Ogano Hannya no Yu and Ryokami Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring

At the foot of Mount Ryokami, one of Chichibus celebrated peaks, in the village of Ogano, Ryokami Onsen is a hot spring wrapped in the charm of a rustic mountain hamlet. Though it makes no showy display, its smooth-feeling water is loved by many repeat visitors. With day facilities easy to drop by, such as Yakushi no Yu attached to a roadside station, it is recommended for anyone who wants to relax in quiet surroundings.

Highlights

Its greatest appeal is the tranquil setting surrounded by mountains on all sides. Bathing while gazing at the rural landscape spreading beyond the window makes you forget the bustle of the city. At the roadside station you can also pick up local produce and specialties, letting you enjoy hospitality unique to a mountain village.

Enjoying the Seasons

Spring offers wild vegetables and fresh green, summer a cool mountain breeze, autumn the foliage of Mount Ryokami, and winter mountain ridges dressed in snow, each season with its own expression. Autumn is especially fine, with foliage coloring the famous peak, and it is a pleasant season for a post-bath stroll. Ogano is also known as a town of kabuki, and getting in touch with the regions traditional culture is another appeal.

Access and Basic Information

Ryokami Onsen is an alkaline simple cold mineral spring with a high pH of 9.1, notable for its smooth feel on the skin. Access by car is convenient, about 60 minutes from the Hanazono interchange on the Kan-etsu Expressway. By public transport, allow about 50 minutes by bus from Seibu-Chichibu Station. The day facility attached to the roadside station has parking, and it is cherished by locals and tourists alike. Hours and prices vary by facility, so checking in advance is reassuring.

Practical Travel Notes

Because it lies among the mountains, it is reassuring to set out with plenty of time whether by car or public transport. Allow about two to three hours to combine bathing, a meal, and shopping at the roadside station. Dropping by on the way back from climbing or hiking Mount Ryokami refreshes a tired body cleanly. The area is dotted with the Chichibu pilgrimage temples and facilities tied to Ogano kabuki, so a trip touching the culture of the mountain village is enjoyable too. Budget roughly a few thousand yen once you add a meal or shopping to the bathing fee.

A Quick Tip

Because it lies among the mountains, it is reassuring to set out with plenty of time to spare. Dropping by on the way back from climbing or hiking Mount Ryokami will refresh you and soothe your tiredness cleanly away. The foliage season is especially popular, so aiming for an early hour lets you spend it calmly.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: An alkaline simple spring with a pH of 9.2. The water has a slippery feel, and the facility describes it as leaving your skin smooth after your bath
• Opening hours (hot spring): 10:00-20:00 (last admission 19:30)
• Opening hours (other facilities): Farm and forest produce direct sales shop 9:00-17:00, dining hall 10:30-16:30
• Closed: Tuesdays (the following day when Tuesday is a public holiday) and over the New Year period (December 29 to January 1)
• Bathing fee: 700 yen for junior high school students and older, 300 yen for elementary school students and younger. The fee is the same on every day of the week
• Using the dining hall only: Admission is free of charge
• Barrier-free facilities: There is an elevator shared by general and wheelchair users, a wheelchair ramp, a multipurpose toilet, a toilet with handrails, handrails on the stairs, wheelchair parking and a diaper-changing table. An AED is also installed
• Parking: 58 spaces plus 3 for large vehicles. There are also wheelchair parking spaces
• Access (by car): From Hanazono IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway, take National Route 140 and then Prefectural Route 37 toward Ogano; about 35 km, roughly 60 minutes
• Access (by bus): From Seibu-Chichibu Station take the Ogano municipal bus on the Seibu-Chichibu Station Line bound for Yakushi-no-Yu and get off at the terminus, Yakushi-no-Yu. The ride takes about 46 minutes
• Bus frequency: Five departures from Seibu-Chichibu Station at 8:23, 10:23, 14:38, 17:08 and 19:18, and five departures from Yakushi-no-Yu for Seibu-Chichibu Station at 7:19, 9:19, 13:15, 16:00 and 18:15 (timetable revised on April 1, 2025, or Reiwa 7; the same times apply on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays)
• Bus fares: Fares are zone-based, and it costs 500 yen from within Ogano Town to the Chichibu City zone. Travel is free of charge on presentation of a senior citizen's discount bus pass or a disability certificate
• Transferring buses: Yakushi-no-Yu doubles as a bus terminal, and if you are transferring to the Hinaooya/Mitsumineguchi Line or the Shiroizasu Line you receive a transfer ticket from the driver
• Note for winter: The municipal buses may be altered or suspended without notice because of torrential rain, falling rocks, snowfall, frozen road surfaces and the like
• Ryozanpaku in the Hannya district: Day-use bathing has been suspended since November 16, 2024, and the inn now takes overnight guests only. It is located at 260 Hannya, Ogano Town
• Location: 2380 Ryokami Susuki, Ogano Town, Chichibu District, Saitama Prefecture (Roadside Station Ryokami Onsen Yakushi-no-Yu)

Information Sources

The opening hours, closing days, bathing fees, spring quality, parking and renovation date of Yakushi-no-Yu were confirmed in the facility guide of the Ogano Town Tourism Association, while the barrier-free facilities, access by car and the opening hours of the direct sales shop and dining hall were confirmed on Chocotabi Saitama, the tourism information website of the Saitama Prefecture Products and Tourism Association. The municipal bus times, zone fares, transfer tickets and conditions for suspension come from the municipal bus guidance on the official Ogano Town website and from the timetable revised on April 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7). The suspension of day-use bathing at Ryozanpaku and the data on its hot spring source come from that inn's own official information. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.