[Access] About 5 minutes by car from Sonohara IC
[Website] Minami-shinshu Achi-mura Tsukikawa Onsen Village Noguma no sho Gessen (Japanese)
While planning my hike to Mt. Ena, as usual, I was looking for a hot spring to visit after the hike. I noticed Tsukikawa Onsen, located relatively close to the Hirogawara trailhead. On the way to the trailhead by car, I saw a sign pointing to the entrance of Tsukikawa Onsen, so even though I hadn’t researched it much, I decided to stop by.
The inn seemed to be tucked away deep in the mountains on the map, but upon arriving, I was surprised to find a spacious parking lot for buses and a fairly new building. The inn’s name, “Gessen”, had me wondering if it was “Gessen Onsen” instead of “Tsukikawa Onsen,” but it turned out the full name is “Tsukikawa Onsen Gessen.” Since it’s located near the trailhead, I expected the hot spring to be packed with people, especially after a sunny day of hiking. However, I was lucky enough to get there early and have the place mostly to myself for a while.
The indoor bath has large open windows, allowing you to enjoy a view of the Japanese garden-style outdoor bath. The greenery was stunning that day. The onsen water is an alkaline simple spring with a pH of 9.03 and a total mineral content of 402.4 mg/kg. While it’s not considered a “rich” hot spring, I felt refreshed after bathing, and my skin became smooth. According to the hot spring analysis, the water contains fluoride ions and radon, qualifying it as a hot spring under Japanese law. The radon content is 5.87 Mache/kg (79.0 Bq/kg), which is slightly below the 8.25 Mache/kg required for therapeutic springs.
I enjoyed the outdoor bath, basking in the sunlight and relaxing in the peaceful environment. There was a shaded rest area where I could cool down. Just as I was about to leave, a group of hikers arrived, so I was lucky to have the bath to myself for a while.
Looking around the inn, I realized I had seen this place before in a post on Facebook or somewhere, describing it as a “paradise.” It turns out this is that place.
After my soak, I decided to drive to Tsumago-juku. In addition to hiking Mt. Ena and visiting the post towns of Tsumago and Magome, you can also enjoy the beautiful starry skies and sea of clouds at nearby Heavens Sonohara. Unfortunately, I missed the peach blossom season, which lasts from mid-April to early May, but I’d love to visit again at the right time to enjoy everything this area has to offer.
