JAPAN'S BEST-DESIGNED SAUNAS10 saunas
Wooden sauna huts and barrel saunas
Saunas shaped like huts or barrels, set inside the bathhouse or outdoors.
Five huts by the lake
A log hut standing in the bathroom
A pentagonal barrel sauna
“Yuragi”, a barrel sauna
A scorching barrel sauna
A barrel sauna with self-löyly
A barrel sauna
The “Taru-joubou” barrel sauna
A barrel sauna with a view
An igloo sauna and a sauna mökki
Planning a visit
Hours, cold baths and tattoo rules for these 10 saunas
Nearest stations: Kurohime.
| Sauna | Area | Hours | Cold bath | Tattoos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sauna (LAMP Nojiriko) | Shinanomachi | — | — | — |
| Ofuro Café utatane | Omiya | 10:00–9:00 the next morning | — | — |
| Ofuro Café Hareniwa no Yu | Kumagaya | 10:00–9:00 the next morning | — | — |
| RAKU SPA Station Musashi-Koganei | Koganei | Sun–Thu & holidays 9:00–2:00, Fri–Sat & eves of holidays… | Minamo (an ultra-cold bath on the men's side) | — |
| Gokurakuyu Wako | Wako | Weekdays 9:00–26:00, weekends & holidays 7:00–26:00 (last… | Natural groundwater with charcoal | Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers… |
| Kusatsu Yumoto Suisyun | Kusatsu | 9:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00), open every day | Cold-water clay pipe (men, 1.6 m deep), outdoor… | — |
| Kashima Yumoto Suisyun | Kashima | Mon–Sat 9:00–1:00, Sun & holidays 6:00–1:00 | About 15 °C (105 cm deep for men, 75 cm for women) | — |
| Gokurakuyu Hanyu Onsen | Hanyu | Weekdays 9:00–23:00, weekends & holidays 8:00–23:00 | Stone cold bath | Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers… |
| Ashibetsu Onsen Starlight Hotel & Ofuro Café Seiyukan | Ashibetsu | Day visits 6:00–22:00 | Spring-water cold bath (natural spring water… | — |
| COMORIVER | Tokigawa | — | — | — |
From each official website. “—” means the official information we checked does not say.
Questions visitors ask
Which saunas in Japan stay open after midnight?
Ofuro Café utatane (10:00–9:00 the next morning), Ofuro Café Hareniwa no Yu (10:00–9:00 the next morning), RAKU SPA Station Musashi-Koganei (Sun–Thu & holidays 9:00–2:00, Fri–Sat & eves…), Gokurakuyu Wako (Weekdays 9:00–26:00, weekends & holidays…), Kusatsu Yumoto Suisyun (9:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00), open every day) and 1 more.
Can I go in with tattoos at the saunas in Japan?
Gokurakuyu Wako: Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers (stickers must be removed before entry).; Gokurakuyu Hanyu Onsen: Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers (stickers must be removed before entry).. For the others, check the official website or ask before you go.
Which saunas in Japan have a place to rest outdoors?
Ashibetsu Onsen Starlight Hotel & Ofuro Café Seiyukan have an outdoor rest area, according to their official websites.
What are the nearest stations for the saunas in Japan?
The stations mentioned most often are Kurohime Station. Every sauna page has directions and the address in Japanese.
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