Kusatsu & Ikaho Flexible Itinerary: Japan's Best Onsen Towns

Ask Japanese people their favorite onsen town, and one name wins again and again: Kusatsu. This fully guided private day takes you there – and to its charming neighbor Ikaho – deep in the green mountains of Gunma, the hot spring heart of Japan that international tours rarely reach.

Your guided day begins in Ikaho, a hot spring town built on a hillside staircase. Climb the famous 365 stone steps with your guide, past bathhouses, game parlors and little shops from another era, to Ikaho Shrine at the top. Try the town's golden-brown onsen manju – the steamed sweet bun that was born here – fresh and warm from the shop.

Then drive higher into the mountains to Kusatsu, ranked Japan's No.1 onsen town year after year. In the town center you'll meet the Yubatake – the "hot water field" – where thousands of liters of steaming spring water pour through wooden channels every minute, filling the town with steam and the smell of sulfur. Walk it with your guide, then watch the famous yumomi show: local women in traditional dress cooling the scalding water with long wooden paddles and folk songs, a tradition hundreds of years old.

After a local lunch (halal and vegetarian arranged on request), stroll through Sainokawara Park, a valley on the town's edge where hot spring water bubbles out of the ground everywhere and flows past like a warm river. Rest your feet in the free open-air foot bath surrounded by mountain forest – the perfect end to an onsen day.

Steam, stone steps, sweet manju and mountain air – this is the Japan that Japanese travelers love, fully hosted from Tokyo pickup to drop-off.

What you pay is what you pay

The price you see is the full price. Transport, fuel, expressway tolls, parking and your personal guide for the whole day are all included. Admission tickets and snacks are bought on site by each guest, usually a few hundred yen each. There are no hidden charges, no booking fees and nothing extra to pay your guide on the day. Only your own lunch and an optional onsen bath are separate, and only if you want them.

Flexible day

This is your private tour, so the day is flexible. If you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby, write it in the booking notes or tell your driver-guide on the day and we will adjust the route where time allows.