Alpen Blick Spa: A Manga Cafe - Hot Spring Combination in Myoko, Niigata

Do you enjoy  Japanese manga and Japanese hot springs? The アルペンブリックスパ 日帰り温泉 (Alpen Blick Spa) caters to both the lazy ambitions of those who strenuously avoid exercise and those who engage in vigorous outdoor activities in nature and need to soak tired muscles. 

This multibeneficial onsen is located in Myokokogen, Niigata, a forested, mountainous area with spectacular ski resorts, hiking trails, and snowshoeing courses.  

The outdoor bath in winter

About thirteen years had passed since I last soaked myself in the unique black mineral water of this area. During my recent trip to Myoko, Niigata, I decided to revisit this manga onsen cafe after learning that the onsen at the nearby Alpen Blick Hotel was closed for cleaning. The hotel also manages this day-use onsen faciltiy.

The dark mineral water, approximately 40 degrees Celsius, in the outdoor bath felt just as wonderful as I recalled. The indoor bath was close to 42. 

After telling one of my friends about this hot spring, he told me, 

"That cafe is the perfect place to park my wife." His comment may not sound like something a loving husband would say, but he genuinely has her interests at heart. He loves skiing aggressively from when the lift lines open until they are closed; in contrast,  she loves reading manga, watching Japanese anime, and lazing the day away. Located close to numerous ski resorts, the Alpen Blick Spa solves their problems. From the vantage point of a hot spring connoisseur, the hot spring is worth the money, too. Adults pay 800 yen for use of the facilities, while the rate for elementary school students and younger is 400 yen. 

The Alpen Blick Spa is a manga lover's paradise with a hot outdoor hot bath with a mountain view, an indoor hot bath with a forest view, an icily cold indoor bath, and a hinoki (檜) scented sauna. Hinoki is the Japanese word for the Japanese cypress tree. It has a fragrant, refreshing aroma that rises with the steam. Many saunas and bathtubs are constructed with cypress wood. After bathing, if you still need to unwind, you can relax on foam cushions in a "sleeping room," transform into a vegetable in a massage chair, or lie on tatami mats after indulging in a cafeteria meal. If a part of your body still desires movement, let it be the eyes. They can read magazines or manga from the library, browse the Internet, or watch large-screen TV monitors while their other body parts vegetate.

Many Japanese hot spring facilities provide "relaxing rooms," kyuukejo （休憩所), for their already relaxed customers to reach the ultimate realm of relaxation. Relaxing is challenging work and requires lots of practice. In fact, many Japanese college students are earnest about their relaxation training and do not waste time in class studying. Those interested in researching the amazing Japanese ability to sleep almost anywhere, anytime, and in any position are recommended to examine the Facebook page titled Nobody Sleeps Like the Japanese Do. Perhaps, feeling confident that no one will steal their belongings helps the Japanese to sleep deeply wherever and whenever. They have an almost nonhuman ability to sleep in public spaces.  

Sleeping in Public in the kyuukejo （休憩所)