Carefully Selected from 96 Hot Spring Areas! Must-Visit Onsen Destinations in Gunma and Recommended Places to Stay

Located directly in front of Yubatake, the symbol of Kusatsu Onsen, Ichii is a hot spring hotel with more than 300 years of tradition dating back to the mid-Edo period.
Its large public bath, Ishidono, renovated in 2021, draws from the rare Yubatakemae Shirahata Source, which only around 10 properties near Yubatake can use.
With multiple tubs available, guests can choose the temperature that suits them best.
The open-air bath, Sekitei, uses the Shiranezan Bandaiko Source, known for its strong acidity and rich mineral content.

Set on a hill in the heart of Kusatsu Onsen, Hotel Sakurai is one of the area’s largest hot spring inns.
Its pride is its hot spring baths fed by three sources. In its 30-meter-long large public bath, one of the biggest in Kusatsu Onsen, guests can enjoy a blend of the Sainokawara Source and Bandaiko Source, while the open-air bath features 100% natural spring water with no added water from all three sources, including the Watanoyu Source.
The property has 179 guest rooms. There are nine variations in total, including the Honkyakuden, where you can choose from a variety of room types such as rooms with open-air baths and twin Western-style rooms, and the Shinkyakuden, known for its luxurious spaces including lavish top-floor VIP suites with tea rooms and gardens.

Located a little away from the center of the Kusatsu Onsen town, this lodging offers room-only stays under the concept of “staying as if you live here.” It is popular as a casual place to stay in the lively hot spring town.
The baths use two types of hot spring water: the Yubatake Source, which springs from Yubatake, the symbol of Kusatsu, and a private source that springs up on the property itself.
Guests can enjoy the Yubatake Source in the large public bath and the private source in the reservable private baths.

Founded in 1694, this inn is said to be Japan’s oldest existing hot spring inn building.
It is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Gunma Prefecture and is also said to have inspired the bathhouse in a Studio Ghibli film.
Its hot springs are also popular for their many reputed benefits, and the inn is even known as one of Japan’s three famous hot springs for stomach ailments, said to be effective for 40,000 illnesses.
The lodging buildings consist of the Honkan, Sanso, and Kashotei, and the Honkan lets guests enjoy the atmosphere of traditional toji, a long-term hot spring stay once used to promote recovery from illness.

Founded in 1563, Shima Tamura is a long-established ryokan with a proud history dating back to the Muromachi period (1336–1573).
Its entrance, rebuilt in 1834 with an irimoya-style thatched roof, conveys both elegance and a deep sense of history.
Inside the property are seven hot springs, each with its own character, including the large bath Iraka-no-Yu, where guests can experience hot spring water bubbling up directly beneath their feet, the rustic open-air bath Maboroshi-no-Yu Ryugu, dug into the riverbed, and the skin-beautifying bath Iwane-no-Yu, where guests can soak closest to the source. You can enjoy a full bath-hopping experience without ever leaving the inn.
There are also guest rooms with cypress baths, making it all the more appealing that you can relax in the hot spring at your own pace in a private space.

Shima Grand Hotel is easy to access from central Tokyo, with the direct Shima Onsen-go bus running from Tokyo Station.
The hotel offers a spacious lobby lounge, karaoke studio, table tennis area, and other convenient facilities. At the souvenir shop, guests can buy original products and local specialties.
The natural hot spring baths with free-flowing spring water are available 24 hours a day. From the top-floor observation bath, guests can fully enjoy the hot spring while gazing out over the beautiful mountains of Shima.
It is also recommended to purchase a passport that allows access to the six types of hot springs at its sister property, Shima Tamura, and enjoy a relaxing hot spring-hopping experience.

This hotel is conveniently located for strolling around the hot spring town, with the landmark stone steps of Ikaho Onsen only Approx. 10 minutes away on foot and the Takehisa Yumeji Ikaho Museum also nearby.
Its large public bath, Tenbare, where guests can enjoy Ikaho Onsen’s two hot spring sources, Kogane-no-Yu and Shirogane-no-Yu, is especially popular.
The expansive 1,000-tsubo bath area features 10 unique baths for men and women combined, making it a favorite for those who want to easily enjoy the feeling of bath-hopping.

The main building, constructed in 1920, is a majestic four-story structure made entirely of Japanese cypress and has become an iconic building of Ikaho Onsen.
Each guest room in the Honkan West Wing is based on traditional shoin-style architecture and is well loved for its distinctive design and refined atmosphere.
In contrast, the rooms in the Honkan East Wing were renovated in 2010 and create a modern atmosphere while preserving Japanese touches such as pillars, ceilings, shoji screens, and transoms.

This long-established inn offers 13 baths in total, including large public baths, open-air baths, private baths, and footbaths.
It was loved by painter Takehisa Yumeji and other literary figures, and traces of Taisho-era charm remain throughout the property.
The spring known as Kogane-no-Yu, gentle on the skin, wells up near the inn, allowing guests to fully enjoy this famous hot spring. Among the baths, Gonzaemon-no-Yu is a signature bath of the inn inspired by ukiyo-e prints.

