Kusatsu Hot Spring Trip 2 (Part 2) / 草津温泉旅行 ２（パート２）

We pulled into our pension about 5 in the evening. We decided to have dinner before heading out to baths. Dinner was to be served at 6pm so we had an hour to relax and get settled in our rooms. This was the same pension we stayed at the last time we came to Kusatsu and we were also given the same rooms. We actually took turns using the bath at the pension which also uses hot spring water. The men's bath was under construction so we took turns as couple using the bath before dinner.

今夜泊まる宿に到着したのは午後５時。夕飯は一時間後に用意されるからちょっとの間部屋でリラックス。食べ終わたっら温泉巡りに出かける。時間もあったのでペンションのお風呂にも入りました。ペンションも温泉あり。男湯は工事中の為、お互い家族風呂で女性湯を使用。夕飯の前のお風呂も気持ちいい。

Our pension we would be staying the night at is called [The Spur]. We were given the same rooms as last time as well.

泊まる宿はプチペンションの「シュプール」。

Our room had three beds (although we would only be using two).

私たちの部屋にベッドは３ありましたが２しか使いません。

Yukio relaxing in his room.

幸男も結構疲れたみたい。

Dinner time / 夕食の時間

Grilled fish / 焼魚

Maguro topped with tororo / マグロの山掛け

Hot pot ingredients / 鍋の材料

Persimmon filled with fruit and veggies / 柿のサラダ

Fried oysters / カキフライ

Green veggie / 山菜

After dinner, time to head to the main area of Kusatsu and time to take many baths! Our first stop would be to Sai no Kawara, a large outdoor bath with an entrance fee.

食べ終わったら草津の賑わいエリアとやっぱりお風呂の時間ですね！最初に目指すのは「西の河原露天風呂」。有料なんですが、最高に良い露天風呂。

Sai no Kawara Park / 西の河原公園

Inari Jinja / 稲荷神社

Photography is not allowed. This picture is from the outdoor bath's website.  Check the URL below for more information. (text only in Japanese)

写真撮影はもちろん禁じられてるので、上記のもの公式サイトから。詳し情報は下記のURLをご覧になって下さい。

http://sainokawara.com/

Heading to the next public bath.

次の温泉へ。

We are heading to the yubatake, the main area of the resort.

草津の名所の湯畑に向かってる。

Frogs / 蛙

Hand bath / 手の湯

Yubatake / 湯畑

The next bath we would experience. There are two baths inside and both of them are really hot! I managed to soak in the lesser of two hot baths but not for very long. I only managed to get my legs wet in the hotter of the two and immediately got out that one. Yukio managed to sit up to his neck but got out quite soon as well. Mikako managed to soak in the hotter of the two on the women's side but when another bather came in, making the water seem even hotter, it looks like she had a slight burn on her legs! I think the temperature of the baths range from 47-50 degrees Celsius (that would be 116-120 degrees Fahrenheit!).

次体験する無料のお風呂は「白旗の湯」。中に二つのお風呂がありますが両方は凄い熱い。自分は一つの風呂にちゃんと入りましたが、一番熱いほうは立て入ったが、我慢できずすぐ上がりまひた。幸男はさすがに熱いほうに入ったが、一分たらずお風呂から上がった。妻が熱い湯のほう結構我慢して入ってたが、ほかの客が入るとみずのゆれでもっと熱く感じ、ちょっとやけどしました！ここのお風呂はどのくらい熱いと言えば４７から５０度くらいですよ！

Shirahata no Yu / 白旗の湯

Pic from the internet / 写真はネットから

More pics of the yubatake.

夜の湯畑は凄い綺麗。

Yakitori stand. No place to sit so we didn't buy any.

やきとりの店。座るところがなかったので、ここは却下。

We came here the last time as well so paid another visit. It was beer break time before heading to the next free public bath.

以前もここに遊びに来たので、次の無料風呂に行く前にビールの休憩。

Enjoying myself a Gunma craft beer - Kawaba beer weizen.

群馬県の地ビール川場ビールのヴィアツェン。

Trying our hand at Showa puzzles.

昭和時代の遊びをやってみた。

Chiyo no Yu / 千代の湯

Sexy shot of Yukio / 幸男のセクシーショット

Jizo no Yu. If we include the foot bath we took at Ikaho Stone Steps, this would be our fifth bath today.

地蔵の湯。伊香保石段の足湯を含めたら、これは今日で五つ目のお風呂。

Pic from the internet / 写真はネットから

We were going to go here after dinner first but as we were running out of time, we decided to check out the Otaki no Yu tomorrow morning.

本当はここを一番最初に行く予定の有料お風呂「大滝之湯」でも時間が足りなくて明日の朝行くことにした。

Bath number 6. Yukio decided to head back to the pension first but my wife and I and Reiko decided on this last bath of the evening.

お風呂６番目。幸男は先にペンションに戻りましたが、僕と妻と玲子は最後のお風呂を満喫しました。

The Spur at night.

夜のシュプール。

Changing into yukato mode.

浴衣に変身。

Snacks and drinks before bedtime.

寝る前の小さな宴会。

The next morning before breakfast, I went to one of the free public baths called "Megumi no Yu"  located nearby the pension. As it was about six in the morning, I had the entire place to myself.

翌日の朝、朝食を食べる前に一人でペンションの近くにある無料温泉「恵之湯」に行きました。まだ朝６時ころだったので貸切状態でした。

The pension in the morning.

朝のシュプール。

The bath at the pension. Since I didn't bring shampoo or rinse to the public bath and anemities were not provided and I still had time before breakfast, I took another bath at the pension.

ペンションのお風呂。無料のお風呂にシャンプーやリンスがなかった為ペンションに戻ってまたお風呂に入りました。

Yes, those are my feet.  I am relaxing before breakfast.

はい、それは私の足です。朝食前のリラックスタイム。

Breakfast is being served.

朝食の時間。

And then it was off to the "Otaki no Yu" public bath. We were given coupons for this place from the owners of the pension. This establishiment has many baths to enjoy but as with most of these places pictures are forbidden. For more details check the URL listed below (Japanese text only).

これから有料温泉施設の「大滝之湯」に行きました。ペンションのオーナーからクーポンを貰ったので、私たちには無料となりました。 楽しむお風呂は結構ありますが、もちろん写真撮影は無理えす。詳しい情報は下記のURLをご欄になって下さい。

http://ohtakinoyu.com/

Nothing like having a massage after a bath.

お風呂上がりのマッサージは最高です。

My wife having an ice-cream break.

妻はアイスを食べてました。

This would be my dessert after returning home. Two craft beers from Gunma Prefecture. The one one the left is the Kusatsu Onsen Monogatari Stout. On the right is a Gunma Bakushu.

僕は自分のお土産をゲット。群馬県の地ビール。左にあるのは草津温泉物語のスタウト。右にあるのは群馬麦酒。

We will be heading back to Tokyo by way of Karuizawa in Nagano Prefecture. I suggested going to Oni Oshidashi Park which was our next destination.

東京帰りは長野県の軽井沢を通って行く予定。あと僕が提案した鬼押し出し園も行くことになった。そレが次の目的地。