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We go to Kusatsu to experience yumomi, the traditional method of cooling down hot spring water, and try out past favorite retro Japanese games, namely the shooting gallery and smartball.
Kusatsu Onsen has been chosen by Japan’s top travel agents as the nation’s No. 1 hot spring 16 consecutive years in the “100 Best Hot Springs in Japan” ranking. This is an incredible feat.
The hot spring town is very proud of the quality of its hot spring water. Experiments have proven that e-coli bacteria cannot survive for even one minute in Kusatsu’s hot spring waters, and virtually all other bacteria and fungi are unable to reproduce and thus die away. This is why Kusatsu hot spring water is reputed to have beneficial, therapeutic effects. A good hot spring is like a good doctor, and the town is proud of its century long reputation that its hot spring water “can cure any ailment except a heartache.”
YUMOMI at NETSU NO YU
The temperature of the Kusatsu onsen water is from 51°C to 94°C, which is too hot to bathe in. Yumomi (water stirring) is a unique traditional method of lowering the temperature to batheable levels. The water from the spring is stirred with boards that are 30 cm wide and 180cm long while singing a traditional folk song. The Yumomi performance can be seen at Netsu no Yu, located near the giant Yubatake in the center of the town. Audience members are also given the opportunity to try yumomi for themselves at select timeslots.
MANDARA-DŌ (shooting gallery)
TOMOE-YA (shooting gallery and smartball)
*Mandara-dō and Tomoe-ya are next door to one another. Both are just a 1 or 2 minute walk away from the town’s center.
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A B O U T U S
The KON’CHA! team is a small crew of 4 dedicated to showing you all the fun things you can see & do while on your trip in Japan! We try to feature unique experiences that you may only find on Japanese travel blogs and websites.
F A C E B O O K
AloJapan.com