A Mountain Resort Surrounded by Forest
One of Terme Terme’s greatest attractions is its setting. The facility is surrounded by the forests and fresh mountain air of the Kusatsu highlands, creating an open and refreshing environment for relaxation.
The complex is divided broadly into a heated pool area and a hot spring area. Rental equipment is also available, making it convenient for visitors who do not have swimwear or towels with them.
In addition to bathing and swimming, visitors can experience aspects of Kusatsu’s distinctive hot spring culture. This makes Terme Terme a place not simply for bathing, but for discovering the traditions and lifestyle associated with Japanese hot springs.
Heated Pools and Water Activities
The pool zone features heated indoor pools that can be enjoyed throughout the year. Visitors can swim, relax on inflatable rings, or simply enjoy playing in the water with family and friends.
Swimming Pool
The spacious swimming pool provides plenty of room for swimming and recreational water play. Families can float leisurely on inflatable rings, practice swimming, or enjoy time together in the water.
Jacuzzi
The jacuzzi is filled with streams of fine bubbles, making it a pleasant place to relax between activities. The bubbling water provides a gentle massage-like sensation and offers a comfortable break from swimming.
Exercise Pool
The exercise pool allows visitors to walk through the water while taking advantage of its natural resistance. Water-based exercise places relatively little impact on the body and can be an enjoyable way to stay active while relaxing.
Children’s Pool
A shallow pool with a depth of approximately 45 centimeters is available for young children. Children can use the pool from infancy when wearing appropriate swim diapers, making it a convenient option for families traveling with small children.
Summer Outdoor Pool
During the summer season, an outdoor pool is also available. Surrounded by greenery and highland scenery, the open-air setting provides a refreshing way to enjoy the warm season in the mountains.
Enjoy the Famous Hot Springs of Kusatsu
The hot spring area at Terme Terme offers a variety of bathing styles using water associated with some of Kusatsu Onsen’s best-known sources.
Different pools allow guests to experience hot baths, lukewarm baths, reclining baths, and waterfall-style baths. By changing the temperature and bathing style, visitors can enjoy the hot spring experience at their own pace.
Reclining Bath
The reclining bath allows guests to soak while lying back in the warm water. At approximately 40°C, the comfortable temperature is well suited to relaxing and spending a little longer enjoying the bath.
Waterfall Bath
In the waterfall bath, streams of hot water fall from above onto the body. The pressure creates a stimulating sensation, particularly around the shoulders and back, and provides a refreshing experience after outdoor activities.
Experience Three Famous Kusatsu Hot Spring Sources
Guests at Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village can experience water from three well-known sources: Yubatake, Bandai, and Wata-no-Yu. Each source has its own characteristics, allowing visitors to experience different aspects of Kusatsu’s hot spring culture during their stay.
Yubatake Source
The Yubatake Source emerges in the center of Kusatsu and is represented by the famous Yubatake, or “Hot Water Field,” one of the symbols of the resort.
With a pH of approximately 2.1, the water is strongly acidic, yet it is known for its distinctive smooth sensation. At selected baths, guests can enjoy Yubatake water as a natural-flow hot spring, without artificial dilution.
Bandai Source
The Bandai Source is one of the most abundant hot spring sources in Kusatsu. Compared with some other sources, its sulfur aroma is relatively subtle, while its strongly acidic water provides a clean and refreshing bathing sensation.
The hot water can leave the body feeling thoroughly warmed after bathing, making it particularly enjoyable after spending time outdoors in the cool mountain air.
Wata-no-Yu Source
Wata-no-Yu is known for its milky-white appearance and soft bathing sensation. Its name evokes the image of being wrapped in cotton, reflecting the gentle impression of the water.
Access may alternate between men and women depending on the schedule, and private use may also be available at certain times, allowing guests to enjoy the distinctive spring in a more secluded setting.
Experience Kusatsu’s Traditional Yumomi
One of the most distinctive cultural experiences available at Terme Terme is yumomi, a traditional Kusatsu technique for cooling hot spring water.
Because Kusatsu’s natural hot spring water can be extremely hot, people historically used long wooden boards to stir the water and lower its temperature without adding ordinary water. This helped preserve the character of the spring while making it more suitable for bathing.
During a yumomi experience, participants move long wooden boards rhythmically while learning about the history and traditions of Kusatsu Onsen. The movements are traditionally accompanied by the Kusatsu-bushi, a local folk song associated with the hot spring town.
Smaller boards are also available for children, allowing the whole family to participate in this uniquely Kusatsu experience.
Yumushi — A Traditional Hot-Spring Steam Experience
Another distinctive relaxation experience associated with Hotel Village is yumushi, which uses the warmth and steam of the hot springs as part of a traditional-style relaxation program.
After warming the body with hot spring water and a preliminary shower of spring water, participants are wrapped in specially prepared bedding to encourage gentle sweating.
The warm environment allows visitors to relax while gradually warming up. After the session, guests can take time to rest and enjoy herbal tea, creating a calm transition back into everyday activities.
Saunas and Relaxation Facilities
The hot spring area also offers several types of sauna, including medium-temperature, high-temperature, and mist saunas.
Guests can alternate between sauna sessions and cooling down in cold water, followed by time in the jacuzzi or foot bath. This combination has become popular among visitors seeking the Japanese sauna experience often described as “totonou,” a relaxed and refreshed state following the cycle of heat, cooling, and rest.
Visitors should use saunas and hot baths according to their own physical condition, stay hydrated, and avoid remaining in high temperatures for too long.
Outdoor Adventures in the Forest
The extensive grounds of Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village also offer numerous outdoor activities that take advantage of the surrounding forest.
At the Forest Stage, an aerial adventure course set among the trees, visitors can try zip lines, ropes, and other elevated challenges.
Courses range from relatively accessible routes for beginners to more adventurous courses for experienced participants. The attraction allows both children and adults to enjoy physical activity while surrounded by the natural scenery of the Kusatsu highlands.
Forest Bathing in the Kusatsu Mountains
Visitors can also enjoy a forest-walking route known as the Kusatsu Forest Healing Walk Royal Course, which extends through a national forest near the resort.
The approximately 2.5-kilometer walking route offers opportunities to observe seasonal plants and wild birds while enjoying the quiet atmosphere of the forest.
The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” involves spending relaxed time among trees and taking in the natural surroundings. The scent of forest vegetation is often associated with relaxation, making a leisurely walk through the woods a pleasant complement to hot spring bathing.
Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village
Terme Terme is part of the expansive Kusatsu Onsen Hotel Village, a resort surrounded by forests and mountain scenery.
The hotel offers a variety of accommodations, including Western-style rooms overlooking the forest, Japanese-Western family rooms, and log houses. This range of room types makes the resort suitable for different styles of travel, from family vacations to longer stays.
The restaurants also offer buffet dining featuring both Japanese and Western dishes, including ingredients from the local area.
A Complete Resort Experience in Kusatsu Onsen
Terme Terme brings together many different ways to enjoy Kusatsu Onsen in one highland resort. Guests can swim in heated pools, relax in hot springs, experience traditional yumomi, try different types of sauna, explore the surrounding forest, and take part in outdoor activities.
For families, the children’s pool and recreational facilities provide plenty to do, while couples and adults can focus on hot springs, saunas, relaxation, and the peaceful mountain environment.
Surrounded by the forests of the Kusatsu highlands, Terme Terme offers a distinctive combination of Japanese hot spring culture and European-style spa resort facilities—a relaxing destination for experiencing another side of Kusatsu Onsen.