Matsudai Shibatoge Onsen Unkai

A hot spring resort located on Shibatoge Pass in Yomogihira, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. The hot spring was first discovered around 1952 when Teikoku Oil Company struck a large volume of hot spring water while drilling for oil, but the town could not afford to develop it and the well was sealed with concrete. In 1987, with funding from the Suzaki brothers (businessmen from Nagoya), drilling resumed, and the facility opened in 1991. A second source was discovered in 2003, and a panoramic open-air bath was added during renovations in 2005. The greatest attraction is the spectacular view of the sea of clouds (unkai) and terraced rice paddies from the open-air bath. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Uonuma mountain range including Mt. Hakkai, Mt. Makihata, and Mt. Naeba. The early morning sea of clouds creates a mystical landscape. The facility has two hot spring sources: Source No.1 (indoor bath) is a sodium chloride cold mineral spring (22.7°C, pH 7.6), and Source No.2 (outdoor bath) is a sodium chloride hot spring (47.9°C, pH 7.8). Source No.2 has a distinctive faint petroleum and naphthalene-iodine medicinal scent, with a total mineral content of 8,315mg/kg. The terraced rice paddies offer beautiful scenery throughout the seasons: rice planting in spring, lush green paddies in summer, autumn foliage, and snow-covered landscapes in winter. Day-trip bathing costs 800 yen for adults.