Yatsugatake Honzawa Hot Spring — Local services in Minamimaki

This is a climber’s paradise! Very conveniently located for hiking routes, and very comfortable. The room was just a room- you set up the bedding yourself- but this is considered a luxury for hard-core climbers. Good food, huge selection of local nihonshu (sake), quirky baths and delicious water! Bring your own towels and ONLY eco-friendly soap/ bathing products as they are making an effort to preserve the environment. We brought our own booze and towels. They let you keep your stuff there when you go out for a hike. One thing about the outdoor bath- (10 minute walk from the lodge)- when we arrived, there were 10 campers using it and we had to stand there for 15 minutes until they started to leave. Normally, people don’t wear swimwear there but the two ladies had on swimsuits. I bathe without one, so ended up draping a hand towel over my front bits when the guys slowly started to get out. It’s a hot spring source and the water is very hot, and if you can’t tolerate 42~43C, maybe skip it. Note: It’s a 2 hour and 30 minute hike through the forest to this place (unless you’re coming from another mountain). If you have a 4WD and aren’t afraid of driving on really dodgy large rocks, you can drive up to the gate in 10 minutes or so, then walk 90 minutes to the lodge (which is what we did). PLEASE do not bring small children to this place- there is absolutely nothing...

Unfortunately the room was extremely cold, it was impossible to heat it as there was only one kerosene heater for the whole floor when rooms are private and have closed doors anyway, heater was turned off during the night. The only warm place was the communal room in the back with the woodstove. It was lovely to get hot water bottle in bed for the night, but air in the room was as cold as sleeping in the tent. Some work needs to be done to allow warm air circulations into rooms. The onsen experience (bot indoor and wild) was great and staff was accommodating and happy to provide hot water (for a fee). I would be happy to stay again but maybe...

日本最高所にある露天風呂に入浴するため本沢温泉||へ向かう。||本沢温泉（ほんざわ）とは、長野県南南牧村にある温泉。||八ヶ岳連峰硫黄岳の山中標高2150mにあり、登山での||み行くことができる温泉である。||一軒宿（山小屋）の「本沢温泉」が存在する。冬季も営業||しており、日本で3番目の高所にある温泉である。通年営||業の温泉宿としては日本で2番目の高所である（最高所||は赤岳鉱泉）。なお、赤岳鉱泉の温泉は通年営業ではな||く、加熱不要の高温泉としては「通年営業の日本最高所||の温泉」である。内湯は24時間入浴可。||日本最高所の露天風呂である「雲上の湯」がある。風呂||の大きさは3〜4人くらい入れる大きさ。露天風呂の湯船の||側には、「日本最高所野天風呂」と書いた立標があるが、||脱衣所や目隠しなど全く無い。||||７：３５登山開始||ただし　4ＷＤ車はこの先の駐車場まで行くことが出来る||私の車は２ＷＤ、前日の夕立で路面がぬかるんでいそう||なので止めた。しょうがなし　てくてく歩くことにしたが、||35分後車止めに付いたが途中でジムニーに抜かされた。||乗っけて・・叫んでしまった||駐車場にジムニーがあり既に登山開始していた。||ここまで登山口の地図では４０分を３５分、この先温泉ま||で１:１５分頑張ろう||約３０分歩いた８：４２　看板にはあと５０分の案内||途中で水芭蕉やクリン草園もあり気分転換に助かる。||クリン草||クリン草はサクラソウ科の花で、花が車輪状につけ、それ||が数段になるので、その様子が五重塔などの先端部分の||「九輪」に似ているところから「クリン草」と名付けられたそ||うです。クリンソウ（九輪草）は山間部の湿ったところでない||と生育しません。||クリン草園看板には、本沢温泉まで５分と書いてあった　||現在９：０２　もう一息||やったー　着いた　９：０８||１時間３５分　頑張った　頑張った　本沢温泉　一軒宿||日本秘湯を守る会会員宿||沢水で冷やしたビールが売っていて飲みテー||ここで入浴券６００円を買う||雲上の露天風呂はここから５分の所にある||日本最高所の露天風呂である「雲上の湯」がある。||泉質 ||•酸性 - 含硫黄 - カルシウム・マグネシウム -...