What other travelers are saying about Maruko Onsen Village
This hot spring resort is located very close to Shikayu Onsen. Bessho Onsen and Tazawa Onsen are also within my range. It's a remote hot spring resort in the mountains, famous for its mild, lukewarm waters, which reminded me of Yugi Onsen. Reisenji is slightly larger, though.
If you take the road along the Reisenji River from the national highway, you'll reach the center in about 1.6km, and just after the fork in the road there are signposts numbered 1 through 8, providing little guides to the famous spots. It might be worth looking for them while you're out for a walk.
[Overall Review]
This is the best hot spring.
I've bathed in over 100 free-flowing hot springs, and this is one of the best.
[Water Quality]
Simple alkaline hot spring.
A large amount of water gushes out into the bathtub.
[Location]
It's in a truly mysterious place, with no sign of people around.
This place is great.
The entrance fee was 250 yen. There was no one at the reception, so we put 500 yen for two people in the ticket box and went in.
The spring water quality was good.
This is a public bath in a temple and shrine village that was probably once a popular place of worship (there is a fine temple and a large inn nearby). It's a one-minute walk from the free shared parking lot. The hot spring has a nice atmosphere. The bathing fee was 200 yen at the time of our visit (summer 2024). The changing room is small and can only fit four or five people. Everything is simple and there are no amenities of any kind. The bath is clean and appears to have been renovated not long ago.
It's a bath that will appeal to connoisseurs.
One of Nagano Prefecture's most esoteric hidden hot springs.
It could probably have been called a hot spring town in the past, but now it's a run-down hidden hot spring known only to those in the know.
The admission fee for the public bath is 200 yen.
Parking is available next to the temple and above the public bath.
There are no shampoos or hair dryers, and no lockers with locks, so you need to be careful with your valuables.
The inside is like a Showa-era public bathhouse, with only an indoor bath.
The hot spring is fairly warm, so you can enjoy a long soak.
Maruko Onsen features sodium-chloride-sulfate spring water that reaches temperatures between 50-60 degrees Celsius. The mineral composition is traditionally believed to help with circulation issues, muscle pain, and skin conditions. The waters have a slightly saline quality due to their chemical makeup.
Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Ueda Station, which takes approximately 90 minutes. From Ueda Station, board a local bus on the Maruko Line for a 20-minute ride to the village. If driving, take the Joshinetsu Expressway and exit at Sakaki IC, then continue about 15 kilometers to reach the village.
Yes, day-use bathing is widely available throughout Maruko Onsen Village. Public bathhouses like Dai-yu charge between 300-500 yen for admission, while ryokan facilities offering day-use access typically cost 1,000-2,000 yen. Most facilities operate during daytime and early evening hours for day visitors.
Yes, most public bathhouses expect visitors to bring their own towels following traditional onsen customs. However, small towels are usually available for purchase at the facilities for a few hundred yen if you arrive without one. Some ryokan day-use packages may include towel rental in their fee.
The village is located near Bessho Onsen, another historic hot spring area, and is within easy reach of Ueda's cultural sites including temples from the feudal period. The Chikuma River valley offers seasonal natural scenery, and the broader Ueda area features historical connections to the Sanada clan and their castle ruins.
