Shibu Onsen In Yamanouchi
About the Shibu Onsen Camera
Shibu Onsen is a hot spring village in Yamanouchi, northern Nagano, where wooden ryokan lean over a narrow stone-paved street beside the Yokoyu River. The camera sits outside the village tourist information office and is run by the local ryokan association.
What the village is known for is its nine public baths. Guests staying overnight are lent a key to all of them and walk the street in yukata and geta, going from bath to bath. The sound of wooden sandals on stone is as much a part of the place as the steam.
It is also the nearest village to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where Japanese macaques bathe in a hot spring pool through the winter. The operator suggests watching for sunsets, snowstorms and rising steam, which is a fair summary: this is a camera that looks quite different in August and in February.
Highlights & Nearby
- •Watch for: rising steam, guests in yukata between the baths, heavy winter snowfall
- •Nearby: the nine public baths, Jigokudani Monkey Park, the Yokoyu River, Shiga Kogen
- •Note: run by the Shibu Onsen ryokan association, outside the tourist information office
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shibu Onsen camera live?
Yes. The ryokan association streams the street outside the information office around the clock.
What are the nine baths?
Nine small public bathhouses along the village street. Overnight guests are given a key to all of them and tour them in yukata.
Is this near the snow monkeys?
Yes. Jigokudani Monkey Park, where macaques bathe in a hot spring, is a short distance up the valley.
When should I watch?
Winter for snow and heavy steam, or early evening in any season as the lanterns come on and guests move between baths.
