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温泉のお湯が川の中から自然に浮かんでくる。
スコープを使って、自分のお風呂を作る。
川水で温度調整。

想像の世界？

いいえ、長野県の端っこ、新潟と群馬の県堺に切明温泉があります。一軒宿の雄川閣で車を止めて、吊り橋を渡って、川辺まで下がる。熱過ぎる(源泉が約55度だそうです）お湯溜りを避けながら、お湯と川水が混ざっている所を探す。スコープで川石を動かして、好きなように枚お風呂を作れる。

先日はお猿の温泉に行ったついでに、家族と友達と志賀高原そして奥志賀高原を通って、くねくねの山道を通って、切明温泉に行きました。渋温泉から約４５ｋｍ、約2時間でした。

実は17年ぐらい前に磨利ちゃんと一緒にデートで行きました。その時は切明温泉への道がデコボコの林道でした。今は綺麗な道になっている。そのお蔭か、秘湯じゃなくなってきた。雄川閣に色んな有名人のサインがあった(亀清旅館にも来てくれたＵｄｏちゃんのサインも）し、川辺で沢山の人がいて、にぎやかでした。

一度はうちの子供達も川の中の、自分でお風呂を掘るこの切明温泉を体験さしたかった。(なおかつ、信州の自然が大好きな私もお盆の仕事の疲れをここで取りたかった！）
本当に自分で石を動かして、お風呂を作る。
本当に川の水で温度調整。
本当に川の中から温泉のお湯がぶくぶく浮かぶ。
なおかつ、そのぶくぶくポイントがいつも変わる。あっちから出ったり、そっちに移ったり、おい！おい！こっちに来たり、本当に自然な現象。

切明温泉はどの時期でも楽しめるけど、「秋山郷」にあるので、名前通り、秋は紅葉で最高でしょう。場所はすごく不便だけど、だからこそ行くのは楽しい冒険になる。

温泉の大好きな私のお勧めです。

Onsen water coming up out of a river bed?
You take a shovel to make your own bath?
And you adjust the water temperature by mixing in river water?

Sounds like something out of an onsen legend. But it's not just a myth -- it actually exists: Kiriake Onsen in the northern corner of Nagano Prefecture near the borders with Niigata and Gunma Prefectures. You park your car at the lone ryokan, Yusenkaku, grab a shovel, cross the suspension bridge, walk down to the river, take care to avoid the onsen hot spots (the onsen temperature is supposedly 57 deg C), find an area where the temperature is to your liking and move the rocks around until you have your own little onsen pool.

The other day, after we visited the snow monkeys, our family and some friends drove up and through Shiga Kogen and Oku-Shiga Kogen along the windy mountain road to Kiriake (approx. 45km and 2hours from Shibu-Yudanaka Onsen area).

Actually, Mari and I came here about 17 years ago when we were just dating. Back then, the road to Kiriake was a bumpy gravel one. It's been paved since then, which may be the reason it's lost some of it's 'hidden' charm. Judging by the number of celebrity signatures, and by how many other people were there that day, the secret is out.

I had always wanted to have our kids experience this onsen-in-the-middle-of-a-river where you build a bath yourself. Plus, I was needing a relaxing break from the O-Bon holiday rush. For me, this combination of natural setting and onsen is perfectly sublime.

Kiriake Onsen.
You do actually use a shovel to make your own bath.
The onsen water does actually bubble up right in the middle of the river.
You do actually adjust the temperature yourself by mixing in river water.
And, being that it's all a natural phenomenom, the onsen keeps bubbling up in different spots. First over there, then over here, then, Ooh la la!, right here!

Although Kiriake is enjoyable any time of the year, being that it is located in the Akiyama ("autumn mountain") District, it's is probably at its prettiest when the fall leaves are in color. It's location is very inconvenient, but that makes finding it that much more enjoyable. There really isn't any bus access, so a car is highly recommended.

切明温泉・雄川閣のＨＰはこちらClick here for the Kiriake Onsen / Yusenkaku Ryokan website.