北信温泉巡りの3目の湯： 栄村「トマトの国」
当たり？外れ？
心情的な理由から「当たり」。
と言うのは、2012年3月11日の東北地震の次の朝、栄村中心にｍ７の地震があった。その時に、日帰り温泉施設「トマトの国」の奥の山が崩れて、建物が潰される所でした。しかし、杉の木の林に守られて、建物が残りました。それでも修理は一年間ちょっとかかりました。
復興の頑張りでトマトの国を応援したくなる訳。
お湯は弱アルカリ性単純泉、無色透明、微塩味、無臭で、温度はぬるめの37℃。塩の味は分からなかったけど逆に何となく油の匂いはした様な気がする。つい最近にこの近くの松之山温泉（新潟県十日町）に行ったばかりなので、そのお湯の油の匂いの想いだけだったかもしれない。
施設は鉄筋コンクリートであまりセクシーじゃない。三角の窓から外の森が見えてユニークだな。浴場の壁にひびが入っていた。地震の関係かな？
トマトの国は食堂も宿泊施設もあり、車で3分にさかえクラブスキー場があり。
個人的に、栄村の温泉は秋山郷の切明温泉が一番好き。川の中で自然にわいてきて、自分で石をどけて浴場を作ると言うワイルドな温泉が大好き。（場所は秘湯通り、とんでもないところですが…）
しかし、地震復興で栄村を応援したい方にはトマトの国がお勧めです。
Northern Nagano Onsen Hopping Trip, stop #3: Tomato no Kuni in Sakae Village.
Was it a hit or miss?
Well, for sentimental reasons, I declare it a hit.
On March 11th, 2011, northeastern Japan was hit with a massive earthquake. At 3:59 the next morning, there was a magnitude 7 earthquake centered in Nagano Prefecture's Sakae Village. The earthquake caused a huge landslide just above the Tomato no Kuni bathhouse. Fortunately, the building was protected by a stand of cedar trees, and survived pretty much intact. It had to be closed for a little over a year for renovations, but is now once again open for business.
So in the spirit of rebuilding after the earthquake, I think Tomato no Kuni deserves 'hit' status.
Meaning 'tomato country', Tomato no Kuni's onsen water is slightly alkaline, a lukewarm 37 deg C, clear, no color, slight salt taste, no smell. That's what the brochure and signs say, but I personally couldn't taste and saltiness, and on the other hand, I detected a faint oily smell. It could have been just that I had recently been to Matsunoyama Onsen on the other side of the Nagano-Niigata border and its oily scented water was still fresh in my mind.
Tomato no Kuni's building is a decidely un-sexy ferroconcrete structure. The men's bath did have a funky triangle-shaped window that gave a peek of the forest outside. There is also a cafeteria as well as rooms for overnight accommodation. And Sakae Club Ski Area is only 3 minutes away by car.
Personally, my favorite onsen in Sakae Village is Kiriake Onsen in the Akiyama Gorge. The mineral water bubbles up naturally in the river bed, and you move rocks around to create your own bath. Very wild!
But if you're interested in helping to support Sakae Village's post-earthquake rebuilding efforts, then a sentimental dip in Tomato no Kuni's bath may be just the thing.
トマトの国 Tomato no Kuni
〒389-2702 長野県下水内郡栄村北信4413-1
Tel(0269)87-3030
Tomato no Kuni facade
Men's bath (triangle window to the right)
Clever Souvenir: Sake, bamboo cup, grilled fish -- the complete package
