• Japan is a country of volcanoes and deep forests, with boiling pools of water bubbling up from the earth found scattered throughout the land. Since ancient times, Japanese people have put these natural resources to great use through utilizing this naturally heated and mineral filled water to make baths designed to heal the body and relax the mind. This tradition is still ongoing, and there is nowhere better to observe it than Kusatsu. One of Japan’s most famous Onsen (hot springs) and consistently ranked the best Onsen in Eastern Japan for centuries, this town provides an amazing landscape centered around the Yubatake, a giant “field” of water coming from deep under the earth and from which the bath water for the local establishments is harvested. This tour will bring you through an amazing natural landscape of dried lava on Mount Asama before an afternoon of relaxation and great views in Kusatsu, the preferred getaway for all classes of Japanese going back centuries.

Enjoy the amazing scenery and stroll through the lava rocks. Formed by a volcanic eruption in the 1700’s, the landscape here feels nearly alien. Towering rocks formed from dry lava cover the mountainside, and pine trees and various bushes struggle to grow here and there in the harsh terrain. These elements together create what may be called a natural Japanese garden, its rock placement and stunted trees evoking thoughts of Zen Temples and Bonsai trees trimmed into unique shapes. John Lennon of the Beatles has even visited here before with his family, and is said to have taken great inspiration from Japanese culture. The views over the surrounding scenery are themselves nothing short of breathtaking – looking over the valley below, one sees only forests extending towards the far off mountains which surround the valley. Far from the hustle and bustle of human life, the sound of wind whistling through the rocks will be the only thing to greet your ears while enjoying this natural wonder.