Kinosaki Onsen
城崎温泉35°38′ N 134°48′ EOnsen town¥800, about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates)Tattoos welcome
Kinosaki's public baths suit anyone who wants to bathe in several old bathhouses in one evening with a single pass, and their trade-off is that two of the seven are closed for renovation in 2026.
Photo Samchan91 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Know before you bathe
Wash at the taps before you get in, and keep your towel out of the water. The bathhouses are separated by gender and you bathe naked.
Getting there
The bathhouses line the main street from Kinosaki Onsen station, and the whole town is walkable.
Kinosaki has seven public bathhouses, called soto-yu, and locals use them like the bath at home. Mandara-yu marks the founding story: the tourism association says the monk Dochi prayed for a thousand days and the water rose. Gosho no Yu takes its name from a 1267 visit by an imperial princess and opens onto an outdoor bath under the hill behind it.
Ichi no Yu got its name in the Edo period, after the physician Kagawa Shutoku praised the spring as the best in the land. Yanagi-yu is the smallest of the set, built where a willow brought from China's West Lake stood. Jizo-yu was known in the Edo period as the villagers' bath.
Only five of the seven open in October 2026. Sato no Yu has been closed since April 2024, and Kono-yu is shut for renovation until 30 October 2026, so check the tourism association's live status page before you walk to it.
Worth knowing
- The 15:00 starts at Mandara-yu and Yanagi-yu mean a morning bath round works best at Gosho no Yu, Ichi no Yu and Jizo-yu.
- The tourism association posts each bath's crowding live, which helps on a busy winter Saturday.
Quick answers about Kinosaki Onsenよくある質問
Can you go to Kinosaki's public baths with tattoos?
Yes. Visit Kinosaki says all seven public bathhouses in Kinosaki Onsen accept tattoos of any size without covers, though baths inside inns set their own rules.
How much is the Kinosaki onsen day pass?
The Yumepa day pass costs ¥1,500 for adults and ¥750 for children and covers every open public bath for one day. A single entry to one bath costs ¥800.
Can you visit Kinosaki Onsen without staying the night?
Yes. Kinosaki Onsen sells day entry at ¥800 per adult (2026), about CAD 7.20 or USD 5.10 (October 2026 rates).
What are the opening hours of Kinosaki Onsen?
Kinosaki Onsen keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 07:00–23:00.
Within 12 km
Places to stay nearby宿
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby食
In the journal and guides
