Destination
Shirahone
A legendary hidden hot spring (hitou) nestled deep in the Northern Alps of Nagano Prefecture, where milky-white mineral waters have been cherished for centuries. Known as "the hot spring where three days of bathing wards off three years of colds," this tiny village of just a dozen ryokans sits at 1,400 meters elevation along the Yugawa Valley, surrounded by pristine mountain forests within Chubu-Sangaku National Park.
6 ryokans in Shirahone
Awanoyu Ryokan
泡の湯旅館
Shirahone's most iconic ryokan, famous for its vast mixed-gender outdoor bath where milky-white waters are infused with natural carbonic bubbles that cling to the skin.
from $250 /per night
Yumoto Saito Ryokan
湯元齋藤旅館
The oldest and most prestigious ryokan in Shirahone, established in 1738, with its own natural hot spring source flowing since the Kamakura period.
from $250 /per night
Shirafune Grand Hotel
白船グランドホテル
The largest hot spring hotel in Shirahone, offering a contemporary resort experience with panoramic open-air baths, a sauna, and a drinking spring.
from $200 /per night
Oyado Tsuruya
お宿つるや
A pure Japanese-style inn beside the mountain stream, known for its gentle hot spring waters with the softest mineral composition in Shirahone.
from $150 /per night
Konashi no Yu Sasaya
小梨の湯 笹屋
An exclusive 10-room hideaway surrounded by birch forest, offering private open-air baths and refined kaiseki cuisine crafted from Shinshu seasonal ingredients.
from $250 /per night
Katsura no Yu Maruei Ryokan
かつらの湯 丸永旅館
A family-run budget ryokan offering an authentic and unpretentious Shirahone experience with home-style mountain cooking and a cozy indoor onsen.
from $100 /per night