11 Hot Spring Inns in Ikaho and Minakami: Distance to the Stone Steps, Shuttles and 2-Meal Prices from ¥28,000 for 2

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Ikaho Onsen has its inns clustered around the stone steps street (Ishidan-gai), while the hot springs of Minakami, Tanigawa and Takaragawa are reached by shuttle or bus from Minakami Station on the JR Joetsu Line. Searching Rakuten Travel for a Wednesday in December for 2 adults with 2 meals, Ikaho started in the ¥28,000 range and Minakami in the ¥42,000 range. This page lines up 11 inns by distance to the stone steps street or the station, shuttle service and price.

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1. Comparison of 11 inns in Ikaho and Minakami (area, distance from the stone steps or station, price for 2 with 2 meals)

Tap an inn’s name to jump to its section.

Related article10 Whole-House Stays in Tokyo: Houses in the 23 Wards, Okutama Farmhouses and Island Villas, with Capacity and Price for 4

Prices are the lowest total found on Rakuten Travel for 2 adults, 1 room, 1 night, 2 meals, searched for Wednesdays December 2, 9 and 16, 2026 (tax included, retrieved on November 1, 2026). They are not necessarily the lowest price: days and plans not searched, and other booking sites, may be cheaper or more expensive. Prices rise on Saturdays, the eve of holidays and over the New Year.

2. Things to know when choosing an inn in Ikaho and Minakami

To reach Ikaho, take a route bus from Shibukawa Station on the JR Joetsu Line (25 to 30 minutes) or an express bus from the Shinjuku Station New South Exit (about 2 hours). At inns on the stone steps street the car park can be away from the inn, and Kishigon Ryokan runs a shuttle from its own car park to the inn.

Ikaho has two kinds of hot spring water: the brown, cloudy “Golden Water” and the clear “Silver Water”. Fukuichi and Hotel Tenbo offer both, while Kishigon Ryokan and Chigira Jinsentei offer the Golden Water.

The inns in Minakami mostly rely on shuttles from Minakami Station on the JR Joetsu Line. If you arrive at Jomo-Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, Minakami Sanso does not run a shuttle to Jomo-Kogen Station, so use a bus or taxi from the station. For Takaragawa Onsen, the inn runs a free shuttle (by reservation) from Jomo-Kogen and Minakami stations.

3. Inns in Ikaho Onsen

Kishigon Ryokan (next to the stone steps street)

This long-established ryokan next to the stone steps street uses the brown, cloudy “Golden Water” in its open-air bath, large bath and private baths (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals start from ¥29,700, which was on the lower side for inns near the stone steps street (night of December 9, 2026, 8-mat Japanese-style room).

The free car park has 150 spaces, is across from Ikaho Elementary School, and a shuttle takes you from there to the inn.

Name	Kishigon Ryokan
Address	48 Ikaho-ko, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0279-72-3105
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Chigira Jinsentei (1 minute on foot from the stone steps)

This inn with 34 rooms, 1 minute on foot from the stone steps street, has a large bath and open-air bath filled with free-flowing “Golden Water”, and family baths (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥35,200 (night of December 9, 2026, Japanese-style room in the main building).

It is about 2 hours by express bus from the Shinjuku Station New South Exit (Busta Shinjuku), and the free car park holds 100 cars.

Name	Chigira Jinsentei
Address	45 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0279-72-3355
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Fukuichi (at the top of the stone steps street)

Said to have been founded 440 years ago, this inn stands at the top of the stone steps street and offers two waters, the “Golden Water” and the clear “Silver Water” (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults started from ¥47,520 with 2 meals and from ¥21,120 without meals (night of December 2, 2026).

Take the bus bound for Ikaho Onsen from Shibukawa Station (30 minutes) to the last stop, and it is a few minutes on foot from the bus stop; a shuttle is also available. There is a car park for about 50 cars under the building.

Photo credit: Ikaho Onsen Fukuichi press release, October 23, 2023: a new guest room, a top-floor sky retreat stay at 800 m above sea level from September 2023 (Japanese)

Name	Fukuichi
Address	5-4 Kayu, Ikaho-machi Ikaho, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0279-20-3000
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Hotel Kogure (large bath with a garden open-air bath)

A large inn with a large bath that has a 1,300-tsubo garden open-air bath, plus a sauna and family baths (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥53,900 (night of December 16, 2026, Japanese-style or Japanese-Western room in the Shokatei building, room chosen by the hotel).

It is 30 minutes by route bus from Shibukawa Station, and if you phone after getting off, you are picked up at the bus stop. The free car park has 350 spaces.

Photo credit: Kogure Ryokan Co., Ltd. press release, April 28, 2025: Ikaho Onsen Hotel Kogure heads toward its 450th anniversary, with a scenic dining room at 700 m and new rooms with open-air baths (Japanese)

Name	Hotel Kogure
Address	135 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0279-72-2701
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Hotel Tenbo (Miharashita)

A large inn on a site of 1,000 tsubo with various baths, where you can enter two kinds of hot spring water, the “Golden Water” and the “Silver Water” (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals start from ¥28,000, the lowest of the 11 inns (night of December 2, 2026, room chosen by the hotel).

