Shima-Onsen (Nakanojo)

 town, hot spring, onsen

Shima (四万) Hot Springs. Shima is tucked into the mountains on the north end of town. The name means 40,000, and represents the 40,000 ailments the water is supposed to cure. It is an extremely picturesque area. To get there, you can drive to the end of highway 353 from Shibukawa, or take a bus from Nakanojō Station, on the Agatsuma Line.

The onsen water is clear and does not have a distinct smell; it contains K, Ca, Mn, Mg, Fe, Al, H2SO3, HCO3, HSO4 and etc., but not too much.

The best baths in the town are in the Seikizen-kan ryokan (open to the outside visitors until 16:00), the Seiri-yu onsen, the Yamaguchi konyoku rotemburo which has nice river view, and the Kami-no yu (which is a small bath).

www.shimaonsen.com/ (Japanese)
www.town.nakanojo.gunma.jp (Japanese)