Hi there!
Shibu Onsen is a small hot springs village that’s located in Nagano prefecture.
There are lots of accommodation options where you can soak in hot springs.
There are also options where you can soak in hot springs during the day.
You can find both public and private options.
Shibu Onsen is pretty near Nagano city, and you might consider spending a night or 2 in Nagano.
Nagano is about a 4 hour bus ride from Tokyo. (See my Tokyo to Nagano bus ride.) You can get there quicker by taking a shinkansen bullet train (1.5 hours), which means you can get there with a JR pass. (See how to figure out if a JR pass will be worth it for you.)
Shibu Onsen is also near the Jigokudani snow monkey park.
I walked through Shibu Onsen after a visit to the monkey park.
Basically, this part of the trip was this walking route:
- Jigokudani monkey park to Shibu Onsen
- Walk through Shibu Onsen village streets
- Shibu Onsen to Yudanaka station (to get a train back to Nagano Station)
A visit to Shibu Onsen can be a perfect part of a 2-day Nagano itinerary with a snow monkey pass, and it can also be a perfect part of a 10-day Japan winter itinerary too!
Or, if you want a more traditional Japanese experience, you might also consider spending a night (or 2!) in this small Japanese village. You can find ryokan accommodation options here which can give you that Japanese atmosphere.
According to the Shibu Onsen Ryokan Association:
Shibu Onsen is a hot spring resort that has a history as long as 1,300 years.
Cobblestone lanes are surrounded by traditional wooden ryokan (Japanese inns), which makes this quaint old town attractive to many visitors.
You will feel the atmosphere of a Japanese onsen village while strolling on these streets in your yukata (light cotton kimono).
Where to stay in Shibu Onsen
Put in future dates below to get current accommodation prices. Links and map take you to partner website where you can find reviews and photos.
Top places to stay in Shibu onsen
Options at Kokuya including private outdoor hot spring bath
There are also public onsen hot springs you can visit during the day if you don’t want to stay the night.
There is a small tourist information office in Shibu Onsen, and this could be a good first stop to make for recommendations!
Japanese language tips for onsen
Onsen means hot springs in Japanese.
Onsen in Japanese
Hot springs foot bath in Japanese
If you see this, it means there’s a foot bath. It says ashiyu in Japanese.
Onsen egg in Japanese
This says onsen tamago in Japanese, which means hot springs egg.
The google translate app has a feature where you can take a picture of Japanese writing and it will translate it for you.
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Now…
The walk through Shibu Onsen village streets
PHOTOS!
And there’s a walk around Shibu Onsen!
Also have a look at taking a walk around the chestnut town of Obuse that’s pretty near Shibu Onsen!
HAPPY HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE VISIT TO SHIBU ONSEN!
