Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma · Things to do
Things to Do in Kusatsu Onsen: 11 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
11 things to do · checked October 23, 2026
11 things to do in Kusatsu Onsen, from Yubatake outward
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 23, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Yubatake湯畑
Hot spring source and town square · Yubatake
The source at the centre of town, where about 4,000 litres of hot water a minute run through seven wooden channels to cool before being piped to the baths. Yukemuri-tei, a cypress pavilion beside it, has a free footbath open 24 hours.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Hours
- Open at all times; lit from sunset to 24:00
- Price
- Free
2Netsunoyu (yumomi show)熱乃湯
Yumomi water-cooling show · Yubatake
A hall by Yubatake that stages the yumomi and dance show, in which performers stir the hot spring water with long wooden boards to cool it. Visitors can also try yumomi themselves at set times.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Hours
- Shows at 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 15:30, 16:00 and 16:30, with extra shows at 11:00 and 15:00 and a night show at 20:00 on the days in the venue's calendar. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before each show. Yumomi experience 11:30–12:50
- Price
- Show: adults ¥700, elementary school children ¥350. Yumomi experience: ¥300 (elementary age and up)
3Gozanoyu御座之湯
Day-use bathhouse · Yubatake
A day-use bathhouse facing Yubatake, rebuilt in the style of the Edo and Meiji period public baths. The upstairs hall of more than 100 square metres overlooks Yubatake and is free for bathers; a smaller hall rents at ¥2,000 an hour.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Hours
- 7:00–21:00 (1 April–30 November); 8:00–21:00 (1 December–31 March). Last entry 20:30
- Closed on
- No regular closing day; closed on maintenance days
- Price
- Adults ¥900; children ¥450 (age 3 to elementary school)
4Kosenji Temple草津山光泉寺
Buddhist temple · Yubatake
A Shingon Buddhist temple on the rise directly above the Yubatake source, said to have been founded by the monk Gyoki. The grounds hold several halls, a bell tower, a haiku stone of Basho and a memorial tower for those who died while bathing.
- Access
- On the rise directly above Yubatake.
5Ura-Kusatsu Jizo裏草津地蔵
Square with footbath · Jizo
A small area rebuilt in wood in 2021 around the Jizo-no-yu public bath, with a free footbath, a face bath and a hand-washing bath, plus cafés.
- Access
- About 3 minutes on foot from Yubatake.
- Hours
- Footbath open 24 hours
- Price
- Free
6Otakinoyu大滝乃湯
Day-use bathhouse · Town centre
A day-use bathhouse known for awase-yu, a set of baths taken in turn from about 38°C up to 46°C. Separate baths for men and women, plus a private bath bookable at ¥2,000 an hour.
- Access
- About 12 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Hours
- 9:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00)
- Closed on
- No regular closing day; closed on maintenance days
- Price
- Adults ¥1,200; children ¥600 (age 3 to elementary school). Towel set ¥250
7Sainokawara Park西の河原公園
Park with hot streams · Sainokawara
A park on the west side of town where hot water rises from the ground and runs off as warm streams. A stone-paved path leads through it to the Sainokawara open-air bath, and the park is lit at night.
- Access
- About 15 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Hours
- Lit from sunset to 24:00
- Price
- Free
8Sainokawara Open-Air Bath西の河原露天風呂
Open-air bath · Sainokawara
A 500-square-metre open-air bath reached along the path through Sainokawara Park, with separate baths for men and women. On Fridays from 17:30 the men's bath becomes mixed, except on specified days; women can rent a bathing wrap for ¥400 or wear a swimsuit.
- Access
- About 20 minutes on foot from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, through Sainokawara Park.
- Hours
- 7:00–20:00 (1 April–30 November); 9:00–20:00 (1 December–31 March). Last entry 19:30
- Closed on
- Closes at 17:00 for cleaning (last entry 16:30) on 11 November and 9 December 2026, and 13 January, 10 February and 10 March 2027; also closed on maintenance days
- Price
- Adults ¥800; children ¥400 (age 3 to elementary school)
9Shirane Shrine白根神社
Shinto shrine · Kakoiyama
A shrine to Yamato Takeru on Kakoiyama hill, looking down over the town; it moved to this site in the Meiji era. Its festival is on 17 and 18 July, and the azuma-shakunage rhododendrons in the surrounding park usually bloom from late April to early May.
- Access
- On Kakoiyama hill above the town centre.
- Price
- Free
10Onsen-mon footbath温泉門広場・足湯
Footbath and free car park · Town entrance
A timber-clad road overpass completed in 2023 as the entrance to the town, with channels and a footbath modelled on Yubatake and a free car park for 101 cars, open 24 hours.
- Access
- At the entrance to the town, on the road in; the free car park is beside it.
- Price
- Free
11Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort草津温泉スキー場
Ski resort · Tenguyama
A ski area where about half the runs are beginner courses. The Pulse Gondola Tengu also carries people without skis. The 2026–27 price list gives opening-service-day tickets from 18 to 25 December 2026 and night skiing on Saturdays from 29 December 2026 to 21 March 2027, plus 29 December–3 January, 10 January and 21 March.
Winter only. The 2026–27 price list starts with opening-service-day tickets on 18 December 2026.
- Access
- About 5 minutes by car from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal.
