Kusatsu travel guide

Kusatsu, Japan

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Kusatsu

Introduction

Kusatsu is a city in Shiga Prefecture, set on the shore of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest freshwater lake. It is often confused with the hot spring resort of the same name in Gunma Prefecture, so check which Kusatsu you are booking before you travel.

Before you go

Kusatsu is an onsen town set about 1,200 metres above sea level, beside several volcanoes including the active Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane. Its hot spring water flows down from Mt. Shirane in enormous volume, and the water is very acidic, which gives it a sterilizing effect. Plan your trip around bathing rather than sightseeing: the town's identity is built on its therapeutic waters, which became famous in the Edo period and were later championed by Dr. Erwin Bälz, a German court physician to the emperor.

Because you'll be at altitude near active volcanoes, come prepared for mountain conditions and check access before you travel. Note that the local tourist association runs a Japanese-only portal site, so gather your information in advance rather than relying on English-language sources on arrival.

Getting there

Kusatsu has no train station of its own, so you'll arrive by rail plus a connecting bus or by direct coach. By rail, the nearest station is Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi on the JR Agatsuma Line. The limited express Kusatsu runs twice in the morning from Ueno Station in Tokyo, taking about 2 hr 20 min, and a connecting bus covers the final stretch to Kusatsu in 25 minutes. At other times you can take the Shinkansen to Takasaki and transfer to local services (roughly 3 hours), or take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa (about 70–80 minutes) and arrange further transport from there; slower local trains with two or three transfers take around 3½ hours.

By bus, JR's Jōshu Yūmeguri runs several times a day, roughly hourly, from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal in Tokyo directly to the Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, a journey of around 4 hours. Buses also link Kusatsu with Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi and with Karuizawa, so you can connect to the rail lines from either.

Getting around

Kusatsu has no train station of its own, so you arrive by road and then get around on foot, by local bus or by car. The town centre is compact but hilly, and most of the main sights sit within walking distance of each other. A town loop bus connects the major sights and the large hotels and is inexpensive to ride, making it a useful option for hilly stretches or for reaching hotels on the edge of the centre.

Where to stay

Kusatsu is a hot-spring town, so the natural choice is a stay with its own bath. Several hotels here offer outdoor baths, including Kusatsu Hot Spring Hotel Resort, Daito Kan, Tenoji Ya and Naraya, all in the city centre. Hotel Village, at 618 Kusatsu, is a large complex with both Western-style rooms and rustic cottages, large indoor onsen facilities and an outdoor onsen for men and women, plus a bowling alley, karaoke rooms and a high ropes course.

For a quieter, smaller-scale stay, Kiyoshigekan is a medium-sized ryokan with an outdoor hot spring, about a 10-minute walk from the city centre.

Food & drink

Kusatsu's eating is casual and centred on noodles and set meals. On Sainokawara Street you'll find Aoyama, a hand-made buckwheat noodle restaurant serving hot and cool soba alongside rice, and Matsumoto, an udon shop known for its himokowa wide udon made with local flour, a Gunma specialty; set meals there come with a variety of tempura. Ramen Ichiban serves eight types of ramen, and Makoto Sushi in the centre of town draws local people with a range of sushi and seasonal specials, and is often used for parties.

For something more substantial, Donguri is a European restaurant known for its acorn hamburg, and Tsuki-ya specialises in shabu-shabu, with a pork shabu-shabu set as its key dish. To drink, Kusatsu Plateau Beer is brewed locally, with water sourced from the Czech Republic.

What to see and do

Start at the Yubatake, the hot-water field at the centre of town, where the spring water is cooled through a network of wooden conduits and baths sit directly around it. From there you can walk west to Sainokawara Park, a forested valley with a river fed by the springs, an open-air bath, and a visitor centre explaining the relationship between the hot springs, the volcano and the local flora. Near the Yubatake, Netsu-no-yu is a former bathhouse turned performance venue where you can watch the Yumomi ceremony, in which residents cool the water with wooden boards; photos and videos are allowed during the show. The Kusatsu Bälz Memorial Hall, at a roadside station, holds a small exhibit on Erwin von Bälz, who identified the benefits of the local waters.

The water is strongly sulphuric and known for leaving your skin smooth, though it smells of rotten eggs; it is also said to help poor circulation and muscular pain. Baths are scattered through town: Sainokawara Open-air Bath is the largest outdoor pool, Otaki Hot Spring offers several different kinds of bath, and Goza Hot Spring, built in a blend of Edo and Meiji styles, overlooks the Yubatake. Free open-air foot baths sit outside the bus terminal and beside the Yubatake. Beyond the town, Kusatsu Shirane is an active volcano whose crater lake turns emerald green, and the surrounding Joshinetsu Kogen National Park has mountains, a lake and hills. The Asama Volcano Museum lets you experience the power of volcanism, the Kataoka Tsurutaro Art Museum is designed for stopping by in yukata, and the Tropical Zoo Kusatsu Nettaiken uses hot-spring heat to keep a subtropical dome. In winter the Kusatsu international ski area is the draw, and it becomes hiking terrain in warmer months; you can also try making Kusatsu craft in the city. Events run through the year, including the flower festival in May, the Shirane shrine festival in July, and the hot spring thanksgiving festival and an international music academy and festival in August.

Three days in Kusatsu

Day one: Plan your arrival around the route that suits you. From Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Takasaki and connect onward, or use the JR Agatsuma Line via Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi; buses also run from the Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal, and the Jōshu Yūmeguri connects several stops. Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal offers a direct bus option. Once settled, orient yourself in Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture and take an evening stroll through the town's hot-spring streets.

Day two: Give the day to the water and the history. Kusatsu's springs are the reason to come, and the town's bathing culture rewards a slow pace. Look into the connection to Dr. Erwin Bälz, the German physician who helped bring Kusatsu's waters to wider attention, and note the Edo-period heritage that shaped the town. Japanese and English signage helps you find your way.

Day three: Head for the heights. Mt. Shirane rises above the town and offers a change of scene from the steam and streets below. If time allows before departure, a soak at a place such as Kusatsu Hot Spring Hotel rounds off the stay. Buses and the Jōshu Yūmeguri link you back to the Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal for the journey home.

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