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There is also a city called Kusatsu in Shiga, Japan.

Kusatsu (草津) [1] [dead link] is a famous hot-spring resort in Gunma, Japan. It is one of the Three Famous Springs (三名泉) in the 17th century ranking of Hayashi Razan, and remains highly rated and popular to this day.

Kusatsu

Get in

Unusually enough for Japan, Kusatsu does not have a train station of its own. The nearest station is Naganohara Kusatsuguchi (長野原草津口), 2:30 away from Tokyo by the direct express train (¥4620), from where you can take a connecting bus (25 min, ¥670) to Kusatsu itself.

JR also operates the Jōshu Yūmeguri (上州ゆめぐり) direct bus several times a day from Shinjuku (Tokyo), which takes around 4 hours and charges ¥3000/5600 one-way/return. There is also a SpaLiner Kusatsu service from Nagoya, which takes six hours and charges ¥6000/10800 one-way/return.

Get around

The size of Kusatsu is not very big and major transportation is going to be bus or car. There is a shuttle bus in winter time. One coin bus is useful for tourist because it is going to provide a tour of most of major tour sites of Kusatsu and it costs only 100 yen.

See

Map
36°37′23″N 138°35′48″E
Map of Kusatsu
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane
  • 1 Yubatake (湯畑け). Literally "Hot Water Field", this hot spring located in the center of town gushes out 5,000 liters of 70°C water per minute, making it Japan's largest. There is an elaborate cooling system of wooden conduits and a number of baths directly around it. free. 
  • 2 Kusatsu shirane mountain (草津白根). Shirane mountain is an active volcano and the crater lake is famous as a tour site. color of the water of crater lake is emerald green. 
  • Joshinetu kogen national park （上信越国立公園）. is the second biggest national park in Japan. There are several mountains, lake, and hills includes shirane mountain.

Asama Volcano Museum is good for from kids to adults to experience power of volcano and a global beat of the earth. Kusatsu visitor center is to learn the relationship between Kusatsu hot spring and volcano and nature and plants of Kusatsu.

  • Kataoka Ryutaro art museum （片岡竜太郎美術館）. is a art museum of Japanese artist Kataoka Ryutaro. the concept is to be a place which people can stop by with yukata（浴衣） that is Japanese traditional clothes. There is a shop for souvenir.
  • Tropical wonder land （トロピカルワンダーランド熱帯園）. is tropical area which people can see different types of animals. In the jungle dome, they create subtropical area by using the hot spring heat and keep in the dome warm, so animals are able to survive. Entrance fee for adults is 1000 yen and 700 yen for school kids and 600 yen for children.
  • 3 Kusatsu Berutsu memorial hall (草津ベルツ記念館). Small exhibit in memory of Erwin von Bälz, who discovered the good effects of Kusatsu hot spring. 
  • Kusatsu international ski area（草津国際スキー場）.In the winter time, Kusatsu is famous for ski area and this place is good to visit. It also is a nice hiking area.
  • 4 Sainokawara Park. A small valley with a river and natural hot springs. free. 

Do

Kusatsu Onsen

The water in the Kusatsu hot springs is strongly sulphuric, and is famous for making the skin beautiful. (The flip side is that it smells like rotten eggs.) In addition, it is said that Kusatsu hot spring had effect on poor blood circulation, muscular pain, and so on.

Hot spring

Kusatsu hot spring is very famous for the tourists to visit.

  • Sainogawara outdoor bath （西の河原露天風呂）. It is located in Sainogawar Park　and 15 minutes walking from Yubatake（湯畑）. This is the biggest outdoor bath in kusatsu. 500 yen for adults. 300 yen for children.
  • Otaki hot spring （大滝乃湯）. It's located 5 minutes from Yubatake（湯畑）. There are different kinds of hot springs and it's known as department store of hot spring. There is a restaurant to eat and also people are able to use massage service by appointment in front office. 800 yen for adults. 400 yen for children.
  • Berutu hot spring center （ベルツ温泉センター）. Located 15 minutes from Yubatake（湯畑） by car.　There is a view bath which is covered by a big sunroof, so people are able to feel open and this view bath is big enough for thirty to forty people. This Berutu hot spring center is located just in front of Kusatsu ski center. 900 yen for adults and children.
  • Terume Terume （テルメテルメ）. Located 15 minutes from Yubatake（湯畑） by walk. This Terume Terume is in the Nakazawa village（中沢ヴィレッジ） which also has hotel, cottage, golf course and ski area. The concept of this facility is German hot spring plus Japanese traditional taste of hot spring. There are warm swimming pool and water sliders and two kinds of area which are hot spring area and swimming suit area. Hot spring area: 890 yen(weekdays), 1100 yen(holidays). Hot spring + Swimming suit area: 1310 yen(weekdays),1730 yen(holidays).
  • Kusatsu big bath （草津ビッグバス）. Located 15 minutes from Yubatake（湯畑） by walk. Kusatsu big bath is part facilities of Nau resort hotel. It's open twenty four hours. 800 yen(weekdays). 1000 yen(holidays).
  • Kusatsu hot spring hall （草津温泉館）. located 15 minutes from Yubatake（湯畑） by walk. This hall is one of the facilities in kusatsu highland hotel（草津ハイランドホテル）. 800 yen for adults. 400 yen for children.
  • Craft and folk craft, Kusatsu city, 872-1, ☏ +81 279-88-8383. In the city, one of the activities is to experience making Kusatsu craft. 

