Ryokan Tamura is a small inn in Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma, run by one family since the late Edo period. It stands right next to the Jizo public bath, a step off the main street and three minutes on foot from the Yubatake, the town’s steaming hot-spring field. Before you book, three things matter: its two private baths are free and need no booking; dinner and breakfast are served in a private dining room, not in a shared hall; and the website and booking page are in Japanese only.
Ryokan Tamura at a glance
| What you need to know | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 305 Kusatsu, Kusatsu-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-1711 |
| Phone / email | +81-279-88-2045 / tamurakan@joy.ocn.ne.jp |
| Check-in / checkout | From 14:00 / by 10:00 |
| Baths | Men’s and women’s indoor baths, two free private baths; 14:00 to 9:30 |
| Meals | In a private dining room, separate from your bedroom |
| Price | From 18,000 yen per person with dinner and breakfast (two sharing, tax included) |
| Extra charge | Bathing tax 150 yen per adult |
| Payment | Cash or major credit cards; prepayment by card or PayPay online |
| Parking | Free, next to the inn, no reservation needed |
| Smoking | Non-smoking throughout, including rooms |
From the official site and booking page, read October 14, 2026.
The rooms at Ryokan Tamura
The inn calls itself a “small onsen inn” with no large banquet hall or flashy facilities,. Rooms are assigned on a first-come basis according to the date, the number of guests and the plan. There are three types:
| Room | What it is | Guests (booking page) |
|---|---|---|
| Yuri | Renovated March 2023: Japanese room, twin beds, its own dining space and a private bath of Jizo spring water; one room only | 2–5 |
| Shakunage | Renovated April 2020: 10-mat plus 4.5-mat room with twin beds, its own dining room and a view over Ura-Kusatsu; one room only | 1–4 |
| Japanese room | 8 tatami mats | 1–3 |
From the rooms page and the booking page, read October 14, 2026.
What is in the rooms?
The rooms page lists a toilet with a washlet, a fridge, a TV, a safe, yukata, towels and a toothbrush, with a bath in some rooms. Wi-Fi works in every room. For four or five adults in the 8-mat rooms, the inn asks you to book two rooms. Women can borrow one of about 30 colored yukata for free. Bringing your own food or drinks into the inn is not allowed.
The baths at Ryokan Tamura and the Jizo spring
Where does the water come from?
The inn’s bath water comes from the Jizo spring, one of Kusatsu’s sources, and is free-flowing (kakenagashi). The official site lists a pH of 2.02 and notes the figure changes with the time of measurement. The water is often a little cloudy, with fine white flakes.
Which baths are there, and when are they open?
There are four baths: men’s and women’s indoor baths and two private baths, a round tub and a rock tub. Each guest can use up to three of the four. The private baths are free and without booking; if one is empty, use it for 40 minutes. All baths are open from 14:00 to 9:30 and close from 9:30 to 12:30 for cleaning. The inn does not list an open-air bath.
Can I use the Jizo public bath next door?
Yes. The Jizo public bath is just outside the front door and uses the same spring. The inn lists it as free, open from 8:00 to 22:00. It is a bath built for and run by local people, so follow the manners.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. The private baths are used by your group alone, but ask the inn before you book. Our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Meals at Ryokan Tamura
Where are meals served?
Dinner and breakfast are served in a private dining room set aside for your group, separate from the room you sleep in (Yuri and Shakunage have their own). A dining room seats up to six; larger groups are split between two, and groups of six or more should talk to the inn before booking.
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Dinner is a seasonal Japanese set of local Gunma food, cooked by the okami (landlady) and the senior okami. You choose the main dish: Joshu mochi pork on the base plan, Joshu beef for 1,000 yen more, or Joshu beef with Ginhikari, a Gunma rainbow trout, for 2,000 yen more. Because it is served as one set, not course by course, the inn says not every dish arrives hot. Breakfast is a gentle Japanese meal. Weekday plans with dinner only, breakfast only or no meals are also offered.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
For food allergies, the inn asks you to call +81-279-88-2045. Vegetarian, vegan and halal meals are not mentioned, so ask before you book.
Prices, children, cancellation and payment
How much does a stay cost?
Prices on the booking page are per person per night with two adults in a room, consumption tax included. With dinner and breakfast, the base plan starts at 18,000 yen in an 8-mat room, 22,000 yen in Shakunage and 40,000 yen in Yuri. A two-night plan for weekdays and selected dates, with dinner and breakfast on the first night and no meals on the second, starts at 16,000 yen. The inn says booking on its own site is cheaper than other booking sites. Add the bathing tax of 150 yen per adult; Kusatsu town exempts children of elementary-school age and under. See our onsen bathing tax guide.
What do children cost?
Elementary-school children pay 70 percent of the adult rate and get a child’s meal and bedding. For younger children, the booking page shows the options and prices when you enter guests.
What is the cancellation policy?
The booking page lets you change or cancel online until 23:00 the day before your stay; after that, call the inn. The cancellation fee rates appear only after you choose a date, so check them before you confirm. See our hotel cancellation guide for how these fees work in Japan.
How do I pay?
At the inn, or in advance by credit card or PayPay on the booking page. Prepaid bookings are made under a travel contract with Time Design, a registered travel agency. The inn accepts Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, JCB, American Express, Diners Club and Discover.
Getting to Ryokan Tamura in Kusatsu Onsen
The inn is about 5 minutes on foot from the Kusatsu Onsen bus terminal. Head down the main shopping street toward the Yubatake. After about 200 m, turn right at the Honke Chichiya onsen-bun shop, then follow the road for 2 to 3 minutes, past signs for the Jizo bath. The Jizo bath is at the end of the road, and the inn is next to it. The Yubatake is 3 minutes away, the Netsunoyu yumomi show 4 minutes, and Sainokawara Park about 19 minutes.
Train and bus routes on the official site are shown as images only, and no pickup is mentioned. For trains and highway buses from Tokyo, see our Kusatsu Onsen from Tokyo guide. If you drive, parking is free next to the inn with no reservation; the inn warns that the town’s roads are narrow and often one-way.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Ryokan Tamura
- The website and booking page are in Japanese only. You can also email tamurakan@joy.ocn.ne.jp or call +81-279-88-2045.
- Check-in starts at 14:00, and the inn will hold your bags before then. If you will arrive after 18:00, call the inn; the booking page says a booking may be canceled if there is no word by 18:30.
- The two private baths are free: if one is empty, it is yours for 40 minutes.
- Dinner is a set served all at once, so not every dish is hot.
- The whole inn is non-smoking, and outside food and drinks are not allowed.
Frequently asked questions
Are the private baths at Ryokan Tamura free?
What time is check-in at Ryokan Tamura?
Can I pay by credit card at Ryokan Tamura?
Is the Jizo public bath free for guests of Ryokan Tamura?
Does Ryokan Tamura have an English website?
Bottom line (2026): Ryokan Tamura is a small, family-run inn beside the Jizo public bath, three minutes from the Yubatake, with two free private baths of Jizo spring water and meals in a private dining room. Book on the Japanese booking page or by email, and tell the inn your arrival time.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Ryokan Tamura’s official pages: home (Japanese), baths, meals, rooms, access and FAQ, the official booking page, and Kusatsu town’s bathing tax page. All were read on October 14, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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