12 Best Private Onsen in Kusatsu | Where Tradition meets Therapeutic Wellness

Kusatsu is one of the most famous onsen spots in Japan, known for having mineral-rich onsen waters. Located in the tranquil mountains of Gunma prefecture, Kusatsu is a long-beloved onsen town that has been welcoming visitors for centuries.

The town has several sightseeing spots, such as the magnificent yubatake (the town’s central onsen source) waterfall. It is a sight to see as it adjusts the temperature of more than 4,000 liters of onsen water! A traditional ceremony called “yumomi “is also popular among tourists, where you use wooden paddles to cool down the hot onsen water.

To fully immerse yourself in the onsen culture in Kusatsu, we’ll introduce our top 10 hotels and ryokans with a private onsen to enjoy in a more exclusive setting.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Types of Private Onsen

12 Best Ryokans and Hotels with Private Onsen in Kusatsu

1. Tokinoniwa（湯宿　季の庭）
2. La Vista Kusatsu Hills（ラビスタ草津ヒルズ）
3. Naraya（奈良屋）
4. Kusatsu Hotel 1913（草津ホテル1913）
5. Hotel Boun（草津温泉　望雲）
6. Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel(草津ナウリゾートホテル)
7. Tsutsujitei（つつじ亭）
8. Hotel Takamatsu （喜びの宿　高松）
9. Aeruyado Takamatsu（和える宿　高松）
10. Gensen Ichinoyu（源泉　一乃湯）
11. Ryokan Tamura（旅館　たむら）
12. Urakusatsu Tou（裏草津　蕩）

Conclusion

Types of Private Onsen

Before getting into the details of each ryokan, let’s go over the types of private onsen that you can find.

There are two types in particular.

• Rentable baths: Called “Kashikiri Buro” in Japanese, these are indoor and/or outdoor private baths available for guests to rent out for a specific amount of time.
• Rooms with private outdoor baths: Large, spacious indoor baths or outdoor baths that are attached to your hotel suite.

The following is a breakdown of the pros and cons of each type of private onsen.

If you are looking to travel on a budget but still want to experience a private onsen, we recommend you look for a ryokan that has a rentable bath available. On the other hand, you should consider getting a room with a private onsen if you want a luxury ryokan experience.

12 Best Ryokans and Hotels with Private Onsen in Kusatsu

Tokinoniwa（湯宿　季の庭)

Tokinoniwa is recommended for those who want to enjoy different types of onsen. Not only do all 64 rooms have a private onsen, but there are also 5 types of onsen for all guests to use. The ryokan also offers a free shuttle bus from Kusatsu Bus Terminal!

The traditional Japanese-styled rooms have a peaceful atmosphere with warm lights and wooden furniture. The half-open-air-onsen, facing the serene mountains of Kusatsu, is great for those needing a relaxing time.

The public onsen for guests has 3 onsen where kashikiri buro is available. There is the rock-made onsen, bamboo-styled onsen, and full-open-air hinoki (Japanese cypress) onsen. We recommend the rock-made onsen below, as you can feel the beauty of nature up close.

There are also 2 other onsen provided for guests. The full-open-air-onsen is full of minerals that are beneficial for your skin and health. Besides the onsen we mentioned, ganbanyoku (spa where you lie on warm stones) and sauna are also available to entertain your stay!

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La Vista Kusatsu Hills（ラビスタ草津ヒルズ）

This accommodation is suited for those who want to enjoy different types of onsen. Not only do all rooms come with a private onsen, but guests can choose from a wide variety of onsen!

The hotel offers 4 types of kashikiri buro. Two of them use the water from yubatake, and the other two use the water from Bandai-kou. Guests can rent them out for free, with no reservation needed.

You should also try the full-open-air-onsen on the top floor that overlooks the mountains of Kusatsu. A bath with this magnificent view will be memorable for sure!

There is a taru-buro (barrel bath) available too! Only a few ryokans have taru-buro, so please try it out! A sauna and water bath are also available for you to bathe in to improve blood flow.