Get off at Miharashita, 25 minutes by route bus from Shibukawa Station. There is no shuttle. The free car park holds 570 cars.

Name	Hotel Tenbo
Address	396-20 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 11:00
Phone	0279-72-3880
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Hotel Matsumotoro (Miharashita)

An inn with more than 8 types of rooms, including rooms with an open-air bath or a sauna, and private baths (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults started from ¥43,000 with 2 meals and from ¥29,000 without meals (night of December 16, 2026, 8-mat Japanese-style room).

A free shuttle bus runs from the Ikaho Onsen Bus Terminal, and you contact the hotel when you arrive. The free car park holds 100 cars.

Name	Hotel Matsumotoro
Address	164 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa City, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0279-72-3306
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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4. Inns in Minakami, Tanigawa and Takaragawa Onsen

Minakami Hotel Juraku (10 minutes on foot from Minakami Station)

A hotel with a buffet dinner and a large bath with open-air baths and a sauna (Rakuten Travel facility information). It is 10 minutes on foot from Minakami Station, or 2 minutes by shuttle bus, and the car park is a multi-storey one that can be used on snowy days. On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥46,000 (night of December 2, 2026, Japanese-Western room).

Official Instagram post featured on the official website of Minakami Hotel Juraku

When you arrive at Minakami Station, phone and the shuttle bus comes. The free multi-storey car park holds about 250 cars.

Name	Minakami Hotel Juraku
Address	665 Yubara, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 15:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0278-72-2521
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Ryokan Tanigawa (Tanigawa Onsen)

An inn connected with the writer Osamu Dazai, with a private open-air bath and a foot bath (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥49,800 (night of December 9, 2026, 10-mat Japanese-style room).

It is 7 minutes by car from JR Minakami Station, and a shuttle is available. The free car park holds 50 cars.

Name	Ryokan Tanigawa
Address	524-1 Tanigawa, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 14:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0278-72-2468
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Minakami Sanso (Tanigawa Onsen)

An inn with 18 rooms and an indoor bath of ancient cypress filled with free-flowing source water, with a view of Mt. Tanigawa (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥47,300 (night of December 2, 2026, 10-mat Japanese-style room with a view of Mt. Tanigawa).

A shuttle to Minakami Station runs between 14:00 and 17:00 and is requested when you book. There is no shuttle to Jomo-Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen. The car park has 20 spaces.

Name	Minakami Sanso
Address	556 Tanigawa, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 14:00 · Check-out 10:30
Phone	0278-72-3250
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Bettei Senjuan (open-air bath in every room)

A ryokan with 18 rooms at the foot of Mt. Tanigawa, where every guest room has an open-air bath with free-flowing source water (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥125,200, the highest of the 11 inns (night of December 9, 2026, Japanese-style room with a terrace).

It is 25 minutes by bus from Jomo-Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen, or 8 minutes by car from Minakami Station. The free car park has 19 spaces.

Name	Bettei Senjuan
Address	614 Tanigawa-nishidaira, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 13:00 · Check-out 11:00
Phone	0278-20-4141
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku (an inn with a huge open-air bath)

The only inn at this spot has a huge open-air bath (mixed and women-only) fed by 1,800 liters a minute of free-flowing source water, and all rooms are non-smoking (Rakuten Travel facility information). On Rakuten Travel, 2 adults with 2 meals started from ¥42,800 (night of December 16, 2026, 12-mat mountain-side room in the East Building).

A free shuttle runs from Jomo-Kogen Station on the Joetsu Shinkansen and JR Minakami Station, and a reservation is required (bookings close when it is full). By route bus, take the bus bound for Yunokoya from Minakami Station and get off at Takaragawa Iriguchi after about 30 minutes, then take the inn’s shuttle car. If you drive between December 1 and March 31, leave the car at Michi-no-Eki Minakami-machi Suikikokan, about 10 minutes from Minakami IC (paid car park), and take the reservation-only shuttle to the inn (access page of Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku, Japanese). According to the Rakuten Travel facility information, the inn’s free car park holds 100 cars.

Name	Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku
Address	1899 Fujiwara, Minakami Town, Tone District, Gunma
Hours / Closed	Check-in 14:00 · Check-out 10:00
Phone	0278-75-2611
Map	Open in Google Maps ↗

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5. How to choose

To walk around the stone steps street, Kishigon Ryokan, Chigira Jinsentei and Fukuichi, next to the street, are easy places to stay on foot. If a large car park and big baths matter most, Hotel Tenbo (570 spaces) and Hotel Kogure (350 spaces) are easy to reach by car.

The inns in Minakami are scattered in the mountains at the foot of Mt. Tanigawa. By train, choose Minakami Hotel Juraku, within walking distance of the station, or an inn in Tanigawa Onsen with a shuttle from Minakami Station.

Sources

13 pages we checkedShow

• Kishigon Ryokan: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Chigira Jinsentei: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Fukuichi: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Hotel Kogure: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Hotel Tenbo: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Hotel Matsumotoro: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Minakami Hotel Juraku: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Ryokan Tanigawa: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Minakami Sanso: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Bettei Senjuan: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku: Rakuten Travel facility page
• Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku: access page
• Japanese version of this page (日本語版)

Checked with official pages on November 1, 2026 (Japan time).