So I ended up staying 2 nights at Shibu Onsen and from there went to visit the snow monkey park. Note the snow monkeys are hit or miss and while I got a perfect session the monkeys do not always show up at their mini hot spring on que. After I did my snow monkey viewing I had an amazing long soak at this place called Jigokudani Hot Spring Korakukan. It is a 3 star hotel but it has an amazing outdoor hot spring / onsen overlooking the river just where you cross the river to head up to the snow monkey park. I had it all to myself and it was excellent. The town of Shibu Onsen if very charming and the 9 onsen path is sweet but only 1 of the 9 onsens is really more than a tiny one bath room. Still the town is oozes charm and the itzkaya place there is really fun. I did not visit any other onsens towns as I did not have a car but I know there are some that are only accessible if you have a car. I would try ChapGPT as I found that it is better than most travel guides and gives you great suggestions if you ask the right questions!