Nagano · Bessho Onsen, Ueda
Bessho Onsen Daishiyu
別所温泉 大師湯
A public bath of Bessho Onsen named after the monk Ennin, known as Jikaku Daishi, who is said to have bathed here. It draws source no. 3 straight through with no recirculation and opens at 6:00 in the morning, so it is good for an early soak. It costs 300 yen for adults and closes on Thursdays. Standing in the middle of the spa street, it is a convenient base for walking the three outer baths with the Kannon temple and the great gate.
- Price (adult)
- ¥300
- Hours
- 6:00–21:00
- Closed
- Thu
- Access
- About 10 minutes on foot from Bessho-Onsen Station on the Ueda Dentetsu Bessho Line; about 30 minutes by car from Ueda-Sugadaira IC.
- Water type
- Sulfur spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- 300 yen for adults. Bring soap and a towel; the valuables locker is a 100-yen return type. Children under six are free.
- Baths
- A small communal bath with a single tub. Source no. 3 flows straight through, and the layout runs simply from the changing room into the bath.
- Spring water
- An alkaline simple sulphur spring, hypotonic and hot, with a sulphur note in the water, described as soft on the skin.
- Access & parking
- About 10 minutes on foot from Bessho-Onsen Station. The spa street has paid parking for roughly 30 to 40 cars, and this bath sits close by.
- Day bathing
- Only the three outer baths, Ishiyu, Daishiyu and Oyu, are open to day visitors. On the 26th of each month, the bath day, elementary pupils and younger bathe free.
- Tattoos
- No tattoo policy is posted. As a communal bath, it is worth checking in advance.
- Phone
- 0268-38-0244
- Official site
- bessho-spa.jp ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Full flow-through from source no. 3
- A public bath open from 6:00
- Outer-bath price of 300 yen
Full flow-through straight from source no. 3
One of the three outer baths of Bessho, keeping the name of the monk Ennin. Water overflows continuously from a plain tub, so the feel of the spring comes through untouched. It opens at 6:00, which fits well before or after a walk around the spa street.
How to use it and what to watch for
It costs 300 yen, runs from 6:00 to 21:00 and closes on Thursdays. Bringing soap and a towel is the safe choice, and valuables go in the 100-yen return locker. Locals use it from early morning, so the changing room is best kept quiet. The three outer baths are close together, and all of them can be covered on foot.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- As a communal bath there is no soap or shampoo — bring your own or buy at the shop.
- The water runs hot (43–45°C). Don't add cold water; take short repeated dips instead.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Mood & scenery
Price
Convenience
Who with
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-10 Operating status and rates cross-checked against the official site and onsen guides (full source notes in Japanese on the JA page)
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
More in this area
Jigokudani Onsen Korakukan
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O-yu (Nozawa outer bath)
The centerpiece of Nozawa's 13 public baths, a traditional bathhouse in the middle of the village. Local 'yunakama' associations have cleaned it daily since the Edo period; payment is a donation in the box at the door. Two pools, hot and 'mild' — though even the mild one exceeds 42°C. Adding cold water is bad manners: rinse first, then keep soaks short. No soap or shampoo.
Shirahone Onsen Awanoyu
The signature inn of Shirahone, famous for milky-white water. Its highlight is a large mixed-gender open-air bath — the water is so opaque that women find it comfortable. Day use at midday only.
