KUSATSU ONSEN TOWN: COMPLETE GUIDE

 

Jepang memang populer dengan pemandian air panas atau onsen, namun biasanya kita menikmati onsen yang tersedia di penginapan. Ada satu kota yang menjadi tujuan utama untuk menikmati onsen, alasannya? sumber air panas di kota ini merupakan salah satu air panas alami dengan kualitas terbaik di Jepang, selain itu air panas alami di kota ini pun mengalir terus memenuhi onsen yang tersebar di kota ini.

Japan is popular with hot water bath or onsen, but usually we enjoyed the onsen that is available at the inn. There is one town that is the main destination for enjoying onsen, why? Hot springs in this city are one of the natural hot springs with the highest quality in Japan, and not forget to mention that the natural hot springs in this town flowed continuously to fill up the onsens located all over the city.

 

KUSATSU ONSEN TOWN

Kusatsu Onsen Town, namanya pun sudah menggambarkan betapa onsen menjadi bagian hidup dari warga Kusatsu. Terletak di Prefektur Gunma, Jepang, Kusatsu telah terkenal sebagai destinasi untuk relaksasi dan menikmati onsen di Jepang. Sumber air panas Kusatsu yang berkualitas ditemukan oleh Doktor dari Jerman, Erwin Von Baels pada akhir abad 18 dan ia merekomendasikan Kusatsu sebagai lokasi sumber air panas terbaik untuk relaksasi maupun kesehatan.

Kusatsu Onsen Town, its name had already described how onsen become part of life of Kusatsu's citizens. Located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, Kusatsu has been well known as a destination for relaxation and enjoying onsen in Japan. High quality Kusatsu hot springs were discovered by Doctor Ervwin Baels from Germany, Erwin Von during the late 18th century, and he recommended Kusatsu as the best hot springs location for relaxation and health.

 

GETTING THERE

From TOKYO

Tokyo to Takasaki Station by Shinkansen Hakutaka/ Max Tanigawa/ Max Toki/ Asama (please check the Shinkansen schedule first), waktu tempuh sekitar 50 menit hingga 1 jam, harga tiket mulai dari ¥4.410

Tokyo to Takasaki Station by Shinkansen Hakutaka / Max Tanigawa / Max Toki / Asama (please check the schedule first Shinkansen), takes about 50 minutes to 1 hour, ticket prices ranging from ¥ 4,410

Takasaki Station to Naganoharakusatsuguchi Station by JR Agatsuma Line/  LTD Express Kusatsu, waktu tempuh 1 jam hingga 1,5 jam, harga tiket mulai dari ¥1.140

Takasaki Station to Naganoharakusatsuguchi Station by JR Agatsuma Line / LTD Express Kusatsu, takes about 1 hour to 1.5 hours, ticket prices ranging from ¥ 1,140 

Very long name, try to memorize it for fun :)

Always check the sign on the bus, "for Kusatsu Onsen"

enjoy the view!

Naganoharakusatsuguchi Station to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal by JR Bus (¥700 one way)

Naganoharakusatsuguchi Station to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal by JR Bus (¥ 700 one way)

WHERE TO WANDER IN KUSATSU

YUBATAKE

Area utama di Kusatsu Onsen Town ini juga merupakan simbol kota Kusatsu Onsen. Yubatake berarti lapangan dengan air panas, dan di area inilah sumber air Kusatsu "didinginkan" melalui penampang-penampang kayu memanjang hingga temperatur air panas tersebut layak untuk masuk ke pemandian air panas (onsen). 

The main areas in Kusatsu Onsen Town is also the symbol of Kusatsu Onsen city. Yubatake means the field with hot water, and in this area, the hot water of Kusatsu is "cooled" by a long cross-sectional woods until the temperature of hot water is eligible to enter the hot springs (onsen).

Setiap menit, sumber air panas Kusatsu Onsen menghasilkan 5000 liter air panas dan merupakan sumber air panas paling produktif di Jepang. Air yang keluar dengan suhu 70°C ini mengalir melalui kayu-kayu Yubatake sehingga suhunya turun dan cocok untuk onsen.

Every minute, Kusatsu Onsen hot springs produce 5000 liters of hot water and are the most productive hot springs in Japan. The water that exits with a temperature of 70° C flows through Yubatake's wood so that its temperature drops and is suitable for the onsen.

Dahulu di area tengah berbentuk kolam ini digunakan untuk pemandian air panas umum, namun kini kolam di Yubatake ini sebagai main tourist attraction, sementara untuk berendam air panas, kita dapat menikmati di berbagai onsen yang tersebar di Kusatsu.

Formerly, the pool-shaped area in the middle was used for public hot spring bath, but now this pool at Yubatake is used as the main tourist attraction, while for a hot bath, we can enjoy in various onsens all over Kusatsu.

SAI NO KAWARA PARK

Berkeliling kota Kusatsu Onsen dengan berjalan kaki sangat menyenangkan. Toko-toko menarik, bangunan dengan berbagai style, karena Kusatsu Onsen sejak dahulu menjadi area persinggahan, maka berbagai pengaruh pun meliputi Kusatsu yang terasa hingga kini.

Getting around Kusatsu Onsen on foot is very pleasant. Interesting shops, buildings with different styles, for Kusatsu Onsen long ago has become a transit area, the various influences that come to Kusatsu could be felt up until now.

