Onsen in Autumn: Relax in Nagano’s Nature
As the middle of September arrives, the summer heat in Japan is finally fading, and fresh winds of autumn are cooling the country down after a long humid summer! Japanese autumn starts in early September and lasts until the end of November. Autumn is a favored season for Japanese people as there are many seasonal events related to autumn colors, known as koyo (紅葉) in Japanese. The tree leaves gradually change their color from green into yellow, and then into red and brown, creating a array of colorful mountains, until the leaves eventually fall to the ground.
— The Best Onsen to Enjoy Nagano’s Autumn Leaves
— 20 Things to Do Around Yudanaka/Shibu Onsen
— Tours and Charters to Onsen Towns
The most popular way to enjoy koyo in the context of Japanese culture is going to an onsen (hot spring) and enjoy the view while bathing. This is seen as the best way to immerse yourself into the surrounding environment. Many onsen in Nagano are designed so that guests can enjoy views over nature directly from the window and feel “wabi-sabi” – a Japanese term that expresses the beauty of imperfection and the pathos that all things end.
WHERE IS NAGANO PREFECTURE?
Located in the exact middle of Japan, Nagano is one of the largest prefectures in Japan and one of the few which is landlocked. Composed mostly of mountains with only a few small areas of flat land, each region of Nagano has a distinct culture with various local foods, attractions, and historical sites. Stretching almost from coast to coast, and taking at least 3+ hours to drive across on the expressway, some parts of Nagano may be hard to access but in general it has good connections to several major cities, with multiple options for direct train access from Tokyo and Nagano, as well as Kanazawa. Also boasting some of Japan’s tallest mountains and best alpine scenery, Nagano is a great place to go to escape from the city without needing to spend too much time on transport.
THE BEST ONSEN TO ENJOY NAGANO’S AUTUMN LEAVES
Once you are in Nagano, it is time to begin heading to an Onsen! Perfect to relax after a hike or simply a long day of traveling, you will find many onsen towns scattered throughout the prefecture. Below, we will introduce some of our top pics in terms of the beauty of the autumn leaves and the ease of access for international travelers.
1) Kanbayashi Onsen (Approximate Koyo season: From mid-October to early November)
Kanbayashi Onsen, the closest onsen village to the Snow Monkey Park, has been recommended many times in our previous articles. This village has many luxurious ryokans (Japanese inns), such as the Senjukaku, and is nestled at the entrance of the Snow Monkey Park. The village is located in the midst of wild nature and local farmlands, with scenic autumn landscapes of golden rice fields waiting to be harvested. This village is known as the area which holds the largest amount of hot spring water constantly sprung up from the source – 720 liters per a minute! Every ryokan has its own outdoor onsen bath so guests can enjoy a view of an outside while basking in the colorful surroundings.
2) Yamada Onsen (Approximate Koyo season: From mid to end of October)
Yamada Onsen, set in the middle of Matsukawa Valley, is one of the most popular sites for Japanese koyo. This village is popular not only because of its high-quality, natural onsen, but also because of the majestic mountains on both sides of the valley. The area is often introduced in Japanese travel magazines as a popular autumn destination.
There are nature activities through which you can enjoy the surroundings, such as a 30-minute long hike along the river running through the valley or a visit to the Kaminari-taki waterfall (雷滝) where you can get behind the falling water and see an impressive scenery of autumn colors and constantly running water. These are perfect activities to do before warming yourself up in an onsen.
There are various onsen facilities located in the village, but we recommended Shichimi Onsen and Takino-yu, two onsen facilities which provide amazing views over colorful autumn trees, located both near Yamada Onsen village. Shichimi Onsen is an outdoor, gender-separated onsen, and has white, milky water due to the special minerals in the water. Takino-yu has the biggest outdoor bath in the area and is gender-mixed. The onsen facility lies perched at the top of a river gorge.
