I Looked Into Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu

On this blog, I've been running an ongoing series where I research and report on campgrounds and day-trip hot springs one at a time, from the perspective of an indoorsy person who doesn't own a car. The number of posts has gradually grown, and I find myself looking forward to figuring out where to look into next.

This time, I looked into Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu. I came across mention of an outdoor bath where you can soak while looking directly at a waterfall, and even though I can't actually go there myself, just following the photos and information felt a little soothing, so I decided to put together a summary.

What Kind of Place Is Manganno-yu?

Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu is apparently a day-trip hot spring facility located in Minano, Chichibu District, Saitama Prefecture. It seems to be open year-round, but apparently closes for a few days each year around June for facility maintenance, so if you're planning to visit, it might be worth double-checking that timing.

Hours are apparently from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (last entry at 8:30 PM), and for day-trip bathing, no reservation is needed—you can just show up on the day. Pricing seems to differ between weekdays and weekends/holidays; on weekdays, it looks like admission is 980 yen for adults for the full day, or 750 yen after 5:00 PM. On weekends, holidays, and certain designated days, it apparently runs a bit higher. Payment options include cash, credit cards, and transit-based e-money, but apparently QR code payments aren't accepted, so that's worth keeping in mind.

• Hours: 10:00 AM–9:00 PM (last entry 8:30 PM, last food order 8:00 PM)
• Approximate pricing: 980 yen for adults on weekdays, 750 yen after 5:00 PM (slightly higher on weekends/holidays)
• Payment methods: cash, credit cards, and transit-based e-money accepted; apparently no QR code payments
• Access: apparently around 200 free parking spaces, with room for large buses as well

Komorin

I was surprised to learn that QR code payments aren't accepted. It seems safer to plan on bringing cash or a card.

Checking Out the Outdoor Bath With Its View of Mangan Falls and the Bathing Facilities

The biggest highlight of this facility does seem to be the outdoor bath overlooking the clear stream of the Oku-Nagatoro Gorge and Mangan Falls right in front of you. There are apparently three differently named outdoor baths—Ougon no Yu, Hodo no Yu, and Ubu no Yu—and it seems the men's and women's sections rotate between them by season. Just looking at photos of soaking leisurely in the tub while gazing at the waterfall makes me feel like I can almost sense the atmosphere.

The water is apparently a simple sulfur spring, an alkaline cold mineral spring with a pH of 9.3. That's a fairly high alkalinity, and it's also apparently known as a drinkable spring, meaning you can drink the source water at 100% concentration. The indoor bath area includes a Japanese-style large bath overlooking a spacious garden and a jacuzzi, and the sauna is apparently a high-heat type at around 90°C, with the cold plunge pool using 100% source water. That combination might be especially appealing if you enjoy alternating between hot and cold bathing.

For resting, there's apparently a large communal hall included with admission, as well as paid private rooms (traditional tatami-style rooms) available for rent. However, these private rooms apparently don't include a bath—they're strictly for resting—so if you're picturing something like a family bath with its own private tub, it's worth double-checking that point. Reservations for the private rooms can apparently also be made by phone. At the restaurant, Mansai, they apparently serve over 30 kinds of local Chichibu dishes, including a golden-colored rice dish called ougon meshi, a large breaded pork cutlet called waraji katsu, and a wild boar-pork hot pot called inobuta nabe. The souvenir corner also apparently carries original cosmetics and mineral water.

• Outdoor baths: three types—Ougon no Yu, Hodo no Yu, and Ubu no Yu—each designed with a view of Mangan Falls, with men's and women's sections rotating by season
• Water type: simple sulfur spring (alkaline cold mineral spring, pH 9.3), apparently also drinkable
• Sauna and cold plunge: a high-heat sauna at around 90°C and a cold plunge pool using 100% source water
• Private rooms: traditional tatami-style rooms (no bath included), apparently reservable by phone

Komorin

This is the first time I've learned about a hot spring you can actually drink. If I ever got the chance, it might be fun to take a sip while gazing at the waterfall.

A Few Nearby Highlights

On the property itself, there's Mangan Falls right in front of the outdoor bath, and if you venture a little further, it seems you can walk to Suisenji Temple, known as the final stop of the pilgrimage to the hundred sacred Kannon sites of Japan, as well as the Chichibu Kegon Falls located just beyond it. By car, classic spots like Mount Hodo, Hodosan Shrine, and the rock formations and river rafting at Nagatoro are apparently only about 15 to 20 minutes away. There's also a campground right next door, so it's possible some people combine a camping trip with a day-trip bath here.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I tried checking this facility's location using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, but this time no result came up—instead, it showed a message saying something like "currently undergoing temporary maintenance." It seems this kind of message can appear when address data for the location in question hasn't been prepared, so I wasn't able to confirm the signal conditions this time.

Since it's located along a gorge in the mountains, signal reception might vary quite a bit depending on the exact spot. If you're planning an actual visit, it's probably a good idea to try the official tool yourself beforehand for peace of mind.

Komorin

Not getting a result somehow makes me even more curious. Given the gorge-side location, I find myself even more curious about what the actual signal is like.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, my overall impression of Chichibu Onsen Manganno-yu is that it's a day-trip hot spring known for its outdoor bath overlooking Mangan Falls in the Oku-Nagatoro Gorge, along with a simple sulfur spring that's even drinkable. With the combination of the sauna and source-water cold plunge, plus a restaurant serving local dishes, it seems to have everything you'd need to relax and unwind even on a day trip.

On the other hand, when it came to Rakuten Mobile signal conditions, the result of my research this time was simply that the official tool didn't display a result, so I couldn't confirm it. If you're curious, you can check for yourself using Rakuten Mobile's official tool, so it might be worth taking a look before you visit.

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Related Links

• Official Site