Unazuki Onsen: One of Toyama's Finest Hot Springs at the Gateway to Kurobe Gorge

Unazuki Onsen is a hot spring resort in Kurobe City, Toyama, serving as a base for sightseeing in Kurobe Gorge. It has the departure station of the trolley train (Kurobe Gorge Railway) that runs through Kurobe Gorge, one of Japan's leading V-shaped gorges, and bustles with many tourists. The hot spring was piped in during the Taisho era along with the hydroelectric development of the Kurobe River, and its greatest charm is a location embraced by the magnificent nature of the gorge. It is a leading resort of Toyama where you can fully enjoy both the baths and the scenery.

Highlights

Something you will want to experience when you visit Unazuki Onsen is the Kurobe Gorge trolley train, which runs about 20 kilometers from Unazuki Station to Keyakidaira Station. The scenery appearing one after another from the open-type cars - sheer cliffs, the emerald-green Kurobe River, and the vermilion Shin-Yamabiko Bridge - is breathtakingly beautiful. Open-air baths and famous spots dot the line, and you can also get off partway to stroll.

The water of Unazuki Onsen is a colorless, transparent, mildly alkaline spring gentle to the touch. Known as a beauty bath, it boasts an abundant supply of water. Many inns and hotels have open-air baths overlooking the Kurobe River, letting you enjoy a leisurely soak while viewing the gorge scenery that changes its expression through the seasons.

Seasonal Enjoyment

Spring to autumn, when the trolley train runs, is the center of sightseeing. Early summer with fresh greenery and late October to November with autumn foliage are especially spectacular. The autumn view from the train windows, as the gorge takes on color, is overwhelmingly beautiful. In winter the trolley suspends operation, but you can enjoy a snow-view bath unique to Unazuki Onsen, enveloped in snow scenery. The bath savored amid quietly falling snow has an exceptional charm unique to this season. The gorge transformed into a silver world has a fantastical beauty entirely different from the fresh greenery and autumn foliage.

Access and Basic Information

It is right off Unazuki Onsen Station on the Toyama Chihotetsudo railway. From Kurobe-Unazuki-Onsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, transfer to the Toyama Chihotetsudo railway for access. The Kurobe Gorge trolley train departs from Unazuki Station, right near Unazuki Onsen Station. As the trolley train usually suspends operation in winter (around December to mid-April), if riding it is your goal, visit in spring to autumn. Check fares, times, and operating status on the official website. The hot spring town also has public baths and foot baths.

Practical Travel Notes

A round trip to Keyakidaira by trolley train takes around three hours just for the ride, and including getting off partway and strolling, allowing half a day to a full day gives you leeway. The autumn foliage season tends to be crowded, and reserving trolley seats in advance is reassuring. Staying overnight to enjoy a snow-view bath and the evening hot spring town at leisure is also recommended. Since the gorge has elevation differences and temperatures drop, having a layer to throw on makes it comfortable. Budget-wise, a day-use bath is several hundred to a thousand-plus yen, and including the trolley ride and accommodation, plan for a suitable budget.

A Word of Advice

Unazuki Onsen is an indulgent hot spring resort where you can enjoy a fine hot spring and the spectacular scenery of the trolley train at once. Soak leisurely in an open-air bath overlooking the gorge, then head to the scenery of the hidden depths by trolley. Since you can enjoy different faces of the gorge in each season, it is a place you will want to visit again and again, changing the season.

📚 Sources

This article is based on tourist guidance for Unazuki Onsen, the operating information published by the Kurobe Gorge Railway, information on Kurobe City in Toyama, and on-site guidance for the public baths and foot baths in the hot-spring town. The trolley train stops in winter, and operations and the resumption date may change. Fares, timetables, operating status, and day-bathing fees may change, so please confirm the latest details on the official sources before your visit.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: A round trip to Keyakidaira is about three hours of riding alone, or half a day to a full day with stops.
• Reservations: The foliage season is crowded, so reserving trolley seats in advance is safest.
• What to bring: The gorge is cooler with elevation, so bring a layer to put on.
• Best timing: Mainly spring to autumn when the trolley runs; winter offers snow-viewing baths.
• Budget: Day bathing is a few hundred to about a thousand yen; allow more for the trolley or an overnight stay.