When you think of Kusatsu Onsen, it’s all about “food strolling”!
Take a walk around the famous Yubatake hot spring field while enjoying plenty of local gourmet treats.
I want cute, Instagram‑worthy sweets, but after touring the public baths I also crave beer and snacks!
For those of you who want it all, I’ve put together a guide to the best street‑food spots in Kusatsu Onsen town.
I’ve included opening hours, closed days, addresses, prices, and my own experiences
—so your Kusatsu trip prep is now complete.
⚠️ Be warned: Kusatsu Onsen gets very crowded at night.
If you don’t decide on a dinner spot early and get in ahead of the rush, you might end up a “dinner refugee”!
Weekends and holidays are especially packed—take it from someone who’s been there.
From onsen pudding, onsen manju, onsen eggs, yakitori, croquettes…
there are so many options. Find your own favorite shop and enjoy the ultimate Kusatsu food stroll!
Be mindful of business hours and irregular holidays! Many shops change their opening times or closed days depending on the season. I recommend visiting the places you want to go earlier in the day. When I went before, quite a few shops had already closed by 6:00 p.m.
Instagram‑worthy! Cute Sweets in Kusatsu Onsen
Introducing Instagram‑worthy sweets that are almost too cute to eat!
Perfect for a girls’ trip or a couple’s date—these treats are guaranteed to make your visit even more fun!
When visiting a hot spring town, you almost always end up eating the classic—onsen pudding!
The “Yubatake Pudding” is a two‑layer treat with emerald‑green jelly inspired by the famous Yubatake and a creamy pudding base.
It’s so cute you’ll want to post it on Instagram right away.
It’s so popular that it sometimes sells out by lunchtime!
If you absolutely want to try it, I recommend going first thing in the morning.
I was tempted by the “limited edition!” sign and bought the “Yukemuri Tamago Pudding” (a freshly made warm pudding), but honestly, I think pudding tastes better chilled.
The new Kusatsu Onsen specialty “Natural Water Mizutamari” is irresistibly cute with its crystal‑clear, jiggly texture!
I’d love to snap a photo of it together with Yunoka Honpo’s Onsen Egg Soft‑Serve and Yukemuri Cider.
This shop is so popular it was even featured on the morning TV show “Sukkiri.”
Their specialties include Matcha Tiramisu and sweetened Hanain-gen beans.
With delicious coffee and traditional Japanese sweets, both your heart and body will feel warmed.
Located right in front of the Yubatake, this shop is all about eggs!
Soft‑serve ice cream, smoked eggs, egg biscuits (tamago boro), puddings—you’ll find just about every egg‑based treat imaginable.
In winter, they even sell steaming hot Chinese buns.
Their nostalgic pudding and cream soda—straight out of a classic kissaten café—capture the hearts of young women!
Even in the Reiwa era, the charming Showa‑retro atmosphere makes you swoon.
Hanashiori understands this feeling perfectly, which is why the shop is always filled with stylish girls every day.
Unlimited soft gelato with rusk toppings—yes, all‑you‑can‑eat!
You get one full hour, with prices at ¥880 for adults and ¥440 for children.
Create your very own original gelato and show it off to everyone!
Relax with a chic drink while soaking your feet in the flowing hot spring water of the Yubatake footbath!
Lately, the drink that’s been trending among Instagram girls is the jiggly, colorful float shown above.
It’s a soft‑serve ice cream float, but the vibrant jelly topping makes it irresistibly photogenic.
In addition to café drinks, you can also enjoy full restaurant dishes.
The restaurant even serves Okkirikomi, a wide noodle dish that’s a specialty of Gunma.
You can choose to sit at the footbath seats, hand‑bath seats, or indoor tables.
The “Hot Spring Egg Honey Parfait” combines soft‑serve ice cream with an onsen egg—cute and delicious, no doubt!
Although the shop is attached to a hotel, you can visit even if you’re not staying there.
It’s also nice that you can use the coin lockers inside even just for café use.
Take a Break! Stylish Western‑style Sweets
I don’t have the energy to wait in long lines at Instagram‑worthy cafés, but I still want sweets!
For you, I’ve got the perfect recommendations:
Take‑out shops where you can enjoy treats while strolling, and cozy cafés where you can warm up inside and escape the Kusatsu chill.
This is a specialty shop dedicated to bagels!
Just hearing “specialty shop” makes you instinctively think, “That must be delicious!”
They also offer plenty of seasonal bagels, so you’ll enjoy visiting again and again.
Fun fact: in Episode 6 of Terrace House: Karuizawa Edition, Ami‑chan and Yudai‑kun visited here—and things got a little tense (lol).
Official Website ☞ Kusatsu Onsen Lucky Bagel – A bagel shop located in Kusatsu Onsen!
Just hearing “sweets from a tofu shop” makes them sound delicious♡
They offer truffle chocolates and tofu donuts.
Even if you’re on a diet, these healthy sweets let you indulge without the guilt!
Although Sugi Bee Garden has shops all across Japan, nothing beats enjoying their soft‑serve ice cream after a soak in the hot springs!
Here you can always savor the same delicious taste of their signature Honey Soft‑Serve.
This charming café serves scones and castella cake.
Even from the official site, you can feel the warm atmosphere of the shop.
With hot tea or coffee paired with gentle sweets, you’re guaranteed a comforting, relaxing time.