A relaxing hot spring hotel located in the center of Manza Onsen.
It is said to be “the hot spring closest to the stars,” as it is the highest hot spring in Japan that can be reached by private car year-round.
The hotel’s signature Sekitei Open-Air Bath consists of eight open-air baths and changes its scenery depending on the time of day and the season.
Another attraction is that the hotel has four private sources, allowing guests to enjoy different types of spring water, including Manza’s characteristic cloudy white sulfur-rich water (Ubayu and Okunoyu), clear water (Sumatori-no-Yu), and even yellow water (Ryusen-no-Yu), which can only be experienced here within the Manza Onsen area.

Shiragane no Yu Manzatei is known for its spacious log-style open-air bath where guests can soak in milky white sulfur spring water.
From spring through summer, you can relax while looking out over vivid green mountains and clear skies, while autumn brings colorful leaves and winter offers snowy scenery.
The indoor bath, filled with the fragrance of hiba wood and rich in atmosphere, is another highlight. It is also nice that there is a private bath that families and couples can enjoy.
The inn has 49 guest rooms, including special rooms with semi-open-air baths. At the on-site dining area, guests can savor seasonal dishes centered on local highland vegetables.

At Manza Hotel Juraku, guests can view the famous Sorabuki of Manza, where volcanic gas and white steam rise from an old crater, from the open-air baths and guest rooms.
This is an all-inclusive hotel, with meals, drinks, hot springs, on-site facilities and activities, and event participation fees during your stay included in the accommodation price.
In the lounge, guests can enjoy alcohol such as draft beer and wine along with snacks, and there are also plenty of indoor activities such as putting golf and darts.
At the restaurant, guests can enjoy a buffet menu of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes made with ingredients from Gunma and Nagano.
Of course, you can soak in the natural hot spring baths with free-flowing spring water as much as you like. In the spectacular open-air bath overlooking Sorabuki, enjoy healing for both body and mind while taking in the beauty and power of nature.

The name of the inn reflects the idea of “new + experience (hospitality),” and it offers a premium stay with high-quality service.
Its colorless, odorless alkaline simple spring is known for its soft feel on the skin and is popular for its expected skin-beautifying effects.
The large public bath includes an indoor bath with two tubs and an open-air bath where guests can enjoy bathing to the sound of the Tone River flowing nearby.
Welcome sweets, dinner made with fresh local seasonal ingredients, and a choice of Japanese or Western breakfast are also part of the experience.

Gensen Yunoyado Matsunoi is located in the center of Minakami Onsen.
It features Kashoen, a Japanese garden of 10,000 tsubo, and guests can enjoy natural hot springs drawn from four sources.
Its two large public baths, three open-air baths, and five private baths all use free-flowing spring water.
Inside the inn is a “bath-hopping corridor” facing the garden, where guests can enjoy both the bath-hopping experience and the beauty of nature and Japanese atmosphere.
Guests can also enjoy a buffet and kaiseki meals made with carefully selected ingredients.

As its name suggests, Minakami Kogen Hotel 200 is a resort hotel built on a 2-million-tsubo site.
Its vast grounds include not only the hotel, but also a golf course, ski resort, outdoor pool, tennis courts, forest zipline, and various other facilities.
In winter, guests can enjoy snow activities such as skiing and snowboarding, while from spring to fall they can enjoy golf, ziplining, rafting, and more, with different ways to have fun in each season.
In addition to guest rooms with large windows overlooking magnificent scenery, the hotel also offers plenty of indoor facilities, including a kids’ room, playroom, and game corner.
Another attraction is the annex’s open-air baths: Chobo-no-Yu, which overlooks majestic mountains, and Shirakaba-no-Yu, surrounded by beautiful white birch forest.

A resort hotel with guest rooms blending Japanese charm and Western functional beauty, where guests can relax with natural hot springs and seasonal scenery.
The property has four large public baths, and from the open-air baths guests can view seasonal rural landscapes.
At night, you can gaze at a beautiful starry sky and the moon and feel far removed from everyday life.
At the on-site restaurant, guests can enjoy a buffet of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes made with carefully selected local and seasonal ingredients.
Also not to be missed is the kaiseki set featuring Gunma’s branded Joshu beef along with fresh vegetables and seafood.
Another attraction is the wide variety of guest rooms, including Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western rooms, Western-style rooms, and rooms with free-flowing open-air baths, making it easy to choose according to your purpose or travel style.

