Kusatsu

Kusatsu (草津) is a famous hot-spring resort in Gunma, Japan. It is one of the Three Famous Springs (三名泉) in the 17th century ranking of Hayashi Razan, and remains highly rated and popular to this day.

Kusatsu

There is also a city called Kusatsu in Shiga, Japan.

Get in

Unusually enough for Japan, Kusatsu does not have a train station of its own. The nearest station is Naganohara Kusatsuguchi (長野原草津口), 2:30 away from Tokyo by the direct express train (¥4620), from where you can take a connecting bus (25 min, ¥670) to Kusatsu itself.

JR also operates the Jōshu Yūmeguri (上州ゆめぐり) direct bus several times a day from Shinjuku (Tokyo), which takes around 4 hours and charges between ¥3000 (in advance) and ¥3600 (on board).

Get around

The size of Kusatsu is not very big and major transportation is going to be bus or car. There is a shuttle bus in winter time. One coin bus is useful for tourist because it is going to provide a tour of most of major tour sites of Kusatsu and it costs only 100 yen.

See

Mount Kusatsu-Shirane

• 🌍 Yubatake (湯畑). Literally "Hot Water Field", this hot spring located in the center of town gushes out 5,000 liters of 70°C water per minute, making it Japan's largest. There is an elaborate cooling system of wooden conduits and a number of baths directly around it. free.  
• 🌍 Joshinetu kogen national park (上信越国立公園). The second biggest national park in Japan. There are several mountains, lake, and hills includes shirane mountain.  
  • 🌍 Kusatsu shirane mountain (草津白根). Shirane mountain is an active volcano and the crater lake is famous as a tour site. color of the water of crater lake is emerald green.  
• 🌍 Asama Volcano Museum (浅間火山博物館, asama kazan hakubutsukan), ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. from 1 of April to the 30 of November, 8:30AM-5PM, last entry 4:30PM, closed Wednesday. Good for from kids to adults to experience power of volcano and a global beat of the earth. adults: ¥600, kids: ¥300. (updated Aug 2017)
• Kusatsu visitor center (草津ビジターセンター), Kusatsu 521, ☎ [phone]. 9AM-4PM, closed on Thursday, the 2nd Tuesday of the month and for New Year. To learn the relationship between Kusatsu hot spring and volcano and nature and plants of Kusatsu. free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Kataoka Tsurutarō art museum (片岡竜太郎美術館), Kusatsu 479, ☎ [phone]. An art museum of Japanese artist Tsurutarō Kataoka. The concept is to be a place which people can stop by with yukata（浴衣） that is Japanese traditional clothes. There is a shop for souvenir. ¥950-¥300. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Tropical zoo Kusatsu Nettaiken (草津熱帯圏), Ooaza-kusatsu 286, ☎ [phone]. 8:30AM-3PM. A tropical area which people can see different types of animals. In the jungle dome, they create subtropical area by using the hot spring heat and keep in the dome warm, so animals are able to survive. adults: ¥1000, high school student: ¥700, kids ¥600. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Kusatsu Berutsu memorial hall (草津ベルツ記念館) (in roadside station Michinoeki kusatsu undojaya kōen). Small exhibit in memory of Erwin von Bälz, who discovered the good effects of Kusatsu hot spring. 
• 🌍 Sainokawara Park. A small valley with a river and natural hot springs. free. 

Do

Kusatsu Onsen

The water in the Kusatsu hot springs is strongly sulphuric, and is famous for making the skin beautiful. (The flip side is that it smells like rotten eggs.) In addition, it is said that Kusatsu hot spring had effect on poor blood circulation, muscular pain, and so on.

Hot spring

Kusatsu hot spring is very famous for the tourists to visit.

• Sainogawara outdoor bath (西の河原露天風呂) (in Sainogawara Park and 15 minutes walking from Yubatake). This is the biggest outdoor bath in Kusatsu. ¥500 for adults, ¥300 for children. 
• Otaki hot spring (大滝乃湯) (5 minutes from Yubatake). There are different kinds of hot springs and it's known as department store of hot spring. There is a restaurant to eat and also people are able to use massage service by appointment in front office. ¥800 for adults, ¥400 for children.. (updated Aug 2017)
• Berutu hot spring center (ベルツ温泉センター) (15 minutes from Yubatake by car, just in front of Kusatsu ski center). There is a view bath which is covered by a big sunroof, so people are able to feel open and this view bath is big enough for thirty to forty people. ¥900 for adults and children. 
• Terume Terume (テルメテルメ) (15 minutes from Yubatake by walk). This Terume Terume is in the Nakazawa village（中沢ヴィレッジ） which also has hotel, cottage, golf course and ski area. The concept of this facility is German hot spring plus Japanese traditional taste of hot spring. There are warm swimming pool and water sliders and two kinds of area which are hot spring area and swimming suit area. Hot spring area: ¥890 (weekdays), ¥1100 (holidays). Hot spring + Swimming suit area: ¥1310 (weekdays), ¥1730 (holidays). (updated Aug 2017)
• Kusatsu big bath (草津ビッグバス) (15 minutes from Yubatake by walk). 24/24. Kusatsu big bath is part facilities of Now resort hotel. 800¥ (weekdays), ¥1000 (holidays). (updated Aug 2017)
• Kusatsu hot spring hall (草津温泉館) (15 minutes from Yubatake by walk). This hall is one of the facilities in kusatsu highland hotel（草津ハイランドホテル）. ¥800 for adults, ¥400 for children. (updated Aug 2017)
• Craft and folk craft, Kusatsu city, 872-1, ☎ [phone]. In the city, one of the activities is to experience making Kusatsu craft. 
• Kusatsu international ski area (草津国際スキー場, kusatsu kokusai sukījō). In the winter time, Kusatsu is famous for its skiing area and this place is good to visit. It also is a nice hiking area in the warmer months. (updated Aug 2017)