3) Shibu Onsen (Approximate Koyo season: From mid-October to early November)
Shibu Onsen is also a popular onsen destination. The village is often visited in combination with a visit to the Snow Monkey Park as Shibu is located at a 20 to 25-minute walk away from the park entrance. The village is surrounded by the mountain range of Shiga Kogen, the largest and highest ski resorts in Japan. The autumn colors become visible from early September at higher altitude areas of 2000 meters. Then, by the middle of October, the color gradually moves down to the bottom area, where Shibu Onsen is located at the altitude of 700 meters. Shibu Onsen has a large number of traditional ryokan, whose onsen baths would be perfect to relax and enjoy a view of the colorful mountains.
4) Nagano Station area (Approximate Koyo season: From the mid-Oct until the early of November)
If you are staying in the Nagano Station area and are looking for a good onsen option, Uruoi-Kan is the only onsen facility located near the Nagano Station area. The appearance of the building might seem more modern than traditional, but inside there is a nice outdoor, stone-made, and spacious onsen that has a nice view looking over a river. The facility is easily accessible from the central area but if you do not want to walk for 30 minutes you need to take a shuttle or taxi to get there. If you stay in Hotel Kokusai 21, a renowned hotel in Nagano City that served as the official headquarters for the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, is closely located at a 5-minute walk to the onsen. Thus it would be the perfect accommodation to combine a comfortable stay with an onsen experience.
5) Hotaka Onsen Town (Approximate Koyo season: From mid-October to early November)
Hotaka Onsen Town is located in the western edge of Azumino City, a city located just south of Nagano City and known as a popular area where you can experience the traditions of rural Japan.
The city is conveniently located between Matsumoto and Hakuba and offers a great combination of cultural and sporting activities throughout the year. Nestled right at the base of the Japanese Northern Alps mountains, Hotaka Onsen Town has traditionally been a popular place to visit as the gateway/endpoint for mountain hiking, and also as a convenient base for city sightseeing, close to places such as the Daio Wasabi Farm and local art museums.
The area is surrounded by lots of colors in autumn. The mountains are colored with artistic gradation, and rice fields create a scenery known by locals as the “the Mountainous Sea”: a landscape of golden rice straws fluttering in the wind.
20 THINGS TO DO AROUND YUDANAKA/SHIBU ONSEN
If you are coming to Nagano, there is a high chance you are interested in the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. And luckily, the monkey park is of course located in an onsen town! With a number of hotels and ryokan in the Yudanaka area, humans get plenty of chances to enjoy the same spring waters as the monkeys, and the area has plenty to offer if you want a traditional Japanese experience. For more information on the area, please see our page ‘20 Things to Do Around Yudanaka/Shibu Onsen and Where to Stay‘
TOURS AND CHARTERS TO ONSEN TOWNS
Nagano’s onsen towns are often set amongst beautiful mountain scenery, far from any large cities. This is their main charm, but it does lead to one problem – reaching the town if you don’t have your own car. Luckily, we offer tours to onsen towns as well as private charters to any destination in Nagano and the surrounding prefectures, making it easy for anyone to visit the onsen of their dreams.
1 Day Tour
| 1-Day Tour from Nagano and Karuizawa: Unwind in Kusatsu Onsen | |
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| Period | April – November |
| Time | 09:30 – 17:30 |
| Meeting Place | Nagano Station Karuizawa Station |
| Adult Rate | ¥24,800 |
| Child Rate | ¥15,500 |
Although not technically in Nagano, Kusatsu is just over the border and deserves a mention as one of Japan’s best hot springs. With pick up from Nagano Station and Karuizawa Station, this tour is simple to join for anyone traveling in Nagano, or even coming from Tokyo. The only thing you will need to prepare is a towel, and we will handle the rest leaving you plenty of time to relax in Kusatsu’s famous waters.
If you have a specific destination in mind, want to visit multiple onsen, or just want to move at your own pace, our private charter service is what you are looking for. Our friendly, certified drivers will pick you up straight from your accommodation and bring you and your group wherever it is you want to go. And if you don’t know yet where you want to go, we can work together to make the best itinerary for you. For more information on pricing and availability, please click HERE.