Events There are several events in Kusatsu throughout year.

  • Flower festival （花祭り）. is on May.
  • Shirane shrine festival （白根神社祭り）. is on July.
  • Kusatsu hot spring thanksgiving festival　（草津温泉感謝祭）. is on August.
  • Kusatsu international music academy&festival（草津国際音楽アカデミー＆フェステバル）. is on August.
  • Summer Insect-collecting （夏休み昆虫採集大会）. is on August for family.
  • Yubatake special light up （湯畑特別ライトアップ）. is on March.


Buy

  • 1 Yoritomo (頼朝), Kusatsu city, 116-2 (3 minutes from Kusatsu hot spring bus terminal), ☏ +81 279 88-8146. 9AM~6PM. is a one of a souvenir shops in Kusatsu. 600¥. 
  • Honda souvenir shop (本多みやげ店), ☏ +81 279-88-2155. 8AM ~22PM. 
  • Yamagataya souvenir shop (山形屋土産店), ☏ +81 279-88-2234. 8:30~22:00. This shop is famous for beckoning cat（招き猫） and there are thousands of beckoning cats in this shop. 
  • center yutaka (センター豊), ☏ +81 279-88-9320. 8:00~21:00. Different kind of unique souvenir items. 

Eat

File:Rengetsutsuji.jpg
Rhododendron
  • 1 Aoyama (あおやま), Kusatsu city, 497-1. Hand-made buckwheat noodles restaurant which is located on Sainogawara Street. There are varieties of hot soba, cool soba, and rice. 
  • Chikyu-ya （地球屋）. Kusatsu city,157. is a good place to eat creation dish. Beef stew is a key item in this restaurant which is made of Joshu beef by boiling for five hours. there is also sweet fish risotto set which price is 1050 yen that os good for lunch. They have some unique named dessert such as "A whisper of an evil " which is a chocolate cake.
  • cafe・shinkichi （カフェ・シンキチ）. Kusatsu city, 524-104. Daily original special bagel will be sold. daily lunch and side menu are served and serve few kinds of alcohol drink.
  • Taketomo dining （たけとも食堂）. Kusatsu city, 486-5. is a dining which is located on center of the Kusatsu city and famous menu is "Maitake-mushrooms pork cutlet", price is 1580 yen. They serve hot and cool soba, and different types of bowls and law meal which will be served main dish with few side dishes.
  • Donguri　（どんぐり）. kusatsu city, 562-16. is a famous European restaurant. they have been taken up with television and magazine. a famous item is acorn hamburg for 1050 yen.
  • Tuki-ya （月や）. kusatsu city, 470-30. is a famous Shabu-shabu restaurant which was opened in 2006. It's taken up with TV and key item in this restaurant is "pork shabu-shabu set' for 1700 yen.
  • ma Sushi　（眞すし）. kusatsu city, 340. is located in center of Kusatsu and local people often go this place. They provide variety kinds of sushi and each season, they have special menu. This place is often used as party place.
  • Kusatsu Plateau Beer (草津高原ビール), Kusatsu city,454-13, ☏ +81 279-88-3444. 9:00~20:00. Beer which is good for health is the feature and a target. Water is from Czech republic. 
  • Ramen ichiban (らーめん壱番), kusatsu city,116-2, ☏ +81 279-88-3732. 11:30～14:30、19:30～23:30. there are eight types of ramen. 
  • Ryu en (龍燕), Kusatsu city,116-2, ☏ +81 279-88-3777. Lunch 11:30～14:30 Dinner 17:00～21:30. Ryu en is a Chinese restaurant located just in front of yubatake（湯畑）. 

Drink

Sleep

Hotels with outdoor bath

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