[Access] Get off at Ujiie Station (JR Utsunomiya Line) and take a 20-minute bus ride
[Fee] 300 yen

Speaking of Kitsuregawa, I’ve visited Ujiie Matsushima Onsen nearby once before, but I heard that Kitsuregawa has a totally different and top-notch water quality, so I just had to check it out.
After taking a 20-minute bus ride from the JR Utsunomiya Line and walking for about 15 minutes from Kitsuregawa Motomachi, a small lodge-style building came into view—it felt a little out of place for this spot. It’s a simple municipal facility with nothing but a large open-air bath that can fit about 20 people. There were quite a few older folks soaking and chatting away; it had the warm vibe of a local community hub.
The water is a clear brown that looks golden when the sun hits it. If you taste it, it’s quite salty and has a strong, petroleum-like scent. In fact, looking at the surface, you can see a faint rainbow-like sheen reflecting the sun, so there might be some oil content in it. According to the analysis report, the source is 50.1°C, and it seems to flow directly into the far side of the bath, making it pretty hot there. The middle of the large tub felt just right. Even the water from the taps is onsen water—when you try to turn it on, it makes these funny “gurgle-gurgle, rumble-rumble” sounds, which is quite amusing.
I chatted with an older guy for a bit and found out that some people actually drive from quite far away. They seem to gather every weekend to enjoy the hot springs and a good chat. It felt like it was mostly regulars.
The water is a sodium chloride spring, which warms you to the core and keeps you from getting chilly afterward. Maybe because of the high mineral concentration, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me right after getting out—the kind where you just want to lie down and take a nap if you can.

Right nearby, there’s an onsen water vending machine, and quite a few people were buying some. As the signs suggest, there isn’t much else around, but it’s a really great hot spring.