JAPAN'S BEST-DESIGNED SAUNAS13 saunas
Beautifully designed saunas in Kansai
Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Shiga. From a private sauna in a machiya townhouse to large bathing complexes.
Three rooms themed on the moon
A tea-room sauna in a Kyoto machiya
A kelo hut and a marble hammam
An extra-cold bath 1.6 m deep
A meditation sauna where you release steam with a button
A sauna with changing coloured light
Automatic löyly every 20 minutes
A löyly sauna at 80–90 °C
A meditation sauna with self-löyly
Auto löyly every hour
Three kinds of sauna and outdoor rest
The “Akazonae” red löyly sauna
Auto löyly every hour on the hour
Planning a visit
Hours, cold baths and tattoo rules for these 13 saunas
Nearest stations: Sannomiya, Tsurumi-ryokuchi.
| Sauna | Area | Hours | Cold bath | Tattoos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAUNA OOO OSAKA | Shinsaibashi | — | — | — |
| ROKKAKU (Kyomachiya private sauna) | Nakagyo | 9:30–20:50, open every day | Two (using good-quality groundwater) | Allowed — it is booked entirely privately, so… |
| Kobe Sauna & Spa | Sannomiya | 24 hours | 11.7 °C all year | — |
| SPA & SAUNA Suisyun Hattori Ryokuchi | Toyonaka | Weekdays 9:00–1:00, weekends & holidays 6:00–1:00 (last… | Cold bath, ultra-cold bath (1.6 m deep), solo… | — |
| Tsurumi Ryokuchi Yumoto Suisyun | Tsurumi | 9:00–2:00 the next morning (from 6:00 on Sundays and… | — | — |
| 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… | — |
| Otsu Onsen Ofuro Café Biwakoza | Otsu | 10:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00) | — | — |
| SPA & HOTEL Suisyun Matsuiyamate | Kyotanabe | — | — | — |
| Mino Yumoto Suisyun | Minoh | 9:00 (6:00 on weekends and holidays) – 2:00 | Yes | — |
| Higashi-Kori Yumoto Suisyun | Neyagawa | 9:00 (6:00 on weekends and holidays) – 1:00 (last entry… | Yes | — |
| Shio-Ashiya Onsen SPA Suisyun | Ashiya | 9:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00) | Yes | — |
| Gokurakuyu Hikone | Hikone | 6:00–1:00 (last entry 0:30) | Binchotan cold bath | Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers… |
| Moriyama Yumoto Suisyun | Moriyama | Mon–Sat 10:00–24:00, Sun & holidays 7:00–24:00 (last entry… | Yes | — |
From each official website. “—” means the official information we checked does not say.
Questions visitors ask
Which saunas in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe are open 24 hours?
Kobe Sauna & Spa are open 24 hours, according to their official hours. Some close the baths for cleaning for a short time.
Which saunas in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe stay open after midnight?
SPA & SAUNA Suisyun Hattori Ryokuchi (Weekdays 9:00–1:00, weekends & holidays…), Tsurumi Ryokuchi Yumoto Suisyun (9:00–2:00 the next morning (from 6:00 on…), Kusatsu Yumoto Suisyun (9:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00), open every day), Otsu Onsen Ofuro Café Biwakoza (10:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00)), Shio-Ashiya Onsen SPA Suisyun (9:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00)) and 2 more.
Can I go in with tattoos at the saunas in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe?
ROKKAKU (Kyomachiya private sauna): Allowed — it is booked entirely privately, so people with tattoos may use it.; Gokurakuyu Hikone: 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 Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe have a place to rest outdoors?
SPA & SAUNA Suisyun Hattori Ryokuchi, SPA & HOTEL Suisyun Matsuiyamate, Mino Yumoto Suisyun, Higashi-Kori Yumoto Suisyun, Shio-Ashiya Onsen SPA Suisyun, Moriyama Yumoto Suisyun have an outdoor rest area, according to their official websites.
Can I pay without cash at the saunas in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe?
ROKKAKU (Kyomachiya private sauna): Advance payment by credit card only.. Other places do not state payment methods on their official websites.
What are the nearest stations for the saunas in Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe?
The stations mentioned most often are Sannomiya Station, Tsurumi-ryokuchi Station. Every sauna page has directions and the address in Japanese.
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Beautifully designed saunas in Kyushu and Okinawa
Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Saga, Okinawa. From private rooms to a mountain hot spring inn and an island by the sea.
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Beautifully designed saunas in Nagoya and Tokai
Sakae, Marunouchi, Chiryu. From a small sauna to a facility with three cold baths.
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Saunas built of Nordic kelo wood
Kelo is the sauna wood loved in Finland. These sauna rooms are finished in it.
