Nasu-Kogen, Tochigi Pref. (Near Nikko but Not Quite)

Tira Misu at "Borage" Cafe and Gifts
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Nasu-Kogen is a resort area that hugs the foothills of Nasu-dake, one of Kanto's still-active and still-steaming volcanoes. Hot springs (salt and sulfur springs) are the main attraction for this town divided into two sections: the modern pension-restaurant-cafe maze in the thickly wooded foothills (where most of the "hot springs" are fake) and the old-fashioned typical Japanese-style "onsen town" higher up on the mountain, where the hot water is the real thing. Both parts seem to overflow with half of Tokyo's population on weekends and public holidays. Traffic jams can back up easily in this part of Nasu (not to be confused with Nasu-Shiobara, another part of Tochigi) so getting here on a weekday is our highest recommendation.

a stone monument half-way up Nasu-Dake volcano
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We came here 2 times, actually. The first time, we wasted too much money on the "safari park" (just you in your car, driving in and out of cages, escorted by scruffy, haggard men all in their late 60's, driving past a sleeping lion on a table and getting accosted by hoardes of sickly deer looking for free handouts). We learned our lesson to finally stop going to these depressing places.

...An Artistic Mix of Individually-themed Cafes and Pensions

Ganesh with his trunk in his rasgullas at the "Old Asian Bazaar"
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The second time we came here, we did it right: reservations at a nice pension (see my review of the Cannery!), dinner at a chef-recommended Italian restaurant, a climb up the mountain for some stunning vistas and a good whiff of sulfur steam, dessert at a cozy cafe and walking through the falling red autumn leaves. It was really nice. We even got to take a side trip to Bali where I bought a beautiful sweater! ( not really, but just what you'd expect to see in a rustic Japanese hot springs town: a three-building complex of India-meets-Tibet-meets-Bali import shops and Asian cafes accented with statues of Ganesh and Shiva, piped in Balinese drum music, even a Nandi bull!). Woah dude. You know the story about the really rich Japanese guy who goes abroad, gets too inspired and goes back home with a dream of building a miniature replica of Europe to charge people a crazy 10 bucks for the privilege, but no matter how you look at it you're still certain you're in Japan? That kind of a usage of prime property).

Sisyphus as a Korean dude on Nasu-dake. :-)
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But anyways, Nasu has something for everyone from cheese and ham factories for adults to petting zoos and a theme park for the kids. We found no shortage of ways to enjoy the fresh, green surroundings and ecclectic, dare I say artistic mix of individually-themed cafes and pensions. I would stay away from the "trick museum," the "haunted house" or other crazy ways to lose your cash, especially if you don't speak the language. I'd stick with the sure things this place is famous for: hot springs, hiking and the other outdoor possibilities available here. But then again, I sortof want to go to that Niki de St. Phalle museum I read about in the Nasu/Nikko travel magazine.