The Origin of the Name and Local Legends
Kirizumi Onsen was once known as Inu-no-Yu, meaning “Dog’s Hot Spring,” or Iri-no-Yu, meaning a place where people came to “enter” the hot spring for bathing and treatment.
The Legend of the Injured Hunting Dog
According to local legend, a hunter discovered an injured hunting dog treating its wounds in a pool of water in the mountains. The hunter realized that the water was actually a natural hot spring, and the place subsequently became known as Inu-no-Yu.
As people began coming to the spring for bathing and therapeutic stays, it also became known as Iri-no-Yu. Later, the name Kirizumi came into use because the surrounding mountains are frequently enveloped in mist.
The combination of steep mountain slopes, dense forest, and drifting mist creates an atmospheric landscape that remains one of the area’s defining characteristics.
Kirizumi is also associated with legends concerning Usui Sadamitsu, one of the Four Heavenly Kings traditionally said to have served the legendary warrior Minamoto no Raikō. Such stories add another layer of history and folklore to this remote hot spring settlement.
Gentle Hot Spring Waters
The spring waters of Kirizumi Onsen are classified as calcium-sulfate spring and sodium-sulfate/chloride spring. The source temperature is approximately 38.9°C, with a pH of about 7.6, making the water mildly alkaline.
The water is clear and colorless, with a soft feel on the skin. Its relatively gentle character makes it well suited to a leisurely soak, and the spring has long been appreciated as a place for traditional hot spring therapy.
The current source is a drilled artesian spring that naturally flows to the surface, providing a stable supply of hot spring water.
Bathing in the quiet mountains, surrounded by forests and the sounds of nature rather than the bustle of a large resort town, offers a particularly peaceful experience.
A History of Prosperity and Natural Disaster
The history of Kirizumi Onsen is believed to extend back as far as the 1200s. During the Edo period, the area was located in the strategically important surroundings of the Usui Checkpoint, one of the major checkpoints controlling travel through the mountains.
Travel to the area and visits to the hot springs were subject to strict restrictions. Historical records suggest that local people living within the territory of the Annaka domain were among the principal visitors seeking hot spring treatments.
A Mountain Resort Before Karuizawa
During the Meiji period, Kirizumi developed as a mountain retreat even before Karuizawa became widely known as a summer resort.
At its peak, the settlement had approximately four inns and 20 to 30 vacation homes. It also had a communal bathhouse known as Rokkakuyu.
The famous poet Yosano Akiko is associated with the area, and one of her poems describes the scenery of Kirizumi, where mist obscures the windows and surrounds the mountain settlement.
Devastated by Landslides
Kirizumi’s prosperity was severely affected by two major mountain disasters. In 1896 and again in 1910, massive landslides swept through the area, causing catastrophic damage to the hot spring settlement and vacation homes.
Many buildings were destroyed or washed away, and lives were lost.
Among the buildings, Kintokan was the only inn to escape major damage and continue operating. Over time, Kirizumi changed from a relatively fashionable mountain retreat into the secluded hidden hot spring that visitors know today.
A Retreat Favored by Writers and Cultural Figures
Kirizumi Onsen has attracted numerous politicians, writers, artists, and other cultural figures over the years. Visitors are said to have included Itō Hirobumi, Katsu Kaishū, Ozaki Yukio, Saigō Tsugumichi, Okakura Tenshin, Saijō Yaso, Yosano Tekkan and Akiko, and Kōda Rohan.
Connections with Modern Japanese Literature
One room at Kintokan is traditionally associated with Itō Hirobumi, who is said to have worked on a draft of the Meiji Constitution there.
Kirizumi also became connected with literature through the poet Saijō Yaso and his poem Bōshi, or “The Hat.” The setting later appeared in Seichō Morimura’s novel Ningen no Shōmei (Proof of the Man), which was inspired in part by the poem.
Monuments commemorating figures such as Katsu Kaishū and poet Kawada Jun can also be found in and around the area.
For visitors interested in Japanese history and literature, Kirizumi offers an unusual opportunity to experience the places and landscapes associated with important cultural figures.
Kirizumi Lake and the Surrounding Nature
Near the entrance to the hot spring area lies Lake Kirizumi, a reservoir created by damming the Kirizumi River.
Construction of the dam began in the late 1960s and took approximately eight years to complete. Although the project was primarily intended for flood control, it also created an attractive lakeside landscape that has become a scenic feature of the area.
A Different Landscape in Every Season
The mountains surrounding Lake Kirizumi offer beautiful scenery throughout the year.
Spring brings fresh green foliage, while the forest becomes lush and deep green in summer. In autumn, colorful foliage covers the surrounding mountains, creating some of the area’s most striking scenery. Winter brings a completely different atmosphere, with snow and deep mountain silence.
The frequent mist that gives Kirizumi its name can make the landscape particularly atmospheric, especially on quiet mornings.
Access and Visitor Information
By Public Transportation
From Yokokawa Station on the Shin’etsu Main Line, Kirizumi Onsen is approximately 30 minutes by taxi.
Kintokan also provides a pickup service from Yokokawa Station for overnight guests.
By Car
By car, the area is approximately 35 minutes from the Matsuida-Myogi Interchange on the Joshin’etsu Expressway.
From the parking area near the former site of Kirizumi-kan, visitors can either walk for approximately 30 minutes along a mountain trail known as Hoihui-zaka or use the inn’s pickup service.
Please note that the pickup service is not available for day-use bathing visitors.
A Genuine Hidden Hot Spring in the Mountains
Kirizumi Onsen has none of the large resort facilities or lively streets found at major Japanese hot spring destinations—and that is precisely what makes it special.
The silence of the forest, the history preserved at Kintokan, the legends surrounding the spring, and the traces left by writers and historical figures all contribute to the distinctive atmosphere of this secluded mountain retreat.
Step Away from Everyday Life
For travelers seeking a quieter side of Japan, Kirizumi offers a chance to slow down and experience a traditional mountain hot spring far from the crowds.
Surrounded by misty forests and the deep silence of the mountains, a bath at Kirizumi Onsen is not simply a visit to a hot spring—it is an opportunity to experience a landscape where nature, history, literature, and legend have remained closely intertwined.