Shiobara Hot Springs
Shiobara is a Hot Spring area in the mountains of Tochigi, north of Tokyo. It is not as well known as Kusatsu and the atmosphere is quieter, with less tourists but also less focus on getting tourists to come. The whole point of coming it to relax in a hot spring and enjoy the peace and quiet, so tourists are welcome but there are no big events or attractions to pull in the crowds, like Kusatsu.
Access to Shiobara and recommendations
- Bus and hotel package from Tokyo (Ikebukuro – cheap!)
- JR bus direct to Shiobara Hot Springs (forgot this option)
- JR Train (Shikansen) to nearby station then bus (best option)
You can buy a package which includes a hotel stay for 1 night and bus to and from Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo. However, these are incredibly foreigner unfriendly, take a long time and often require a change of bus half way. They are incredible cheap however, but the hotel will often also be cheap. Don’t be cheap in Japan! In any case, you almost certainly have a JR Pass that allows free travel on the Shinkansen. Go to Utsunomiya where you can sample Gyoza, and then Nasushiobara station is only an extra 20 minutes north. There are direct JR buses however the JR English website is horrendous (you have to select the prefecture first before you can select the bus route) and there is only 1 bus a day, and even that didn’t show up on the English search, only the Japanese site. So forget the direct bus. Too much stress!
Shikansen then bus?
Shibara’s official homepage tells you to go to Nasushiobara Station and take a bus, however what they don’t tell you is those buses are not very frequent. In fact there are only four buses per day. The trip takes an hour by bus.
Buses are far more frequent from the nearby station, Nishi-nasuno. This station isn’t serviced by the Shinkansen. However, you can get there easily from Ustunomiya Station by regular train and it only takes an extra 10 minutes. Buses are far more frequent (and slightly cheaper as less distance).
The full plan for Shiobara Hot Springs overnight stay
Follow something like this plan and you’ll be fine.
1) Train from Tokyo to Utsunomiya Station (Jorudan Link).
That will get you there early enough to search for some Gyoza, walk around, and then after lunch see any other local sights.
2) Take the local train to Nishi-Nasuno (Jorudan link).
3) Then take the bus from Nishi-Nasuno station to Shiobara Onsen Terminal Station (Jorudan Link). Exit the West side and the bus stops are just outside. You’ll have to find the one that says Shiobara Onsen Bus Terminal (In Japanese – 塩原温泉バスターミナル). That is the last stop. You pay when you get off (click here for bus etiquette in Japan).
4) Once you arrive at Shiohama Onsen Bus Terminal, you can walk to you hotel of choice. “When Japan” stayed in a cheap hotel where the food wasn’t that great, so pick a traditional inn from the list on the Shiobara website (link). There are also local tourist spots listed there however the point is to relax in the hot springs, so just walk around and try the “Yuppo No Sato” foot baths (you can’t miss the building – it sticks out as freshly modern in a very traditional town) and also fish your own fresh fish and have them cooked then and there.
On your way or back to Tokyo?
You can head back to Tokyo the way you came or else head on north. Going back can be less stressful so just pick a bus time that suits you, and aim to be where you are going by dinner time.
