Yumomi (湯もみ) is a traditional method of preparing hot spring water for bathing, practiced in Kusatsu Onsen, a hot spring resort town in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The word “yumomi” literally means “stirring with hot water,” and it involves a group of women using wooden paddles called “yumomi boards” to mix the hot spring water with cool water from a nearby stream.
Yumomi serves two main purposes: to cool down the high-temperature, highly acidic spring water to a comfortable bathing temperature of around 40 degrees Celsius, and to evenly distribute the sulfur, a key component of the hot spring, making it gentler on the skin.
The yumomi performance is a popular tourist attraction in Kusatsu Onsen, with several venues in the town offering demonstrations for visitors. The performance typically involves a group of women dressed in traditional Japanese attire, who sing folk songs such as “Kusatsu-bushi” and “Kiyari-uta” while rhythmically stirring the water with the yumomi boards. It is said that the singing started as a way for the women to alleviate the monotony of the work.
Visitors can also experience yumomi firsthand by participating in a hands-on activity where they are taught how to use the wooden paddles and stir the water. After the yumomi performance, visitors can enjoy bathing in the hot spring water that has been prepared using this traditional method.
Getting there
From Kusatsu Onsen Bus Terminal to Kusatsu Onsen Netsunoyu:
| Walk | About 3 minutes (240 m) |
Details
| Hours | ・9:30 AM ・10:00 AM ・10:30 AM ・3:30 PM ・4:00 PM ・4:30 PM |
| Admission | Adults: 700 yen Elementary school students: 350 yen |
| Phone | +81 279-88-3613 |
| Address | 414 Kusatsu, Kusatsu, Agatsuma District, Gunma 377-1711 |
| Official Website | https://www.kusatsu-onsen.ne.jp/netsunoyu/ |
