The view from Bingushi Onsen
戸倉上山田温泉の隣の坂城町にびんぐし湯さん館と言う日帰り温泉施設がある。坂城ばら祭りのついでに、久しぶりに行きました。
びんぐしは亀清旅館・戸倉上山田温泉から約6㎞、車で15分（私達が自転車で行って、ゆっくり走りながら30分ぐらいかかった）でちょっとした高台にある。下は公園（長～い滑り台）とレストラン（当地の名物のおしぼりうどんがお勧め）がある。上は日帰り温泉と温泉水プールの湯さん館。高台ですから、お風呂に浴びながら千曲川の谷が眺めれる。
内風呂は二つと外は樽風呂を込めて5つのお風呂がある。私が一番好きなのは外の根湯です。あの景色を楽しみながら寝たままで温泉に入って、贅沢です。夜は坂城町の光がきっと綺麗。
温泉の成分は単純硫黄泉ですが、内湯1か所と外の樽風呂だけがかけ流し。後の風呂の全部は循環の為に結局温泉の感覚があまりない。
戸倉上山田温泉の周辺の野天風呂のある立ち寄り温泉をお探しであれば、びんぐし湯さん館は便利で良い。
A short 15 minute drive from our onsen town Togura-Kamiyamada is Bingushi Yusankan day-use onsen facility in neighboring Sakaki Town. We rode our bikes their after visiting Sakaki's Rose Festival the other day.
Bingushi is perched on a hill overlooking the Chikuma River Valley, and its baths take advantage of the panorama. The baths are separated men and women, and both sides have 2 indoor baths and 5 outdoor ones, including ones made out of 'taru' barrels. My favorite is the 'ne-yu', one you lay down in to soak. Laying back with the onsen water caressing your body as you enjoy the view of the river valley is quite an extravagance.
As for the onsen water, only certain baths are kake-nagashi (pure onsen). Most are circulated and inject chlorine, so you can't enjoy the sulfur content in them as much.
In addition to the onsen baths, Yusankan also has an onsen water pool. And below is a fun park for kids (with a looooong slide) and a small cafe that features the local specialty, spicy oshibori-udon.
If you are looking for another onsen bath to try in the vicinity of Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen, especially one with a fantastic view, then Bingushi Yusankan is nice and convenient.
びんぐし湯さん館 Bingushi Yusankan
