Okutsu Onsen

A hot spring town along the river that has the atmosphere of a secret hot spring. This quiet mountain town is lined with quaint long-established inns and rustic guesthouses. The foot-stomping washing ceremony performed at the base of Okutsu Bridge is a symbolic sight of Okutsu Onsen, and demonstrations are held for tourists from 9:00 a.m. on Sundays (irregularly) from March to early December. The spring quality is a simple alkaline hot spring. It is popular as a ``beauty bath'' because it contains bleaching ingredients and is said to make your skin smooth. Many literary figures and artists have visited here since ancient times, and it has also served as the setting for their works.