Takatō Onsen

Ina, Nagano, Japan

Location: Ina, Nagano, Japan
Water type: silica
Temperature: 40 °C
pH: 7.2

Water profile

Thermicity

Sedative

40 °C

LowHigh

Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.

Mineralisation

Balancing

LowHigh

Rich in trace elements — gentle on the skin.

Buoyancy

Standard buoyancy

LowHigh

Soft water — natural, classic buoyancy.

SiliceSodiumBicarbonates

Takatō Onsen—High Remote Spring—in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, rises near the site of the ancient Takato Castle, whose grounds are planted with approximately 1,500 Kohigan cherry trees that create one of Japan's three most celebrated cherry blossom sites—the spring cherry season at Takato drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors to experience the intense pink blossoms of a variety unique to this highland castle site. Simple alkaline and siliceous waters combine to provide both the gentle skin-softening warmth of simple alkaline bathing and the bijin no yu (beauty water) effect of silica-rich water on the skin—a dual mineral quality that complements the aesthetic pleasures of a spring set within one of Japan's most dramatically beautiful seasonal landscapes. Bathing in siliceous waters within the cherry blossom landscape of Takatō adds a mineral spring dimension to one of Japan's most spectacular seasonal floral events.

Insider tip — Takato Onsen near historic Ina in Nagano draws silica-rich waters that give skin a noticeably smooth, almost velvety texture after bathing, a quality known in Japanese as tsurutsuru-hada or slippery-skin. The spring sits near Takato Castle Park, famed for some of Japan's most spectacular cherry blossoms, making it one of the finest spring-season soak-and-blossom pairings in the country. The silica also acts as a natural skin protectant, and regular bathers claim lasting complexion improvements. Evening lighting of the castle grounds adds a magical atmosphere to late afternoon bathing.

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