Utsukushigahara Onsen is located on the outskirts of Matsumoto City, 800 meters above sea level at the foot of the Utsukushigahara Plateau. It is several kilometers away from Utsukushi-ga-hara Plateau in a straight line.
It is a historic hot spring resort, and the old townscape still remains. As for public bathhouses, “Shiraito no Yu” exists.
History
Utsukushigahara Onsen has a long history and was already in operation during the Nara Period (710-794). The Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) records that Emperor Temmu visited a hot spring called “Sokuma no Onyu,” which is presumed to be the current Utsukushigahara Onsen, in the early Nara period (710-794).
From the Azuchi-Momoyama period to the Edo period (1603-1867), it was used as a resort for successive lords of the Matsumoto domain, and the bathing facility “Yamabe Chaya” was established as a gotenyu.
As the number of visitors to the therapeutic baths increased, so did the number of lodging facilities, and in the Meiji period (1868-1912), the area was named “Yamabe Onsen” (hot spring in Yamabe).
The name of the hot spring was changed to “Utsukushi-ga-hara Onsen” in the 1950s, but it is still known locally as “Shiraito-no-yu” or “Goten-no-yu.
The name “Shiraito no Yu” is still used today as a public bathhouse. It is a hot spring resort with a quiet and tranquil atmosphere where visitors can feel the historical significance of the area.
Spring Quality and Benefits
Utsukushigahara Onsen is a simple, slightly alkaline hot spring, with a temperature of 42 to 45 degrees Celsius. It has a gushing volume of 1,246 liters per minute. It is said to be effective for neuralgia and arteriosclerosis.
In 1983, it was designated as a National Recreational Hot Spring Resort by the Environment Agency.