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Naraya（奈良屋）

We recommend this ryokan for those interested in the Japanese culture of “Yumamori(guardians of onsen)” or trying out different kashikiri buro. This accommodation has passed down the performances and beliefs of yumamori from the 1600s to deliver the best onsen experience.

The beautifully made full-open-air/ indoor onsen is a must, but we also recommend the kashikiri buro. The ryokan offers 3 types of kashikiri buro available for 2,700 JPY for 45 minutes per use. The family plan below is great for enjoying the onsen privately with your loved ones.

Below is another kashikiri buro plan named Hinoki. A spacious resting room is provided to relax between baths.

They also offer a room with a private onsen named Iwakagami. The 1st floor is solely made for onsen, so you can enjoy the roomy onsen all to yourself!

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Kusatsu Hotel 1913（草津ホテル1913）

As mentioned in the name, this hotel’s establishment dates all the way back to 1913! Although the hotel has been renovated several times, the calm and classical Japanese atmosphere remains.

There are 2 room plans that come with a private onsen. The room below in the main building lets you use the onsen spaciously with a scenic view of the Kusatsu forest.

The hotel generously provides 3 types of kashikiri buro for those who want to bathe in a secluded setting. After checking in, you can rent out the onsen for a fee of 1650-2200 JPY (up to 45 min. per use).

If you want to try out the public onsen, half-open-air onsen and indoor onsen are provided. The onsen is separated by two different hot spring sources, so you can compare the temperature and the texture of the onsen water.

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Hotel Boun（草津温泉　望雲）

This ryokan’s establishment dates back all the way to the 1500s. The traditional Japanese-styled designs will make you feel like one of the visitors of earlier Japan.

They offer a room with a private onsen named “Unmatuan.” The wooden onsen on the balcony faces the tranquil garden, perfect for relaxing in solitude.

The onsen below (rent out is unavailable) is excellent for those who want to enjoy the serene forest of Kusatsu. It’s also great for bactericidal and suppressing inflammation as the onsen comes from Bandai-ko, the closest onsen source to the magma

We also like to introduce the indoor onsen “Yusan-no-yu.” You can enjoy the wooden bathhouse’s retro atmosphere and the comparison of the two different onsen sources (left: Bandai-ko right: Sai-no-kawara).

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Kusatsu Now Resort Hotel(草津ナウリゾートホテル)

This hotel is located at the foot of the mountains of Kusatsu and mixes the cozy onsen with the peacefulness of scenic nature. The vast area also includes facilities such as an indoor pool, tennis court, spas, and karaoke room to fulfill your stay!

The resort offers 5 room plans with a private onsen. Some rooms have a half-open-air onsen with a mountain view, while others have indoor onsen on the balcony.

There are 5 types of kashikiri buro available for those who want to bathe privately in a spacious room. Guests can use this service for 3,520 JPY for 45 minutes, 4,620 JPY for 60 minutes, and 7,040 JPY for 100 minutes per use.

Additionally, the public onsen for guests is also worth trying. The full-open-air-onsen below is great for taking in the views of the forest, which is beautiful in all four seasons.

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Tsutsujitei（つつじ亭）

Tsutsuji-tei is located a bit far from the central parts of Kusatsu and is recommended for those who want to stay in a quiet, secluded place.

One appeal of this ryokan is the spacious kashikiri buro surrounded by the secluded forest. The pleasant green and the scent of the cypress trees are a perfect match for relaxing in the onsen.

Private onsen is included in all rooms, each having a different concept. Some rooms have indoor hinoki (Japanese cypress) onsen like the one below, while other rooms have half-open-air wooden onsen.

They also deliver food to your rooms for those staying in the “Sakon no to” rooms, a special Japanese ryokans service we recommend!

See the video to get a better image of the ryokan!

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Hotel Takamatsu （喜びの宿　高松）

Takamatsu offers guests several types of onsen to choose from. They offer a full open-air rock onsen, hinoki onsen, kashikiri buro, and rooms with private onsen (with sauna, too!). A bus service from the Kusatsu Bus Terminal is available too!

