Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Nagaden Yudanaka Station 長電湯田中駅

Yudanaka Station 湯田中駅 (N24) is the terminus station on the 33.2 km long Nagaden Nagano line 長電長野線. The train station is the gateway to Yudanaka Shibu Onsenkyo 湯田中渋温泉郷, a cluster of nine hot spring spots - Yudanaka 湯田中, Shibu 渋, Shin-Yudanaka 新湯田中, Hoshikawa 星川, Honami 穂波, Kakuma 角間, Andai 安代, Kanbayashi 上林 and Jigokudani 地獄谷. Yudanaka Onsen 湯田中温泉 traces its origin to more than 1,350 years ago, while Shibu Onsen is well known for hot springs waters with healing properties which gave rise to its reputation as "Tenka no Yakuto 天下の薬湯" (translates to world famous medicinal hot spring). From the train station, we transferred to a bus to visit Jikogudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen 地獄谷野猿公園 or more famously known as Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク), a popular tourist attraction where visitors can see wild Japanese macaque bathing and relaxing in hot spring waters.









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What's nearby?

(1) Bus stop, just beside the train station.
- Nagaen Bus Kanbayashi line 長電バス上林線 (Bus 20) heading for Shibu Onsen 渋温泉, Hoshikawa Onsen 星川温泉, Andai Onsen 安代温泉 and Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク.
Bus schedule: https://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/local/diagram/timetbl_pdf.php?route=NKN01
- Nagaden Bus Shirane-kazan line 長電バス白根火山線 heading for Shibu Onsen 渋温泉, Hoshikawa Onsen 星川温泉, Andai Onsen 安代温泉, Snow Monkey Park スノーモンキーパーク, Oku-Shiga Kogen 奥志賀高原 and Yokoteyama Ski Resort 横手山スキー場.
Bus schedule: https://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/local/diagram/timetbl_pdf.php?route=YDS01



(2) Kaede no yu 楓の湯, a public communal bathhouse located just beside the train station.
Because of its close proximity to the train station, one can see train arriving/departing from the platform from the resting area of Kaede no yu. Did not manage to visit any of the hot spring spots of Yudanaka Shibu Onsenkyo nor soak in this facility which utilises the area's natural hot spring waters. Instead, we relaxed our foot in the complimentary ashiyu (footbath 足湯) situated just in front of Kaede no yu, while waiting for the next train to arrive.

Kaede no yu 楓の湯
長野県下高井郡山ノ内町大字平穏3227番地1
Operating hours: 1000 - 2100 hrs (last entry at 2030 hrs); closed on first Tuesday of every month
Admission fee = 300 yen (adult); 150 yen (child)
http://www.town.yamanouchi.nagano.jp/kaedenoyu/index.html









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Commemorative stamp: