Imagine a view
外が雪となり、寒い冬に他の国では部屋に入り込んで炬燵のなかに潜りっぱなしするかもしれないけど、
信州では逆にその雪景色を抱いて、野天風呂へ行くと言う楽しみがあります。
先日は渋湯田中温泉の上の夜間瀬温泉「遠見乃湯」に初めて行ってみました。長野の野天風呂の代表の一つです。行った日は雪が降っていて、景色があまり見えなかったのは残念でしたが、子供達はお風呂の周りの雪に飛んだりお風呂に戻ったり、大喜びでした。私はその熱めのお湯で体がぽかぽかで、雪が顔にちらちらと降っていて、幸せでした。
遠見乃湯は内湯がないし、洗い場がシンプルですが、その分、野天風呂からの眺めがすばらしいです。天気の良い日は北アルプス及び善光寺平、北信五岳が見れます。信州の温泉巡りで夜間瀬温泉「遠見乃湯」に行けば信州の山景色ｘ温泉を楽しめます。
亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から車で約５０分。ＨＰはこちら。
On a snowy, cold winter day, people in other places in Japan may stay inside and bury themselves beneath the quilts of their kotatsu. Here in Nagano, we embrace the snowy scenery and head for the hills to soak in one of the many 'notenburo' -- onsen baths with scenic views.
Last weekend, I took our kids to Yomase Onsen's famous 'Tomi no Yu' for the first time. Located above Shibu Yudanaka Onsens at the entrance of the Kita-Shiga ski area, Tomi no Yu's bath features an amazing view of the Zenkoji Plain with Nagano City down below, along with glimpses of the 5 Northern Nagano Peaks as well as the Northern Alps in the distance.
The day we went, it was snowing so unfortunately we couldn't enjoy much of a view. But the kids loved hopping out of the bath, jumping in the snow surrounding the rim, then hopping back into the onsen. I, on the other hand, simply let the piping hot onsen waters warm my body to the core as snow flakes gently fell on my face.
The experience inspired a little haiku:
Soaking in the bath
Face looking up to heaven
Snow flakes gently fall
Tomi no Yu doesn't have an indoor bath, and the washing area is rather spartan, but the outdoor bath with its spectacular view makes up for it. If you want to enjoy one of Nagano's premier onsen baths with a view, then make sure to check out Tomi no Yu.
Located 50 minutes by car from Kamesei Ryokan / Togura Kamiyamada Onsen. Also accessible by bus from Nakano Station on the Nagano Dentetsu Line, or in the winter by busses from Nagano Station going up to the ski resort in Kita-Shiga. Website is here.
From the outside
