Hot springs in Shibu

A narrow stone-paved lane of dark timber ryokan in the Yamanouchi district of Nagano Prefecture, with history going back over 1,300 years. Nine public bathhouses, each said to cure a specific ailment, are distributed through the town and free for inn guests to use in any sequence. The streetscape of paper lanterns and wooden facades has barely changed in four centuries. The nearby Jigokudani snow monkey park draws visitors who combine primate-watching with bathing in this ancient village.