"Yubatake" ("hot springs field") in the center of Kusatsu Onsen town

Many of our acquaintances are surprised when they learn that we've never been to Kusatsu Onsen. After all, it's one of the most iconic Onsen spots in the entire country - it's considered one of the "three most famous Onsens" (Arima Onsen and Gero Onsen being the others), although I don't necessarily agree with that distinction as it relates to Arima and Gero. In 2023 Kusatsu was voted #1 among Japanese travelers on jalan.net as the Onsen they'd like to visit again, placing it above Hakone, Noboribetsu, Dogo Onsen and Beppu in the desirability scale. We had every intention of visiting Kusatsu in our lifetime, we had been procrastinating due to the dearth of luxury accommodations in the area. Call us Onsen snobs, but we highly value a luxurious experience, which includes top-notch regional/seasonal cuisine, a spacious and comfortable room, a private Onsen and Omotenashi service.


Kusatsu Onsen at night

We learned last year that our prayers may have potentially been answered - Kusatsu Onsen Kei opened in 2019 (just prior to the pandemic), and judging by the photos and room rates we assumed that we'd have a quality stay at the ryokan. While some of the early reviews were mixed, we chalked it up to some minor issues prevalent in new properties as well as the small sample size of traveler feedback. Much to our disappointment, this ryokan has enough issues that require addressing before we ever consider elevating this place to tier-1 status, especially considering the price.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei lounge area

First off, location - it's not inconveniently situated, but neither is it in the heart of the action. While many shops, bathhouses, ryokans and restaurants are clustered around "Yubatake" (aka "hot springs field"), which is in the center of town, Kusatsu Onsen Kei is about a 5 minute uphill climb away from the center of activity. Yubatake is the iconic symbol of Kusatsu and one of the area's main sources of hot spring water, outputting an impressive 5000 liters of Onsen per minute, ranking it as one of the most productive Onsen sources in all of Japan. The Onsen comes out of the ground at 70 degrees Celsius with a pleasant but not overwhelming smell, and is cooled down in Yubatake's wooden conduits before it gets distributed to the various bath houses and ryokans. The whole area is atmospheric - the Yubatake field is lit up in the evening, giving it an eerily beautiful look, and you'll find many visitors walking around the area in traditional geta clogs and outfitted in Yukata wear.The building is nondescript and faces a small square that is home to "Jizo Gensen", which is one of several hot spring sources at Kusatsu Onsen. There's a cute little shrine and an area where you can see the spring water flowing beneath the ground via a cut-out (there's a glassed area where it's visible.) The ryokan has no garden or any sort of grounds, for that matter - it's simply a small building; note Kusatsu Onsen is a town with limited space, so I doubt any ryokan near the center has a tranquil garden either.
Once inside, the architecture and decor is modern and relatively stylish, if a bit dark. Aside from the main lobby lounge, there is no other communal area - the purpose of most visitors is to explore the town, so it really wasn't a big deal for us.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei A01 Type Suite, 85mē with Open-Air Bath

While we wanted Takasago, the ryokan's top room with 95mē of space, unfortunately it was booked up by the time we decided to stay at Kei. We settled for the next best thing, the 85mē A01 Type Suite with Open-Air Onsen Bath. The unit has a separate living room and bedroom, although it's not completely sealed off from one another - rather, it's separated by a wall partition in the center. There's also an odd, alcove area (we called it the "dungeon") next to the bedroom that is intended to serve as a work area - it contains a small desk and a chair. The bathroom has two sinks, an indoor shower area and the open-air onsen bath. Overall, it ticks most boxes. We also appreciated the living room having both a Western style sofa as well as a Japanese tatami floor area that has a cutout where you can lower your feet to a heated "ditch" - way more comfortable than having to sit cross-legged on the floor.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei A01 Type Suite, 85mē with Open-Air Bath

