Hana Shōbu

Hana Shōbu (花しょうぶ) is a commercial onsen located in Suzuka between the Bell City and Loc Town shopping centers.

It was completed in 2008 and has very nice facilities. Within the onsen itself there are numerous indoor/outdoor baths to choose from and there is a large sauna section as well with five different saunas, each with a different temperature and ambient theme.

Anyone who has been to Ōedo Onsen in Tokyo (on Odaiba) will recognize a number of similarities. It isn't quite as grand as that place but is also not nearly as expensive. It is like Gokurakuyu in Tsu but newer and nicer.

Facilities

Onsen

The onsen is technically classified as "natural" in that water is pumped from some natural source closer to the mountains into the water tanks at Hana Shōbu. It does not feel "natural" the way a hotel in the mountains of Nagano would feel, however they really nice outdoor baths and attention to atmosphere and ambient detail can convince you otherwise if you give it a chance.

Indoor Baths

• Standard bath. Kept around 42°C
• Electric bath - both strong and weak
• Jet bath
• Lay-down bath
• Cold bath

Outdoor Baths

• Warmer standard bath - kept around 42°C
• Regular standard bath - kept around 40°C and has a giant TV
• Theme bath - kept around 40°C. Contains special ingredients and fragrances (typically related to the season) and changes every few weeks.
• One-person tubs - three of them

Sauna

The sauna portion of this facility is called Bikambō (美汗房) and this is what truly sets Hana Shōbu apart from other onsen and why I can't recommend this place enough to onsen lovers.

This onsen has a rather unique policy where men and women can meet up and hang out together while in the sauna or relaxation areas. If you request the sauna when you enter the building, you'll be given a set of special pajama-like clothing that you change into and only people wearing these clothes are allowed into the sauna.

Here are the things available in the sauna area:

• Nap floor - kept warm. About 30 bed-chair things to hang out in with TV and magazine/manga selection available.
• Foot sauna - stick your feet into a bunch of little plastic balls that are kept heated
• Salt sauna
• Hotter rock sauna
• Cooler rock sauna
• Wooden sauna
• Extra hot sauna (72°C)
• Ice room - every now and then employees will come in and fan ice dust onto you
• Refrigerated locker for drinks so you can keep your bottle cold between your trips into the various sauna.

Other

• Massages
• Izakaya-esque restauarant with a pretty full menu of Japanese foods
• DS rental

Hours

• Weekdays, Sundays, Holidays - 09:00~25:00 (have to arrive by 24:00)
• Friday, Saturday, Nights before holidays - 09:00~26:00 (have to arrive by 25:00)

Map

• Official map
• Google map

Directions

See directions for Loc Town. Hana Shōbu is on the opposite side of the parking lot from Loc Town.

Links

• Hana Shōbu - Official site (Japanese) - Great pictures of the onsen!