The green pond matched the trees :)

Dengan berjalan kaki kurang dari 20 menit dari Yubatake, kita sudah dapat menikmati area Sai No Kawara Park, taman dengan sungai dan sumber air panas yang terlihat mengisi "kubangan-kubangan' kecil sehingga memberikan pemandangan landscape yang cukup unik. 

With walking distance of less than 20 minutes from Yubatake, we can enjoy Sai No Kawara Park area, a garden with rivers and hot springs that were seen filling small 'puddles' so as to provide a view of a landscape that is quite unique.

Di Sai No Kawara Park ini kita juga dapat berendam di onsen terbuka, yaitu Sai No Kawara Rotemburo, atau sekedar berjalanan kaki dan singgah di Shrine dengan jajaran torii gate merah yang menarik.

In Sai No Kawara Park we can also soak in the open onsen, namely Sai No Kawara Rotemburo, or just walking around and stop by at the Shrine with a range of attractive red torii gates.

YUMOMI PERFORMANCE

Hal lain yang tidak boleh dilewatkan adalah Yumomi Performance, yaitu cara tradisional warga Kusatsu untuk mengurangi suhu air panas di onsen agar layak untuk berendam dengan mengaduk air menggunakan kayu pipih besar.

Another thing that should not be missed is Yumomi Performance, which is the traditional way of Kusatsu citizens to reduce the temperature of hot water in order to be eligible for the onsen bathing water by stirring it using a large flat wood.

Me & Edna practising our Yumomi skills

Yumomi dilakukan oleh perempuan Kusatsu sambil menyanyikan lagu-lagu tradisional sebagai penyemangat, kita pun dapat ikut mencoba yumomi yang ternyata cukup berat (consider this as sport haha).

Yumomi is done by Kusatsu women singing traditional songs as encouragement, we can also go try yumomi which is quite heavy (consider this as sport haha).

Yumomi Performance

Netsunoyu Building

6 x performance per day: 9.30 AM, 10.00 AM, 10.30 AM, 3.30 PM, 4.00 PM & 4.30 PM

Entrance fee: ¥600, child ¥300

WHAT TO DO IN KUSATSU

ONSEN, WHAT ELSE? :)

Don't enter the wrong place :))

All onsen theme! Kawaii!

Gozanoyu Onsen

Of course, it's onsen town so you have to try it! Ada berbagai tempat untuk berendam air hangat di Kusatsu Onsen, mulai dari pemandian umum yang gratis, public bath dengan entrance fee, hingga pemandian di hotel dan ryokan, you gotta try Kusatsu Onsen famous hot spring, and relax! :)

Of course, it's onsen town so you have to try it! There are a variety of places to hot bath in Kusatsu Onsen, ranging from free public baths, public bath with entrance fee, to bath in the hotel and ryokan, you gotta try famous Kusatsu Onsen hot spring, and relax! :)

EAT

STAY

Loving the traditional feel at Ichii Hotel, Kusatsu Onsen

Ada banyak penginapan di Kusatsu Onsen, sebagian besar penginapan memiliki onsen (perempuan dan laki-laki terpisah, don't worry!)

There are many hotels in Kusatsu Onsen, most of the inn has onsen (women and men are separated, don't worry!)

Saya dan teman menginap di Hotel Ichii, untuk ke area utama di Kusatsu Onsen Town, kami hanya perlu berjalan kaki kurang dari 15 menit.

We stayed at Ichii Hotel, it's in nice location and it took only about 15 minutes walk to get to the main attraction at Kusatsu Onsen Town.

Hotel Ichii

4-11 Kusatsu-town

Azuma-gun Gunma

T: 0279-88-0111

ENJOY THE NIGHT

Saya selalu menyarankan teman untuk menginap di Kusatsu Onsen, dan bukan hanya one day trip saja karena Kusatsu Onsen di malam hari sangat cantik! Yubatake di malam hari terlihat mengepulkan asap dari air panas yang mengalir, asap yang terlihat semakin jelas karena terpapar sinar lampu-lampu bangunan di sekeliling Yubatake membuat pemandangan semakin indah!

I always recommend a friend to stay at Kusatsu Onsen, and not just for a one day trip because Kusatsu Onsen at night is very beautiful! Yubatake at night looks puffing of its hot running water, the smoke is seen more clearly because of exposure to the lights of the buildings around Yubatake and it makes the scenery more beautiful!

Onsen is one experience you gotta try in Japan, but this city is trully a nice onsen trip!

@marischkaprue - her adventure is in Indonesia's warm sea water, then she relax in Japan's hot spring water

NOTES

List of hotels in Kusatsu Onsen Town
1. Kusatsu Onsen Boun www.hotelboun.com
2. Oosakaya Ryokan www.osakaya.in
3. Kusatsu Hotel www.kusatsuhotel.com
4. Hotel Ichii www.hotel-ichii.co.jp
5. Hotel Sakurai www.hotel-sakurai.co.jp
6. Kanemidori www.kanemidori.co.jp 
7. Takamatsu www.h-takamatsu.com
8. Yuyado Tokinoniwa www.hotespa.net/hotels/tokinoniwa
9. Kusatsu Skyland Hotel www.skylandhotel.jp
10. Yoshinoya Inn www.yoshinoya932.com

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