- Price
- 2026–27 lift 1-day ticket: adults ¥6,000; seniors (60+) and junior/senior high school ¥5,200; juniors (age 4 to elementary) ¥2,000; age 3 and under free
Good to know
Almost everything here is a walk from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, where every bus arrives. Yubatake, Netsunoyu and Gozanoyu are about 5 minutes away on foot, Otakinoyu about 12, Sainokawara Park about 15 and the Sainokawara open-air bath about 20. Yubatake and Sainokawara Park are lit from sunset to 24:00.
From Tokyo, the Joshu Yumeguri express bus runs from Tokyo Station (Yaesu South Exit) and Busta Shinjuku to the bus terminal in about 4 hours. By rail, the JR limited express Kusatsu-Shima takes about 2 hours 33 minutes from Ueno to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, and the JR bus from there takes about 25 minutes.
Mt Kusatsu-Shirane is not on this list. Entry is banned within about 500 m of the crater, so the Yugama crater lake cannot be seen, and the Shirane Rest House and summit car park are closed. A trial opening of the west trail and Yumiike ended early on 19 October 2026 with no reopening date. Route 292 over the mountain is open for driving through only, and closes for winter from 13:00 on 11 November 2026 to 10:00 on 21 April 2027.
Around Yubatake, the west side, or out of the centre
Walking times from Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, adult entry and the latest time you can still go in. Children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | From the bus terminal | Entry (adult) | Latest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around Yubatake: Yubatake, Netsunoyu, Gozanoyu, Kosenji, Ura-Kusatsu Jizo | About 5 min on foot; Ura-Kusatsu Jizo is 3 min beyond Yubatake | Yubatake and the footbaths free · Netsunoyu show ¥700 · Gozanoyu ¥900 | Yubatake lit to 24:00 · Gozanoyu last entry 20:30 · Netsunoyu night show 20:00 on calendar days |
| Otakinoyu | About 12 min on foot | ¥1,200 | Last entry 20:00 |
| West side: Sainokawara Park and open-air bath | About 15 min to the park, about 20 min to the bath | Park free · bath ¥800 | Park lit to 24:00 · bath last entry 19:30 (16:30 on cleaning days) |
| Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort | About 5 min by car | Lift 1-day ticket ¥6,000 (2026–27) | Night skiing on listed dates, 29 December 2026 to 21 March 2027 |
By kind of trip
First afternoon in town
All four are around Yubatake, about 5 minutes on foot from the bus terminal. The afternoon yumomi shows at Netsunoyu are at 15:30, 16:00 and 16:30, and Gozanoyu takes its last bathers at 20:30.
Yubatake · Netsunoyu (yumomi show) · Gozanoyu · Kosenji Temple
After dark
Yubatake and Sainokawara Park are lit from sunset to 24:00, and the footbath at Jizo is open 24 hours. The Sainokawara open-air bath takes its last entry at 19:30.
Yubatake · Sainokawara Park · Ura-Kusatsu Jizo · Sainokawara Open-Air Bath
For free
No entry fee at any of these. The Yukemuri-tei footbath at Yubatake and the Jizo footbath are open 24 hours, and the Onsen-mon car park is free.
Yubatake · Ura-Kusatsu Jizo · Sainokawara Park · Onsen-mon footbath
A proper bath
Adult entry is ¥900 at Gozanoyu, ¥1,200 at Otakinoyu and ¥800 at the Sainokawara open-air bath. Otakinoyu's awase-yu runs from about 38°C to 46°C. The baths' official site advises no more than three baths a day.
Winter
From 1 December Gozanoyu opens at 8:00 and the Sainokawara open-air bath at 9:00. The ski resort's 2026–27 price list starts with opening-service-day tickets on 18 December 2026, and the yumomi show is indoors.
Kusatsu Onsen Ski Resort · Gozanoyu · Sainokawara Open-Air Bath · Netsunoyu (yumomi show)
Questions
Can I see the Yugama crater lake on Mt Kusatsu-Shirane?
Not at the moment. Entry is banned within about 500 m of the crater and Yugama cannot be viewed; the Shirane Rest House and summit car park are closed. A trial opening of the west trail and the Yumiike area ended early on 19 October 2026, and no reopening date has been set. Route 292 is open for driving through only, until its winter closure from 13:00 on 11 November 2026.
How do I get to Kusatsu Onsen from Tokyo?
By express bus: the Joshu Yumeguri runs from Tokyo Station (Yaesu South Exit) and Busta Shinjuku to Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal in about 4 hours; for example, 8:05 from Busta Shinjuku arrives at 12:08. By rail: the limited express Kusatsu-Shima from Ueno to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi takes about 2 hours 33 minutes, then the JR bus takes about 25 minutes.
When is the yumomi show at Netsunoyu, and what does it cost?
Shows run at 9:30, 10:00, 10:30, 15:30, 16:00 and 16:30, with extra shows at 11:00 and 15:00 and a night show at 20:00 on the days in the venue's calendar. Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before each show: adults ¥700, elementary school children ¥350. You can try yumomi yourself from 11:30 to 12:50 for ¥300.
Can I bathe with tattoos in Kusatsu?
The official site of the Sainokawara open-air bath says that the vast majority of Kusatsu Onsen inns and bath facilities welcome visitors with tattoos that are not gang-related. Rules are set by each place, so check with the inn or bath before you go.
Is there mixed bathing at Sainokawara?
On Fridays from 17:30 to 20:00 (last entry 19:30), except on specified days, the men's open-air bath is mixed. Women can rent a bathing wrap for ¥400 or bring a swimsuit. The rest of the time the baths are separate for men and women.