Onsen-by-Cable-Car
Hishino Onsen Tokiwakan : 菱野温泉常盤館
Ride a Cable Car up to Tokiwakan’s Panorama Onsen Baths.
Eastern Nagano
Description
In Hishino Onsen high above Komoro City, Ryokan Tokiwakan has a unique for the method of transportation to get to their onsen bath with a view: cable car! Hop in the car and operate it yourself for the 1-1/2 minute ride up the hillside. The baths feature a panoramic view (on a clear day, you can even see Mt. Fuji in the distance) plus have some fantastic architecture and all the amenities you need, such as soap, body soap, shampoo, towel rental, hair drier, etc. making it convenient to use.
Recommendation
At an elevation of around 1000-meters, Hishino Onsen is high up above Komoro City and the Chikuma River Valley. One of the inns there, Tokiwakan, has a large communal bath in their main building. But the claim to fame is their outdoor bath perched even higher up the hillside, and accessed via a cable car. Bathers go for a 1-1/2 minute ride in the car that they operate themselves to reach the bathing facilities. The view is outstanding -- one of the best of any onsen in Nagano. On a clear day, you can see as far as Mt. Fuji.
Nagano has more day-use onsens than any other prefecture. So it is fitting that there are some pretty unusual and unique onsen baths in Nagano. And everyone in Nagano loves to soak in onsens -- even the monkeys (c.f. the world-famous snow monkeys at Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park). There's even a book on Nagano's Top 100 Day-Use Hot Springs (https://www.createspace.com/4086253).
Details
- Hours
- 11:00-16:00 (last entrance) for day-use.
- Date(s)
- Open daily, but closed occasionally for maintenance.
- Cost / Price of Admission
- ¥1000 (¥500 for children 3+) for day-use.
- Time Required
- 45 min
- Reservations
- Not required
- Foreign Languages
- English
- Luggage Storage
- Available
Notes
Access is definitely easier if you have a car, as it's a bit expensive by taxi.
Contact
tel : +81(0)267-22-0516fax : +81(0)267-23-5648Official site
Access / Location
- By Train
- From Komoro Station(Shinano Railway), by taxi 15 min. (approx. 2200), or Community Bus (100, approx. 35 min., 3 runs daily, does not operate on Saturdays or Sundays)
- By Car
- From Komoro IC, turn left off the exit and go up to Asama Sun Line ("T"-intersection) and turn right. At next light (Hishino signal) turn right and climb higher. Tokiwakan will be on the left. (12 min., 6km)
- Address
- 762-2 Hishidaira, Komoro 384-0041
Nearby Attractions
Sightseeing Spots
- Komoro Castle Ruins Kaikoen : Unusual "Castle in a Hole" with Beautifully Landscaped Grounds
- Nonou Graveyard : The Final Resting Ground of the Lady Ninjas
- Oiwake-juku Post Town : Historical Crossroads Post Town Popular with Literary Scholars
- Kakuma Gorge : Mythical Ninja Training Ground – the Sarutobi Boulders
- Unno-juku Post Town : Post Town with Distinctive Architecture and Beautiful Streetscape
Accommodation
- Mountainside Tokiwakan in Komoro : Ride a Cable Car to an Above-The-Clouds Outdoor Onsen Bath.
- Nakadanasou in Komoro : Old-fashioned Inn, Favorite of Shimazaki Toson. A Quiet Retreat for Adults.
- Takamine Onsen "Lamp Inn" : Romantic “Oil Lamp”-themed inn located at 2000 m featuring a panoramic “Above-the-Clouds” Bath.
- Hoshinoya Karuizawa : “Discover the Ultimate Japan Experience”
- Karuizawa's Cottage inn Log-Cabin : Log Cabin in the Woods -- Best Way to Enjoy Karuizawa's Nature.
Restaurants
- Teisyaba Garden : Tea Time in a Community Flower Garden.
- Shabu-shabu Log-tei : Wagyu dining in Karuizawa's forest.
- Kokuzo : Natural Yeast Artisan Bread Shop in a 150-Year Old Farmhouse.
- Karuizawa Torimikura : Poultry Restaurant boasting Local-Sourcing and Local-Cuisine.
- Sasa : Popular Soba and other Japanese Dishes at Reasonable Prices.
Activities
- Jam-Making and Jam Factory Tour : Learn How to Make Jam From a Professional
- Flying Squirrel Watching Tour : Twilight Forest Walk to See Flying Squirrels.
- Curling Lesson 60 : Try Your Hand at Curling at Japan's Largest Year-Round Curling Center.
- Glass Blowing in Karuizawa : Try a New Experience While Visiting Nagano – Glassblowing!
- Volunteer Guide Tours in Ueda : Have a Volunteer English Guide Show You Ueda's Castle Town!