Unazuki Onsen
宇奈月温泉36°49′ N 137°35′ EOnsen townHokuriku and Noto
Unazuki Onsen suits couples and families who want a riverside hot-spring town at the mouth of the Kurobe Gorge, and its trade-off is a short season for the gorge railway, which runs only from late April to the end of November.
Photo mrpbps · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Who should base here
Stay in Unazuki for a ryokan dinner and a bath above the river, then the first gorge train in the morning.
Things to do in Unazuki Onsen
Unazuki opened in 1923 on water piped down the Kurobe River from Kuronagi Onsen, and the source comes up at about 88°C. The innkeepers' cooperative counts ten member inns with room for 3,500 guests, and most of them face the gorge. The water is clear and weakly alkaline, and the town sells it as a bath for the skin.
The Kurobe Gorge Railway leaves Unazuki for Keyakidaira, and in 2026 it ran from 20 April to 30 November. The full line reopened on 1 October 2026 after repairs to earthquake damage. At Keyakidaira visitors can use only the station and the visitor centre while work continues. In winter the railway runs short tours across the Shin-Yamabiko bridge, about 530 m from the station.
The Chitetsu line takes 25 minutes from Shin-Kurobe, next to Kurobe-Unazukionsen Shinkansen station. The public bath Yumedokoro Unazuki charges ¥510 and closes only on the fourth Tuesday of the month. On weekends, holidays and the Obon week from 2 May to 12 October 2026, a tour bus called Alpen GO ran straight from Unazuki to Murodo.
Worth knowing
- Book Keyakidaira seats three months ahead in autumn; reservations close at 15:00 the day before you ride.
- Nekomata station stopped taking passengers on 1 October 2026, so plan your stops around Kanetsuri and Keyakidaira.
Quick answers about Unazuki Onsenよくある質問
Is Unazuki Onsen a good place to stay?
Stay in Unazuki for a ryokan dinner and a bath above the river, then the first gorge train in the morning.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby宿
Within 12 km