While the A01 Suite was a relatively comfortable place to pass the time, the quality of some of the furnishings were a bit uneven. Further evidence of cheapening out - the towels were small, thin and was terrible at absorbing moisture. This was also the case in the three private rental baths at the ryokan. Another thing that puzzled us was the toilet: for a property that is pretty new, I'm not sure why the controls of the toilet do not allow one-touch button functionality to lift (and put down) the toilet seat itself. This is de rigueur in Japanese accommodations, even in typical hotels. Finally, the toiletries on offer were minimal and low quality relative to luxury ryokan standards.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei A01 Type Suite, 85mē with Open-Air Bath

What was most surprising to us, however, was Kei only having in-room Onsen in three of its seven rooms (Takasago, A01 and C01.) For a new property being marketed as the pinnacle of luxury in arguably the most famous Onsen resort town, the fact that every room does not have its own Onsen is inexcusable. Another thing to keep in mind - Kusatsu Onsen Kei sources its hot springs from two different sources: Bandaiko Gensen and Jizo Gensen. A01 and Takasago's room baths source their Onsen from Bandaiko Gensen, while C01 gets its Onsen from Jizo Gensen. Why? I don't know. They are dramatically different hot springs in terms of mineral composition and smoothness/feel, so if you want to try both varieties, you should combine your soak between the in-room onsen and one of the three Onsen baths that can be privately rented by the hour. Two of them (Hikari and Awase) are indoor Onsen on the first floor and get their source from Jizo Gensen, while Ryoku is on the third floor, gets its source from Bandaiko Gensen and is a Rotenburo (open-air bath.) The first two rental baths are unique and atmospheric (even though they're indoors), whereas Ryoku is a "typical" bath in terms of aesthetics. Be aware that Jizo Gensen's onsen is softer, so if you have sensitive skin you might want to stick with Jizo; Bandaiko Gensen is more acidic in composition by comparison.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei A01 Type Suite, 85mē with Open-Air Bath

We were served both of our meals in a koshitsu (private room.) We've had better kaiseki meals than what we had at Kei, but we were satisfied with the quality and quantity of their cuisine. They served delicacies such as Fugu (puffer fish), Suppon (soft-shelled turtle) and Kobako-gani (female Snow Crab) - each were creatively prepared, beautifully presented and wonderful in taste. Overall, we doubt that anyone would walk away hungry or without remembering a few memorable dishes. Breakfast was equally satisfying. The regional dishes were artfully prepared and the taste was refined. The variety of offerings, however, was a bit less than what we typically see at luxury ryokans.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei - private rental Onsen bath "Awase". This is the iconic look of Onsen baths in Kusatsu Onsen. Each of the three baths have different temperatures, so there will definitely be something for everyone

Service was uneven and somewhat cold. There is someone that is usually standing behind the reception counter, which is right near the entrance door. Every time we departed from and return to the ryokan, not once were we greeted with ("have a great time!" or "welcome back! how was your outing") comment. At dinner, the server - while eager and charming - was not super familiar with each of the servings... something we demand from a ryokan that serves elaborate regional and seasonal delicacies. Not to mention, unlike at most ryokans, one waitperson is not assigned to your table. Some of the wait staff were foreigners, which is perfectly fine, expect that they varied in their knowledge of what was being served. Simple questions such as "where did this rice come from?" were often times met with "I don't know, let me find out" replies.


Kusatsu Onsen Kei kaiseki dinner - Vinegared Female Snow Crab and seasonal vegetables with Gynura bicolor Shinano Gold (Yellow Apple from present day Nagano) and Tosa-zu Jelly. Tosa-zu is a vinegared sauce that features rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin and bonito flakes.

We are glad to have visited Kusatsu Onsen, and in no way did Kusatsu Onsen Kei detract from our time there. But given the rates that they charge, I do feel that the ryokan has cut too many corners and needs to improve staff training in order to be a true, destination ryokan worthy of its price tag.