This is a part of Uncovering Japan This collection of stories highlights the lesser-known gems in Japan that should be on your itinerary. They include everything from vibrant street food to local craft, and traditional wellness. Read more here.
The most striking natural sites in Japan, from the raging waves of Kanagawa seas to Mount Fuji’s snow-capped peak in the sky, have made their mark through their appearance. Gero in Gifu is a tranquil onsen town with the peaceful, pastoral charm you’d expect from a Studio Ghibli flick. Although the town might not look like much at first glance, it is part of a celebrated trio of hot-springs dating back to 17th-century Edo, when Hayashi Razan named Kusatsu, Arima and Gero as the three best hot springs in Japan. Generations of locals have flocked to the hot springs ever since.
TokyoYukari Sakamoto, a chef, sommelier and writer from, makes the four-and half hour trip to Gero, every year, since the ’80s. She shares her reasons for returning to Gero to soak in its waters. Also, her favorite things to see and do in Gero.
Gero the Goldilocks Onsen
Kusatu Arima and Gero are all onsens with their own unique charms. Kusatsu is located in Gunma Prefecture, about 100 miles north-east of Tokyo. Sakamoto says that once you are there, it’s as if you have arrived in the middle of a wilderness.
The 13 baths are sourced from Mount Kusatsu Shirane. As a result, the springs range from cloudy to clear depending on their acidity and mineral composition, properties which were championed by 19th-century physician to the imperial family Erwin Bälz for their seeming health benefits, ushering in a new wave of popularity for the onsen during the 1800s.
Arima, located an hour south of Kusatsu has a much more convenient transit. The onsen is known for its famous duo of golden (kinsen—named after the sienna hue of the iron-rich water) and silver (ginsen—which is actually colorless) waters and being one of the oldest known onsens in the country with a history tracing back at least 1,300 years. Sakamoto: “The onsen, while nice, is located in a very urban area. The surroundings aren’t as bucolic.”
Sakamoto believes that Gero is the perfect balance between an onsen in a convenient location and surrounded by natural scenery. “What I love most about Gero, is that it’s in the Japanese Alps,” says Sakamoto. “You are located in a valley with mountains running on both sides of you and a stream between them.” Gero is only two trains from Tokyo. Sakamoto loves the section after Nagoya where the rolling hills transition into mountains and the river runs parallel.
Gero’s waters have a unique effect. Sakamoto explains that “we say in Japanese tsurutsuru”: “You sit in water for two or three minute and then you rub your skin and feel silky. After you get out of the water and are dried off, you can still feel this silkiness. Alkalinity is responsible for the custard-like smoothness of the water. The water has a pH of 9.2, which gives it a soapy, exfoliating property.
Enjoying the slow pace of life in Gero
Onsens are open almost all year round, but Sakamoto warns that summertime can be too hot for a full onsen experience. Sakamoto says that there are a number of baths in the city where you can remove your shoes and soak your feet. There are also hot springs located at your ryokan, hotel or onsen. “It’s a part of everyday life in this area to see people stop and soak their toes in the water,” she said, sitting right next to the main bridge.
