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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Kusatsu
草津
Go for one night, two if you want a full soak day: the town is small, the baths are the point, and a day trip from Tokyo costs 8+ hours in transit.
Kusatsu is a hot-spring town at about 1,200 m on the edge of Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park, one of Japan's three famous springs and fed by more than 32,000 litres of hot water a minute from Mt. Kusatsu-Shirane. There is no train station: you arrive by bus or via Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, then walk the centre. Come for the water, the yubatake and the open-air baths, not for a sightseeing checklist.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 草津
- Best months
- May–Jun, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (deep snow and road closures), Golden Week and Obon
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Sainokawara Open-air Bath | ¥600 adults, ¥300 children |
| Otaki Hot Spring | ¥900 adults, ¥400 children |
| Goza Hot Spring | ¥600 adults, ¥300 children |
| Yumomi ceremony at Netsu-no-yu | ¥700 adults, ¥350 children |
| Hand-made soba or wide udon set meal | ¥1,000–1,700 |
| Coffee or a soft drink | ¥400–700 |
| Beer, local craft or a can from a shop | ¥600–900 / ¥250–350 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- HND · Tokyo Haneda
- Bus or rail to Tokyo, then the Jōshu Yūmeguri bus from Shinjuku or the limited express from Ueno; about 4–5 h door to door.
- NRT · Tokyo Narita
- Add about 1 h to reach Shinjuku or Ueno before the onward leg.
Typical fares
- Shinjuku → Kusatsu, Jōshu Yūmeguri bus
- ¥3,000–3,600, about 4 h
- Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi → Kusatsu, bus
- ¥710, 25 min
- Town loop bus
- ¥100 a ride
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable but hilly; the town loop bus costs ¥100 and links the bus terminal, the Yubatake and the bigger hotels. Free hotel shuttles run from the bus terminal and the Yubatake. A bus line connects the terminal with the ski area.
See and do
Known for
- Yubatake hot-water field
- Sainokawara Open-air Bath
- Yumomi water-cooling ceremony
- Kusatsu-Shirane volcano and crater lake
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Karuizawa | Bus from Kusatsu Onsen bus terminal, about 1 h 20 min | About 1.5 h |
| Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi and the Agatsuma Line | Bus from the bus terminal, 25 min, ¥710 | About 40 min |
| Kusatsu-Shirane crater lake | Car or taxi up the Shirane volcano road | About 30 min |
| Minakami | Bus or car via Naganohara, then rail | 2–3 h |
Sleep
- Around the Yubatake
- The centre: baths, shops and food on foot. Most expensive and books out first in autumn and on weekends.
- Sainokawara side
- 10–15 min walk west of the Yubatake, next to the park and the big open-air bath; quieter.
- Kusatsu Hotel Village / ski-area side
- 15 min walk or a short bus ride out; larger hotels, Therme Therme and the ski area.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| One adult, please | 大人一枚くださいotona ichimai kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- No train station: the last bus from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi leaves in the early evening, so check the timetable before a late arrival.
- The water is strongly acidic and hot: rinse off, don't put your head under, and keep metal jewellery out of the bath.
- Winter brings snow and ice on the pavements and occasional road closures over the pass; carry grip soles.
- Many small baths and shops take cash only.
Very safe for tourists; the real risks are the 70 °C (158 °F) acidic water, icy pavements in winter and a missed last bus. Japan's emergency numbers work here: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance.Very safe for tourists; the real risks are the 158 °F (70 °C) acidic water, icy pavements in winter and a missed last bus. Japan's emergency numbers work here: 110 police, 119 fire and ambulance.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kusatsu yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Yubatake hot-water field
- Sainokawara Open-air Bath
- Yumomi water-cooling ceremony
- Kusatsu-Shirane volcano and crater lake
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kusatsu town official site: www.town.kusatsu.gunma.jp/
- Kusatsu Onsen tourist association portal: www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/portal/
- Wikivoyage: Kusatsu, revision 5330867 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5330867
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kusatsu草津
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in town; most are in Tokyo. The US embassy is in Tokyo (check the address).
Baths are shared and mostly naked; tattoos may be refused at some facilities, so ask first or book a private bath.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kusatsu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.