Events There are several events in Kusatsu throughout year.

• Flower festival （花祭り）. is on May.
• Shirane shrine festival （白根神社祭り）. is on July.
• Kusatsu hot spring thanksgiving festival （草津温泉感謝祭）. is on August.
• Kusatsu international music academy&festival (草津国際音楽アカデミー＆フェステバル). in August. (updated Aug 2017)
• Summer Insect-collecting （夏休み昆虫採集大会）. is on August for family.
• Yubatake special light up （湯畑特別ライトアップ）. is on March.

Buy

• 🌍 Yoritomo (頼朝), Kusatsu city, 116-2 (3 minutes from Kusatsu hot spring bus terminal), ☎ [phone]. 9AM~6PM. is a one of a souvenir shops in Kusatsu. 600¥. 
• Honda souvenir shop (本多みやげ店), ☎ [phone]. 8AM ~22PM. 
• Yamagataya souvenir shop (山形屋土産店), ☎ [phone]. 8:30~22:00. This shop is famous for beckoning cat（招き猫） and there are thousands of beckoning cats in this shop. 
• center yutaka (センター豊), ☎ [phone]. 8:00~21:00. Different kind of unique souvenir items. 

Eat

• 🌍 Aoyama (あおやま), Kusatsu city, 497-1. Hand-made buckwheat noodles restaurant which is located on Sainogawara Street. There are varieties of hot soba, cool soba, and rice. 
• Chikyu-ya （地球屋）. Kusatsu city,157. is a good place to eat creation dish. Beef stew is a key item in this restaurant which is made of Joshu beef by boiling for five hours. there is also sweet fish risotto set which price is 1050 yen that os good for lunch. They have some unique named dessert such as "A whisper of an evil " which is a chocolate cake.
• cafe・shinkichi （カフェ・シンキチ）. Kusatsu city, 524-104. Daily original special bagel will be sold. daily lunch and side menu are served and serve few kinds of alcohol drink.
• Taketomo dining （たけとも食堂）. Kusatsu city, 486-5. is a dining which is located on center of the Kusatsu city and famous menu is "Maitake-mushrooms pork cutlet", price is 1580 yen. They serve hot and cool soba, and different types of bowls and law meal which will be served main dish with few side dishes.
• Donguri　（どんぐり）. kusatsu city, 562-16. is a famous European restaurant. they have been taken up with television and magazine. a famous item is acorn hamburg for 1050 yen.
• Tuki-ya （月や）. kusatsu city, 470-30. is a famous Shabu-shabu restaurant which was opened in 2006. It's taken up with TV and key item in this restaurant is "pork shabu-shabu set' for 1700 yen.
• ma Sushi　（眞すし）. kusatsu city, 340. is located in center of Kusatsu and local people often go this place. They provide variety kinds of sushi and each season, they have special menu. This place is often used as party place.
• Kusatsu Plateau Beer (草津高原ビール), Kusatsu city,454-13, ☎ [phone]. 9:00~20:00. Beer which is good for health is the feature and a target. Water is from Czech republic. 
• Ramen ichiban (らーめん壱番), kusatsu city,116-2, ☎ [phone]. 11:30～14:30、19:30～23:30. there are eight types of ramen. 
• Ryu en (龍燕), Kusatsu city,116-2, ☎ [phone]. Lunch 11:30～14:30 Dinner 17:00～21:30. Ryu en is a Chinese restaurant located just in front of yubatake（湯畑）. 

Drink

Sleep

Hotels with outdoor bath

• Kusatsu hot spring hotel resort (草津温泉ホテルリゾート), kusatsu city, 15-8, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. 10500 yen ~21000 yen. 
• Daito kan (大東館), kusatsu city,126, ☎ [phone]. 
• Tenoji ya (ての字屋), kusatsu city,360, ☎ [phone]. 
• Nara ya (奈良屋), Kusatsu city,396, ☎ [phone]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. 
• Hotel village (ホテルヴィレッジ), Kusatsu city,618, ☎ [phone]. 
• Hotel Takamatsu (ホテル高松), Kusatsu city,312. 
• 🌍 Kusatsu Onsen Kiyoshigekan (くさつのお宿 清重館), Kusatsu 280-4 (10 minutes walk from the city center), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Medium-sized ryokan with outdoor hot spring. From 5500¥. 

Go next

• Nakanojō
• Yamanouchi
• Obuse
• Karuizawa