This ryokan offers an indoor kashikiri buro placed next to the garden. Guests can rent this onsen for 2,000 JPY for 50 minutes per use. The quaint atmosphere is perfect for those who want to bathe in a secluded, personal setting.

Most rooms they offer are traditional Japanese styled, with tatami floors and foldable beds. Although the ryokan recommends the spacious public onsen shared with guests, they offer rooms with a private onsen like the one below. The luxurious room below (Room Tenkyu) includes not only a half-open-air-onsen but also a sauna and a water bath to entertain your stay!

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Aeruyado Takamatsu（和える宿　高松）

Aeruyado provides onsen that uses the hot spring water of yubatake. The modern Japanese-styled ryokan has balconies in all rooms to feel the refreshing breeze of Kusatsu.

If you want a luxurious onsen experience, we recommend reserving a room with a private onsen. Two rooms, “Souten&Saiun” and “Reirou,” include a spacious onsen on the balcony. The “Reirou” below has two separate onsen with different temperatures to suit your liking.

Kashikiri buro isn’t available, but there are indoor/half-open-air onsen, sauna, ganbanyoku to entertain you. As we mentioned before, this ryokan uses the water from yubatake. It is said that the waters of yubatake are so effective that love is the only disease they cannot cure. Make sure to try it out!

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Gensen Ichinoyu（源泉　一乃湯）

This hotel is suited for those looking for accommodation with various options to enjoy your onsen privately. They offer 5 types of kashikiri buro, and half of the room plans come with a private onsen. As a “stay as you do in your home” concept, the hotel provides services to enjoy the onsen to your liking.

As we mentioned before, there are 5 kashikiri buro plans available for guests. All of them have a big resting place, but each onsen varies in size and atmosphere. Guests can rent out the onsen for 3,200 JPY for 45 minutes, 6,400 JPY for 90 minutes, and 8,000 JPY for 2 hours.

If you’re staying at this hotel, consider the rooms with private onsen. The onsen in the room below uses the water from yubatake, while other rooms use the water from the hotel’s own onsen source. With the abundant plans they offer, you’re sure to find a room that suits your liking!

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Ryokan Tamura（旅館　たむら）

One of the traits of this ryokan is the usage of onsen water of Zizou-no-yu. The high acidity of Zizou onsen is effective for healing and making your skin baby smooth!

The ryokan offers two types of kashikiri buro: the rock-made onsen and the round onsen. Guests can enjoy them without any fee (Max. of 40 min. per use).

They also offer a room with a private onsen named “Yuri.” The room was renewed in March 2023 to give the guests the luxury of bathing in the waters of Zizou.

Guests can also bathe in the communal onsen “Zizou-no-yu.” Although this onsen is very popular among tourists, guests at this ryokan have the benefit of monitoring the crowdedness.

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Urakusatsu Tou（裏草津　蕩）

This ryokan is easily accessible with a 3-minute walk from Kusatsu Bus Terminal. It is also a rare accommodation that uses the onsen water from the Gizou onsen source, which is great for skin and muscle care.

The rooms are separated into standard and deluxe rooms that include a private onsen. The deluxe room below has a half-open-air onsen that overlooks the peaceful view of Kusatsu.

There are two types of kashikiri buro available for guests. The one below, built on the first floor, is rather secluded, while the other on the top floor is spacious with a view of Kusatsu. The fee wasn’t mentioned on the official site, so make sure to ask the staff if you are interested!

The hotel also takes pride in their delicious and beautifully decorated cuisine. Most of the dishes are hot pots or food cooked on a stone plate, a cuisine commonly made in onsen towns.

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Conclusion

What did you think? In this article, we introduced 12 ryokans and hotels where private onsen is available.

Since Kusatsu is an onsen town surrounded by many onsen sources, countless accommodations offer some of the best onsen experiences.

From room types to the different onsen water they use, each ryokan or hotel has its own attractive points to present. We hope there was one that suited your liking!

Hope you enjoy the onsen as well as the beautiful culture and nature Kusatsu has to offer!

If you want to read up on onsen etiquette in Japan, check out this article below.

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