On the first floor you’ll find a café, while the second floor houses the restaurant.
When traveling, taking time to relax and chat with your partner or family in a café becomes a special memory.
They also prepare surprise cakes for birthdays and anniversaries, making celebrations extra memorable.
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Classic Japanese Sweets – A Must at Hot Springs
Many people might think
When you come to a hot spring, many people crave those good old‑fashioned Japanese sweets!
Kusatsu Onsen town is full of charming wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) that will delight you.
This specialty shop is famous for its carbonated senbei (crispy rice crackers).
Since they’re sold individually, it’s easy to stop by and pick one up casually.
There’s something about visiting a hot spring that makes you suddenly crave carbonated senbei.
That gentle sweetness is just the kind of comfort you want…
They are famous for their “Two‑Color An Manju” and “Tea Manju.” This is the only place in Kusatsu Onsen where you can taste the two‑color manju!
Honke Chichiya operates three shops in town.
Official Website ☞ Honke Chichiya | This is where Kusatsu Onsen’s heartfelt specialties are found. The original hot spring manju, Honke Chichiya.
Located right in front of the Yubatake hot spring field.
This shop offers fried manju and, in winter only, fried rice cakes.
The crispy coating and warm, fluffy sweet bean filling are a perfect match—you’ll finish them in no time◎
Warm up your body with these comforting hot spring sweets!
The packaging, with rounded lettering and a hot spring mark, is simply adorable!
You’ll definitely want to hold one of their hot spring manju and snap a photo with the Yubatake in the background.
This is also one of the well‑known hot spring manju shops.
It’s common for them to hand out samples in front of the store.
Once you accept a sample, they’ll often invite you inside with a friendly “Please enjoy some tea as well.”
But if you sit down, you might feel awkward if you don’t end up buying anything.
So if you’re not good at saying no, it might be better to skip the sample.
The shop Kusatsu Yunohana Manju Honpo is famous for its “Yumomi‑chan Yaki.”
Currently, advance reservations are required.
You can make reservations or inquiries directly through their official LINE account.
This is a classic Japanese confectionery shop.
It is a long‑established wagashi shop, trusted even by the locals.
Take a relaxing break with their mitarashi dango or yomogi dango—simple, comforting sweets that never go out of style.
Perfect with a Post‑Bath Beer – Savory Snacks
A Cold Beer After the Hot Springs—Pure Bliss!
After enjoying a tour of Kusatsu’s public baths, cool down your warmed‑up body with an ice‑cold beer!
And if you have some tasty snacks to go with it, that’s happiness on another level♡
It’s labeled as the “Original Onsen Tamago”.
So I suppose that must be true (lol).
While the shop sells beautiful glass crafts, they also serve freshly made, silky onsen eggs right at the storefront.
You can even enjoy activities like glassblowing and making tonbo‑dama (glass beads).
It’s a soba restaurant, but they also sell tamago‑bō (egg skewers) and konnyaku miso oden for snacking on the go.
The affordable prices make it easy to pick something up casually, which is a real plus!
This is a hugely popular Yakitori shop with long lines.
This yakitori spot is so popular that lines are inevitable.
Since they only start grilling after taking your order—and many customers place large orders—the turnover rate is surprisingly slow.
When I lined up, I was about 10th in line and it still took 40 minutes!
If you’ve come all the way to Kusatsu, you’ll want to try the famous yakitori!
Just make sure you’re well prepared for the cold while waiting—it gets really chilly!
As the name suggests, this shop sells a wide variety of karinto (sweet fried dough snacks).
Personally, I love their Tama Ringo Karinto and have bought it many times.
In addition to their packaged sweets, you can also enjoy street‑food style treats at the storefront, such as Yuagari Pudding and Yuagari Joshu Beef Manju.
The skewered nure‑okaki (soft rice crackers) are perfect for snacking as you stroll around town◎
Carefully hand‑grilled senbei are also available for purchase.
This shop specializes in sesame products and has branches all across Japan.
They sell fragrant sesame treats such as sesame dumplings and sesame soft‑serve ice cream.
But the real highlight is their piping‑hot Golden Sesame Beef Croquette—especially delicious when eaten on a cold day.
Have you ever tried tama konnyaku?
Don’t underestimate it just because it’s “only konnyaku”!
The flavor soaks all the way through, and it’s incredibly delicious.
With its affordable price and healthy appeal, it’s perfect to try at least one skewer!
Recently, Nakayoshi‑do Honpo changed its name to Nakayoshi‑do.
They now focus on super‑cute drinks and sweets aimed at younger visitors.
So cute~~~!!!
Next time I visit Kusatsu Onsen, this is personally my No.1 must‑go shop.
This retro food stall serves oden and ramen, just like in the old days.
It has that irresistible “Showa‑era” vibe that draws you in.
They’re also very active on social media, so if you’re curious, be sure to check them out◎
Located right in front of the Yubatake, next door to Yakitori Shizu.
While Yakiniku Azuma is famous for its long lines of customers craving grilled meat, this shop also serves yakitori.
With 15 different varieties at affordable prices, it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a skewer or two while sipping on a cold beer.
Finally!
Thank you very much for reading to the end!
I hope you found at least one shop you’d like to visit.
When you go to Kusatsu, be sure to stop by~!
See you again 👐
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☟ Summary of hot spring articles
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