Milky sulfur at 1,800 m. Several inns take day visitors. Some outdoor baths are mixed (混浴), so couples, families, and groups can soak together — not every inn. Hours differ: Prince reception 11:00–16:00 (last soak 15:00); Houkokukan 08:30–16:30 (last soak 15:30); Manza Kogen Hotel 11:00–18:00 (last soak 17:00). Do not treat 16:00 as a town-wide close. Confirm the official list before you leave.
Mixed outdoor on the official list: Manza Prince, Houkokukan, Yunohana Ryokan, Manza Kogen Hotel (7 of 8 stone-garden tubs). Nisshinkan, Juraku, and Manzatei are gender-separated. Follow each inn’s towel rules. Source: Manza Onsen official day-use list.
Valley onsen traditionally said to address "40,000 ailments" — folklore, not medical advice. Clear blue waters in a well-preserved mountain valley with historic buildings.
25 min drive
Kawarayu Onsen - Ouyu
Hidden gem public bath near Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station. Impressive views and rarely crowded — a local favorite.
Summer ridge / winter detour
Yamanouchi Onsen
Gateway to Jigokudani on the Yudanaka side. The summer 25-minute ridge from the ranch is closed in winter — plan via Shinshu-Nakano / Yudanaka.
Route 292 (Tenguyama Gate to Shibu Pass) closes every winter, typically mid-November to late April (Gunma Prefecture). The dates move with snow — check before you travel.
Famous ski resort with 13 public baths. Powder snow, traditional village charm, and natural hot springs.
とうじ
湯治
Highland 現代湯治
1,444m · 3 onsen towns within an hour
湯Touji
A quiet 1,444m plateau base for 現代湯治 — self-cater in the shared kitchen, rest at altitude, soak at Kusatsu, Manza or Shima within an hour. Cultural rest rhythm (ととのえる), not medical treatment.
What is 湯治 (touji)?
Touji is Japan's traditional practice of staying near a hot spring for an extended period — usually self-catered, at a gentle pace, to rest from daily life. Kusatsu is one of the country's most famous touji towns. Tsumagoi mirrors the same rhythm at 1,444m: a shared kitchen, a quiet plateau, and easy access to soak — without needing a medical reason to come.
自炊 — cook your own, at your own pace
Self-catering is core to traditional touji. Our shared indoor kitchen and the unmanned farm shop (local meat, vegetables, and Tsumagoi cabbage) let you cook simply and eat well, on your own schedule — no restaurant reservations, no rush.
Touji cycle (湯治サイクル)
−15% · ¥6,114/night · One round (7 nights)
Three onsen towns, one plateau base
Kusatsu (~35 min while the Shiga–Kusatsu route is open; ~50–60 min via Mihara in winter), Manza (~10 min on clear roads, ~15 min in snow) and Shima (~55 min) are three well-known touji onsen towns — all reachable from the same quiet plateau base. See the full circuit, 泉質 and factual notes on the Attractions page.
Tent, wood stove, chair and table, cook set, lantern — all rentable when you reserve at least 2 days before check-in. Sleeping bags and mats are paid procurement on request (ask on LINE, 2+ days ahead) — rental tents are the tent shell only. You pitch your own tent; we gladly teach you how, we don't do it for you.
Touji is Japan's centuries-old tradition of long, unhurried stays near a hot spring to rest and reset — historically self-catered, at a gentle pace, over days or weeks (see Kusatsu's long touji history).
Tsumagoi mirrors that rhythm: a shared kitchen for self-catering, a quiet 1,444m plateau away from crowds, and three storied onsen towns — Kusatsu, Manza, Shima — within an hour to soak at.
This is a cultural rest practice, not a medical treatment.
Yes — プチ湯治 (a short, modern take on touji) is exactly what a 2–3 night stay here is built for.
3–5 nights already qualify for the long-stay ladder, and the self-catering kitchen and quiet plateau work the same whether you stay 2 nights or 21.
Many guests use a weekday petit-touji break to combine a quiet highland reset with a soak at Kusatsu, Manza or Shima.
Start your touji, from a single night
No minimum stay, no medical reason required — book a night, a petit touji weekend, or a full 一廻り (7-night round) at the same all-in rate.
しぜん
自然
Nature & Sightseeing
09 nearby spots
弐Vol II
Summer ridge / winter detour
Nature
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Wild Japanese macaques in an outdoor bath. Official car access is Shinshu-Nakano IC to the free Kanbayashi lot, then about 30 minutes on foot (2 km). Also reachable from Yudanaka by bus + walk. The summer ranch shortcut over the Shiga–Kusatsu pass is closed in winter (Route 292). Go around via Shinshu-Nakano / Yudanaka — do not treat “30 minutes” as year-round.
The Shibu Onsen forest road to Jigokudani parking is also closed in winter. The park has unpaved paths, stairs, and slopes — no wheelchairs or carts. Sources: park official access; Gunma winter closures.
Dramatic volcanic rock garden from Mt. Asama's 1783 eruption. Walk among ancient lava formations.
45 min drive
Shiraito Falls
Beautiful 3m waterfall cascading over 70m wide rock face. Peaceful forest walk to reach it.
25 min drive
Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane
Active volcano with Yugama crater lakes. Popular hiking in summer — check volcanic alerts before you go.
15 min drive
Manza Ski Resort
Ski December to April; Manza Onsen is about 10 minutes for a soak after.
30 min drive
Palcall Tsumagoi Ski Resort
Tsumagoi's ski resort with wide slopes and short lift lines. Great for families, never crowded.
60 min drive
Karuizawa
Historic resort town with shopping outlets, restaurants, and beautiful nature trails.
Summer ridge / Nagano side in winter
Shiga Kogen
Nineteen linked ski areas. The summer ridge from the ranch is unusable while Route 292 is in winter closure — enter from the Nagano side (Hinosaka / Shinshu-Nakano) in that season.
Tenguyama Gate to Shibu Pass (17.9 km) closes every winter, typically mid-November to late April (Gunma Prefecture). After it reopens, Sessho-gawara to Manza junction may stay restricted on volcanic alert.
Winter: studless tires or chains. The ranch to Manza town uses the Manza Highway (year-round toll, cash only). The Shiga–Kusatsu ridge (Route 292, Tenguyama Gate to Shibu Pass) closes every winter — typically mid-November to late April, and the dates move with snow. Check the Gunma Prefecture road page before you go. For Jigokudani, Yamanouchi, or Shiga Kogen in winter, go via Shinshu-Nakano / Yudanaka — do not plan the summer 30-minute pass. Sessho-gawara to Manza junction can stay restricted on volcanic alert. Check the prefecture page before you leave.
