Yubatake Hot Springs - Kusatsu Onsen, Japan (Cam 2)

Steam rises from the Yubatake under the evening lights of Kusatsu Onsen in this elevated view of one of Japan's most photographed hot spring scenes. The wooden channels at the centre of the frame slow and cool the spring water as it flows through the town, dropping it from over 50°C to a comfortable temperature before it feeds the local bathhouses.

Yubatake translates literally as "hot spring field" and serves as the symbolic heart of Kusatsu, one of Japan's oldest onsen resorts in Gunma Prefecture. Around 4,000 litres of water rise from the ground here every minute, carrying the distinctive sulphurous smell that signals a working hot spring and giving the surrounding area its characteristic haze.

The camera captures the full atmosphere of the square at all hours, from the quiet early morning when steam hangs low over an empty street to the busy evening scene when visitors gather around the railings to watch the water flow.

Did You Know? The water at Yubatake has a pH of around 2, making it one of the most acidic hot springs in Japan and roughly as acidic as lemon juice. The wooden cooling channels are essential before the water enters the baths. The same acidity also gives Kusatsu's waters their long-standing reputation for killing bacteria.

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