Last Updated: Aug 26, 2024

Kita Onsen Ryokan

The Nasu Region’s Hot Spring Shangri-La

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium

As I write this article in my head, I am soaking away all of my worldly concerns at Kita Onsen Ryokan in Tochigi Prefecture’s Nasu region. As I begin to boil in the 43° C waters, I slowly stop fretting about that one Google Ads campaign that isn’t performing well enough (and other such trivialities). Gazing above, I am greeted by the sight of the ginormous tengu mask in the photo above. Lazily looking around at the rest of the decor, I quickly wonder what century, let alone what decade, it is right now. Alas, any mental inquiries quickly melt away into hot spring bliss.

Ever since I first stumbled across Kita Onsen Ryokan a few years ago, I’ve been itching to go. Secluded deep in the mountains of the Nasu Highlands, this hidden hot spring is the type of establishment that I originally set out to feature when I started blogging. Perfectly balancing that impossibly fine line between unknown locale and somewhere of interest to overseas visitors, Kita Onsen Ryokan is far more than just a “hotel.” Instead, a stay at this ancient Japanese-style inn will be a standout memory of your travels that’s sure to stick with you for a lifetime.

At least as far as I can tell, some incarnation of what is now Kita Onsen Ryokan has been around for…