Shirahone Onsen - Awa No Yu, Nagano

Entry: 800 yen or 1000 yen with a towel

Hours: 10am to 2pm

Phone: 0263932101（7:00～22:00）

Address: 〒390-1515 長野県松本市安曇白骨温泉

Sauna: No

Mixed bathing: Yes, with segregated facilities and additional baths
http://www.awanoyu-ryokan.com/

Shirahone Onsen is an onsen town located between Takayama and Matsumoto, high in the North Japan Alps accessed via highway 158, an iconic road for most Japanese motorists.

Access is by car from either town or by bus from either station, although bus access might be very limited in the off season.

Awanoyu is one of the more famous onsen within the highly rated onsen village Shirahone.

The waters have a high calcium and magnesium content which makes for extremely white water. Visibility under the water is limited to about 15 cms after which everything disappears into milky whiteness.

The big outdoor bath is surrounded by a large garden, and entry is via an old and original wooden bathing pavilion. The design of the pavilion is quite good, with steps leading down to the water within the buiding so that by the time one emerges into the large outdoor mixed bath, the milky water is already covering the essentials. As this onsen has the potential to be quite crowded in the high season, this is a welcome and thoughtful design feature, although anyone over 6ft will have to use a towel for modesty when walking into and around in the bath.

There are three pipes pumping water feeding the bath from 100 metres below the surface. The wooden housing of the pipes is traditional and sympathetic to the location. Additionally the 2 metre drop provides a great massage from within the bath.

The water, at 39.5 degrees is not as hot as many onsen we have visited, which means that one can spend longer in the water without needing to cool off. If you are seeking a hotter bath, there are hot baths inside the segregated bathhouses, at about 42.5 degrees.

There are also segregated outdoor baths. These are lovely little peaceful baths although not quite as picturesque as the great outdoor bath.