All 94 rooms are “local-themed”! Experience the essence of silk right from your room. The “Kai” brand is famous for its “local-themed rooms,” which feature decor unique to each region. While many properties offer only a few such rooms, here at “Kai Kusatsu,” an astonishing all 94 rooms are local-themed. This is the “Silk Art Room,” which embodies the history and dyeing and weaving culture of Gunma, where sericulture once flourished. The first thing that catches your eye upon entering the room is the fabric wall supervised by textile designer Reiko Sudo. The woven fabric, which depicts the majestic mountain ranges and the steam rising from them in a stunning gradient, enhances the space with a sense of refined elegance. For this visit, we were accommodated in one of the 21 guest rooms out of 94 (three of which are pet-friendly rooms) that feature a private open-air bath. A key feature of these guest room open-air baths is that they use “shinyu” (plain water) rather than hot spring water. Since Kusatsu’s hot springs are highly acidic and can be harsh on the skin if soaked in for too long, it’s recommended to enjoy the famous hot springs in the main bath first, then soak in the gentle shinyu as a “finishing soak.” I quickly changed into my samue and took a bite of the “konnyaku kinumochi” served with tea. Surrounded by beautiful textiles and gazing at the greenery beyond the terrace—this truly marks the beginning of my indulgent, stay-in hot spring getaway!
Experience “The ABCs of Hot Spring Culture”—Knowledge That Makes Hot Springs 10 Times More Fun On the afternoon of Day 1, I took part in “The ABCs of Hot Spring Culture,” held twice daily in the Fireplace Lounge. This experiential program—launched this past June at “Kai” facilities nationwide—offers a fun way to learn about the history and background of local hot springs. At Kai Kusatsu, the session was titled “Kusatsu Is a Wonderful Place—You’ve Got to Hear About It: A Guide to Walking Through Kusatsu Onsen Town,” and featured a giant, handmade pop-up picture book! It was packed with stories that piqued my intellectual curiosity—from the tale of Mount Shirane, where Kusatsu’s hot spring sources originate, to the history of how the town’s layout took shape during the Edo period.
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