are for men only, while the open-air Rose Bath and its indoor bath are for women only.
- Day-use bathing: 15:00-19:00, 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children (tax included). Day visitors are sometimes not accepted in busy periods, so please check by telephone in advance.
- Address and telephone: 1151 Anahara, Tone-machi, Numata City, Gunma Prefecture / 0278-56-3024
The surrounding area
- Fukiware Falls, Oze (in the direction of Katashina) and the town center of Numata are all within driving distance. In the autumn foliage season the gorge of the Katashina River turns to color.
Information Sources
The number of springs, the source temperature, the temperature at the point of use, the number of lodging establishments, the general character of the spring water, the timing of the Daija (Giant Snake) Festival, and the journey times from the Numata IC and Numata Station together with the bus stops to alight at, were compiled from the official websites of the Oigami Onsen Tourism Association and the Oigami Onsen Ryokan Association. The dates, times, venue and contact details for the 2026 morning market were confirmed in the event information on the official Numata City website (updated on June 29, Reiwa 8). The spring quality, source name, flow rate, indications, opening hours, bathing charges, rental items and private room charges for Yumoto Katei come from the hot spring page and visitor guide on that facility's official website, while the spring quality, layout of the baths and the hours and prices for day-use bathing at Toshukan come from the bath page of that inn's official website. Prices, opening hours, closing days and the dates of the morning market are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.
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โ๏ธ About this article
This article is compiled by the Tabitabi JAPAN editorial team from official and primary sources, including facility and shrine/temple websites, tourism information published by municipalities and tourism associations, and cultural-property records released by national and local governments. Prices, opening hours and event dates may change, so please also check the official information of each facility or local government before you visit.