[Access] About a 40-minute drive from Horai-kyo IC
[Website] Togashima Onsen Yu~Land Pal Toyone (Japanese)
After enjoying the autumn foliage at Sumatakyo Gorge last week, I decided to visit Tenryukyo Gorge this time, hoping for more beautiful autumn colors.
After strolling through the gorge and admiring the scenic views of the Central and Southern Japan Alps, I set out to find a hot spring. Among the options I noticed en route – Togashima, Anan, Shimojo, and Tenryukyo Onsen – the uniquely named Togashima Onsen caught my attention, so I decided to give it a try.
Togashima Onsen is a municipal hot spring located in Toyone Village, Aichi Prefecture, near the Nagano border. Upon entering the building and removing my shoes, I found the reception desk, with the hot spring area to the left and a free rest area to the right. Surprisingly, there are no souvenir shops or local specialty displays, which are commonly found in similar facilities.
At the reception, I was told, “Sorry, it’s a bit crowded today,” so I braced myself for a packed bathhouse. However, the large indoor bath only had a few people. Near the entrance, there’s a sauna, and the loud rushing sound comes from a vigorous waterfall bath. Toward the back, there’s also an outdoor bath to enjoy.
Togashima Onsen’s onsen water is a sodium bicarbonate-chloride spring (alkaline, low mineral content, low temperature) with a source temperature of 25.2°C and a total mineral content of 1210 mg/kg. As described in the brochure, the water feels silky smooth, like lotion, leaving your skin soft and hydrated. While it didn’t leave as strong an impression as Sumatakyo Onsen’s incredible water, it’s still a gentle, skin-friendly onsen. This type of spring seems to be common in the area, stretching from northern Hamamatsu through Oku-Mikawa and into Nagano.