Santokoya
Hot Spring Overview
Santogoya Onsen sits at about 1,460 m on the western flank of Mt. Asahi in the Nasu mountain range, Nasushiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture. Discovered in 1142, it’s said to be the oldest spring in Nasu and was one of the “Seven Springs of Nasu” during the Edo period.
The main inn, Kuroya, is a historic wooden building dating from 1869 (Meiji 2) and comprises 21 guest rooms, a terrace, and a large communal hall. Inside you’ll find proper changing rooms and flush toilets. As a true mountain hut, it provides basic lodging facilities, but no road reaches it—guests arrive on foot, and after 9 p.m. the only light comes from oil lamps, preserving the atmosphere of an old-style healing retreat.
Hot Spring Details
Practical Info
Visit Log
Bath Types
Facilities
Access Information
Access Route
ルート 1
Parking Information
From the Nasu Ropeway’s “Tōge no Chaya” Station, it’s about a 2-hour hike along the mountain trail. There are multiple routes, but all require serious mountain-hiking skills. It’s closed in winter (December through March) and operates seasonally from late April through late November.
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About Secluded Rating
Access (Difficulty to Reach)
Over 1 hour walk
Scenery & Atmosphere
Untouched nature
Onsen Value
Historic unique spring
It’s about a 2-hour mountain hike on foot from the Nasu Ropeway, and the inn only operates seasonally (late April through late November). As a mountain hut it offers the basic amenities you’d expect, but since no road reaches it and after dark the only illumination comes from oil lamps, it still feels like an old-style healing retreat. Its history stretching back to the Edo period—and the fact that getting there is such a challenge—only add to its secret-spring allure.