There was a Hoshino Onsen area near our pension. Of course the most famous place around here is Hoshinoya Karuizawa, but I didn’t see much point in staying at a pricey ryokan, so I’d planned to skip the hot springs this time. Then it turned out there was a day-use bathhouse with open-air baths called Tombo-no-Yu. I was tired from the trip and wanted to try an onsen anyway, so I popped over for a bit.
A neat, fresh entrance design, very Karuizawa
The building had a really modern design. It suited the Karuizawa vibe nicely.
The garden
It was raining a little, but the place was still packed. I’ll skip the inside photos for now, but the bathing facilities were really well done. It’s a bit away from Karuizawa’s main street, but it’s worth the detour. It’s definitely easier to get to if you have a car. That said, the entry fee felt a little steep for the countryside. But considering it’s a tourist area, it’s not an unreasonable price, and all my fatigue melted away, so I felt great.
Cafe Hungry Spot
This cafe is right next to Tombo-no-Yu, and it was still busy even at this hour. The menu was pretty ordinary. There was a restaurant too.
The lawn is nicely kept.
It would’ve been nice to come during the day, but we’d run out of time shopping at the outlet.
It was past 10 pm, but I wandered around near the onsen hoping there’d at least be a convenience store still open.
The sign
It says Hoshino Onsen.
Below the sign a romantic path ran right through the middle of the forest, so I walked down it. It was too dark to take any photos. Pretty lamps were lit about every 3 meters, and it reminded me of the forest in Princess Mononoke. Nobody else was using it, but it felt more romantic than scary. Setting a scene like this in the middle of the night…
Harunire Terrace, which appeared at the end of the forest path
It’s a spot where cafes and gift shops are gathered together. It seems to be a tourist spot, but it was already late and everything was closed. Such a shame. The location is a bit awkward, and it made me think that to really enjoy Karuizawa you should bring a car.
Closed shops
Well, we’d shopped hard at the outlet, so it couldn’t be helped. That night we took a taxi back to where we were staying.