This rural supersento always seems bustling with children, grandparents and just about everyone in between. Surprisingly modern in its construction Yupika felt more like a gallery than a bathhouse. The emphasis on stained wood in the construction helped tie the building to the nature that surrounds it. The beautiful dome that covers the main Mori no Yu bath is a highpoint.

On the Mori no Yu side a large, not so hot, crescent shaped bath makes up most of the outdoor facilities. I liked the central whirlpool bath the best. Due to the chorine smell, the kids, and the cold outside temperatures I felt like I was back in the states. Perhaps at a Travelodge or some other roadside hotel in rural Colorado. After getting out of the bath I really wanted to drink a cup of burnt coffee and read the USA Today. Places that let me daydream like that get a good recommendation.

On the downside the saunas are rather small, as was the gensen bath which could fit about 4 people max.

I’ve been here a few times with the family and both my wife and child enjoy Yupika as much as I do.

The restaurant has microbrew on tap and in bottles.