Tsubame Onsen

Tsubame Onsen sits at 1,100 meters on the slopes of Mount Myoko in Niigata, a small mountain village with two free open-air baths set in stone pools beside a rushing stream. The milky-white sulfur water comes out hot and smells of the earth, and the 15-minute forest walk from the village to reach the baths passes a waterfall along the way. Traditional ryokan in the village serve hearty mountain cooking, and the trailhead for serious Myoko hiking starts nearby. The baths close in winter under deep snow, but from late spring through autumn the contrast of hot water against cool mountain air makes the walk entirely worth it.