YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U] Enjoy Yudanaka Onsen Hot Spring in Nagano Prefecture on a Day Trip

  • Nagano
  • Experience Gifu
Exterior view of YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U
Yudanaka Hot Spring in Nagano Prefecture is said to have opened about 1,350 years ago. The nearest station, Yudanaka Station, is about a 45-minute ride on the limited express from Nagano Station on the Nagano Electric Railway Line. In October 2022, a day-tourist complex opened in a location about a 10-minute walk from Yudanaka Station. Its name is "YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U". We will now introduce to you what kind of experience you can have here!

Experience" is the theme of this day-trip sightseeing complex.

Yudanaka Onsen, one of the representative hot spring resorts in Nagano Prefecture, is said to be a long-lived hot spring that cures illnesses and promotes a healthy mind. The quality of the spring water differs depending on the source, but the main type is sodium chloride/sulfate hot spring, which is said to be effective for neuralgia, cuts, diabetes, and other ailments. YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U, which opened in Yudanaka Onsen, a well-known hot spring for many years, has the theme of "experience" and aims to be a complex facility that is close to the daily life of the community so that both new visitors to Yudanaka Onsen and familiar local residents can enjoy various experiences. This time, we visited the restaurant for lunch.
Ashiyu (footbath) terrace where you can casually enjoy hot spring baths Photo: Aburaya Touchen Co.

Creating a special trip through 5 experiences

YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U is a facility where visitors can enjoy a special journey through five different experiences: drinking, eating, healing, buying, and watching. A monument in the shape of the "U" in the facility's name greets visitors as soon as they enter the entrance. To the right of the monument is "oN CHOCOLATE," Yudanaka Onsen's first chocolate specialty store, and "Shinshu Handicrafts 100 Currency," which sells the charm of Shinshu's handicrafts, including home-brewed craft beer.

To the left of the monument are "YUDANAKA BREWERY" and "TERRACE U," where visitors can experience "drinking," "eating," and "watching. YUDANAKA BREWERY currently offers seven types of craft beer, with an emphasis on aroma, allowing visitors to choose the beer best suited to their drinking occasion.
A wide variety of home-brewed craft beers Photo: Courtesy of Aburaya Touchen Co.

Special healing in a guest room with an open-air bath

There are multiple healing experiences at YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U. A footbath terrace is located just inside the premises, allowing visitors to experience "healing" right away. On the second floor of the building, there are seven guest rooms (reservation required) with open-air baths for a day trip that can be relaxed even for a short time. Guests can choose the length of their stay and enjoy Yudanaka's hot springs and sauna in the privacy of their own room. Depending on the plan, you can enjoy unique and special experiences such as craft beer, chocolate-packed sauna, and chocolate hot spring bath.
Enjoy the hot spring in the open-air bath Photo courtesy of Aburaya Touchen Co.

Experience "eating" at TERRACE U

This time, the author experienced "eating" at TERRACE U. The interior of the restaurant has a calm atmosphere with the use of wood and ornamental plants, yet is stylish and fashionable. The stylish space makes you feel festive. You can order menu items by reading the two-dimensional code provided on the table with your smartphone. There are many items on the menu, all using locally produced and consumed ingredients, but I ordered the "Shinshu Beef Snow Burger.
Casual and stylish atmosphere inside the restaurant
Looking around, I noticed several beer brewing tanks lined up behind the restaurant. In these brewing tanks, craft beers are brewed using carefully selected ingredients and the abundant melted snow nurtured by the natural beauty of Yamanouchi Town, and can be enjoyed with delicious food. If you are curious about the process of making this craft beer, there is a brewery tour that allows you to see inside the brewery.
YUDANAKA BREWERY's craft beer brewing tanks are lined up in a cramped space.

Now it's time to try a snow burger!

The "Shinshu Beef Snow Burger" we ordered was brought to us! As the name "snow" implies, the bun is as white as snow. It is sandwiched between a thick, juicy Shinshu beef patty and locally grown lettuce and apples. One might wonder if meat and apples go well together, but the flavor of the meat and the slight sweetness and sourness of the apples are a perfect match, and the crunchy texture further enhances the deliciousness.

Since I ordered only a hamburger, I thought I might not be satisfied, but the burger was so hearty that I was able to fill myself up. If you are confident about your appetite, you may want to try the more voluminous "Mt.
Shinshu beef snow burger" with a bun as white as snow

Come to Yudanaka for 5 special experiences!

This time, we only experienced the "eating" part, but if you visit Yudanaka Onsen, why not visit "YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U" where you can enjoy "seeing," "drinking," "eating," "healing," and "buying" for a long time?
YUDANAKA BREWERY COMPLEX U】Official website

Take your favorite train and lodging combination for a budget-friendly trip!

You can create your own original trip!

The " JR East View Dynamic Rail Package " is a variable-price individual travel product sold exclusively through the Internet that allows you to choose your train and accommodations freely and make a reservation at once. Depending on the timing and conditions of your reservation, you may be able to save even on the day of departure at the earliest! We also offer one-day trip plans! Please enjoy your own trip according to your schedule and purpose.

Click here for details

For train + accommodation "Nagano Area" reservations, please visit 【 JR East View Dynamic Rail Package 】
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