Kaikake-Onsen

Kaikake Onsen is a secluded hot spring inn (a single-inn “hidden hot spring”) in Oku-Yuzawa, originally developed as a therapeutic retreat where you can recuperate in a quiet setting surrounded by mountains and rivers. It is known as one of only three “eye hot springs” in Japan, and is said to be good for cataracts, retinal hemorrhage, and dry eyes. To fully benefit from the onsen’s effects, Kaikake Onsen recommends a bathing method called “nagayu” (long bathing). Nagayu involves soaking for 30 minutes or more in a lukewarm bath, then briefly entering a hot bath to warm up. By the time you return to your room, you should feel warmth deep into your core. Guest rooms are housed in a traditional wooden two-story building, offering a calm and historic atmosphere. Meals use premium Minamiuonuma-grown Koshihikari rice, so high in quality it is sometimes called “shimofuri.” Be sure to taste it for yourself. Access: about 15 minutes by car from Kan-etsu Expressway “Yuzawa I.C.”; about 18 minutes by car from Echigo-Yuzawa Station; by bus, about 25 minutes from Echigo-Yuzawa Station East Exit to “Kaikake Onsen Iriguchi,” then about a 9-minute walk. A shuttle is available from the nearest bus stop (“Kaikake Onsen Iriguchi”).