Zenkoji Temple Itinerary in Nagano: Shibu Onsen & Sauna

Contents hide

1 🏔️ Zenkoji Temple Itinerary: From Mountain Retreat to Cultural Discovery

2 🚗 Access Guide: Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen Route by Car or Train

3 🛕 Day 1: Zenkoji Temple Itinerary – A Spiritual Encounter

4 ♨️ Day 2: Shibu Onsen Ryokan with Kids – Private Sauna & Fireflies

🏔️ Zenkoji Temple Itinerary: From Mountain Retreat to Cultural Discovery

After checking out from Takamine Onsen, we extended our Zenkoji temple itinerary northward to visit the iconic Zenkoji Temple. and stayed another night in the charming hot spring town of Shibu Onsen. This 2-day extension turned out to be the perfect way to combine spiritual recharge, cultural experiences, and a luxurious Shibu Onsen private sauna experience.

Travel map showing the Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen route, with Takamine Onsen as a starting point.

🚗 Access Guide: Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen Route by Car or Train

We traveled by car throughout this trip, but everything is also accessible by train and local transport.

From Takamine Onsen to Zenkoji Temple: About 1.5 hours by car
From Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen: About 50 minutes by car

🛤️ Prefer trains? No problem! Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano Station, then rent a car or use buses to access both Zenkoji and Shibu Onsen.

🗺️ Access to Yudanaka Onsen by Train (from major cities)

Travel times below indicate the approximate duration from each major city’s main station to Yudanaka Station, the closest train station to Shibu Onsen.

Departure City	Route	Travel Time
Tokyo	Hokuriku Shinkansen → Nagano Dentetsu (Express)	Approx. 2 hr 5 min (1 hr 20 min + 45 min)
Nagoya	Limited Express Shinano → Nagano Dentetsu (Express)	Approx. 3 hr 35 min (2 hr 50 min + 45 min)
Osaka	Tokaido Shinkansen + Limited Express via Nagoya	Approx. 4 hr 30 min
Kanazawa	Hokuriku Shinkansen → Nagano Dentetsu (Express)	Approx. 1 hr 55 min (1 hr 10 min + 45 min)
Niigata	Joetsu Shinkansen + Hokuriku Shinkansen → Nagano Dentetsu (Express)	Approx. 2 hr 30 min

All routes require a transfer at Nagano Station to the Nagano Dentetsu Line. The final leg to Yudanaka Station takes about 45 minutes by limited express.

👉 Reserve your Japan Rail Pass or Shinkansen tickets with Klook

🚗 Driving instead? Booking a rental car is easy and convenient with Klook.

👉 Book your rental car in Nagano on Klook

🔗 For more detailed public transport routes and maps to Shibu Onsen, check the official site:
👉 Yudanaka & Shibu Onsen Access Guide (Yamanouchi Tourism Association)

🛕 Day 1: Zenkoji Temple Itinerary – A Spiritual Encounter

Zenkoji temple itinerary starts with a walk through the historic Sando street leading to the impressive Niomon Gate.

Zenkoji is one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples. Many people say it has strong spiritual energy. In fact, when I visited during fertility treatment, I found out just a few days later that I was pregnant with my daughter. Coincidence? Maybe—but I was honestly amazed!

View of the Zenkoji temple approach from the gate tower, part of a classic Zenkoji temple itinerary.

🧘 Don’t miss:

The massive Niomon Gate and its fierce guardian statues
The unique experience of going underground to find the “Key to Paradise”
For a small fee, climb to the top of the main gate for a panoramic view of the temple grounds

After lunch near the temple’s historic shopping street, we drove to Shibu Onsen to check into our favorite ryokan.

♨️ Day 2: Shibu Onsen Ryokan with Kids – Private Sauna & Fireflies

Entrance of Sakaeya, a popular Shibu Onsen ryokan with kids and private sauna.

We stayed at Sakaeya, one of our all-time favorite ryokans (we’ve stayed there three times!). For a full review, see our dedicated post:

👉 Read our full review of Sakaeya Ryokan here

Shibu Onsen private sauna at Sakaeya, including hot bath, cold plunge, and dry sauna.

🔥 Shibu Onsen Private Sauna Experience

Sakaeya recently added a luxury private sauna, and it was incredible. For 100 minutes, we had exclusive use of:

A natural hot spring bath
A cold plunge bath
A dry terrace with deck beds
A Finnish-style löyly sauna with steam and aroma

Private sauna experience in Shibu Onsen with shaved ice, daybeds, and drinks—ideal for families.

Everything was provided—towels, sauna hats, even shaved ice machines for DIY kakigori. Our daughter was beyond thrilled!

🌌 Firefly Tour to Shiga Kogen

In the evening, we joined a free firefly viewing bus to the Shiga Highlands. The bus departs from Shibu Onsen, and you can ask your hotel front desk for departure times and directions. It’s a magical summer night experience.

Public bathhouse in Shibu Onsen, part of the traditional bath-hopping experience in your Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen route.

🛁 Classic Shibu Onsen Bath-Hopping

Shibu Onsen is famous for its 9 public bathhouses. If you’re staying overnight, you can borrow a special key from your ryokan and enjoy free access to all of them. Wear your yukata, grab your towel, and stroll the town like a local.

Note: The water is extremely hot. Even as an adult, I had to add cold water before getting in. Be extra careful with small kids, as some baths are too hot for them.

Kanaguya ryokan at night, a famous spot in Shibu Onsen said to inspire Spirited Away.

📸 Must-See: Kanaguya Ryokan

Kanaguya is a historic ryokan rumored to have inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away. The nighttime illumination makes it look truly magical. Be sure to swing by before or after the firefly tour.

💡 Final Thoughts

This Zenkoji to Shibu Onsen route is perfect for families looking to blend spirituality, tradition, and relaxation in a single trip. Combining Takamine Onsen with Zenkoji and a kid-friendly Shibu Onsen ryokan with private sauna makes for an unforgettable Japan family travel experience.

👉 Looking for more on Shibu Onsen? Read our full hotel review here → Sakaeya Review