Tofu Kaiseki Sarugakyo Hotel is a hot spring resort built on a hill overlooking Lake Akaya.
Both the large public bath and open-air bath use free-flowing spring water. The large public bath has various types of tubs and is filled with the atmosphere of a traditional therapeutic bathing retreat, while the open-air bath offers both Japanese charm and natural scenery.
Not only the hot springs, but also the tofu kaiseki made with house-made tofu and seasonal ingredients, are one of the hotel’s main attractions.
The tofu, made in the hotel’s own workshop using high-quality domestic soybeans and pure water from the Mikuni mountain range, is exquisite.
Enjoy a variety of dishes made with tofu and soy milk.
From the guest rooms with large windows, you can relax while taking in seasonal scenery such as autumn leaves and snowy landscapes.

Warashi no Yado Shojuen is a sukiya-style inn with beautiful white walls and natural wood.
There are only 13 guest rooms on its spacious grounds, making this a hot spring inn where guests can relax luxuriously in large Japanese-style rooms.
The colorless, transparent, smooth-feeling hot spring water can be enjoyed in the large public bath, open-air bath, and two private baths.
For dinner, guests can enjoy set meals and kaiseki cuisine centered on Joshu beef and Joshu barley pork, while breakfast features gentle Japanese dishes such as the inn’s specialty buckwheat porridge and tamagoyaki.
Another nice point is that guests can also enjoy local Gunma sake with dinner.

Ginshotei Awashima is located on a hill overlooking the mountains of Oze.
Both the large public bath and open-air bath feature the luxurious use of free-flowing water from three hot spring sources.
Relax and unwind in the spacious large public bath and the open-air bath surrounded by trees.
After your bath, take your time relaxing in a Japanese-style room overlooking the mountains of Oze and the Oigami Gorge.
For dinner, enjoy wholesome Japanese cuisine made with fresh local wild mountain vegetables, river fish, and mushrooms.
The Sanzoku Nabe, in which ingredients are simmered in the inn’s secret miso and carefully prepared broth, is also exceptional.
By experiencing nature’s bounty in many forms, both body and mind are sure to feel restored.

Gensen Yunoyado Shisuitei stands on a small hill in the Oigami Onsen area.
The colorless, transparent simple hot spring water with its soft feel on the skin is also known as a beauty bath.
In the indoor bath and garden open-air bath, guests can soak in natural free-flowing hot spring water while gazing at the changing seasons.
For dinner, a creative kaiseki meal is served using Gunma’s branded beef and pork as well as local vegetables, allowing guests to fully savor the flavor of the ingredients.
It is also recommended to enjoy lightly sweet Gunma plum wine as an aperitif.

Itoen Hotel Oze Oigami Sanrakuso is a place where guests can enjoy a historic famous hot spring.
The main building and annex each have large public baths and open-air baths using different sources, allowing guests to enjoy each spring’s distinct qualities and benefits.
There are 74 guest rooms in three types: Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-Western rooms, and Western-style rooms, all overlooking the Katashina Gorge.
A variety of entertainment facilities, including karaoke and a table tennis room, are another attraction.
The seasonal beauty of Oigami Gorge as seen from the lobby is also not to be missed.
Dinner is served buffet-style, and unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks are also included.

Bettei Senjyuan is a distinguished inn embraced by the silence of the gorge, with the famous Mt. Tanigawa as its borrowed scenery.
Throughout the property, traditional Japanese design elements are blended with contemporary architecture to create a one-of-a-kind luxurious atmosphere.
The hot spring water is that of Tanigawa Onsen, which has continued to flow abundantly for hundreds of years.
This water, said to offer more than 20 benefits, can be enjoyed in the open-air bath in every guest room, four large public baths filled with the fragrance of cypress, and a walking bath available in summer only.

Ryokan Tanigawa lets guests experience the majestic nature of Mt. Tanigawa along with a warm and comfortable atmosphere.
Its defining feature is its free-flowing hot spring water, abundant in volume and said to offer more than 20 benefits.
The open cypress large public bath and the rock-built open-air bath show different expressions during the day and at night.
Guest rooms come in three types: standard Japanese-style rooms, Japanese-modern Western-style rooms, and rooms with open-air baths.
All of them offer a Japanese-style space where guests can relax in comfort.
Another attraction is that guests can view Mt. Tanigawa from the room windows and fully enjoy the rich natural surroundings.
For dinner, enjoy kaiseki cuisine made with local ingredients, and for breakfast, house-made tofu and Koshihikari rice cooked in a traditional pot.

Founded in 1913, Kinseikan Seseragi is an inn with more than 100 years of history.
In this quiet place surrounded by great nature, guests can spend a relaxing time enjoying warm hospitality and 100% free-flowing natural hot spring water.
At the mixed-gender open-air bath Seseragi-no-Yu by the Tanigawa River, you can enjoy the luxurious experience of soaking in the hot spring while taking in seasonal scenery.
There are also large public baths, open-air baths, and private baths, all of which use free-flowing water from the inn’s own source.
In guest rooms with Shigaraki ware or cypress open-air baths, guests can enjoy the natural scenery of Mt. Tanigawa and the hot spring all to themselves in a private setting.