JAPAN'S BEST-DESIGNED SAUNAS14 saunas
Design saunas with natural hot springs
Soak in a hot spring, then sweat in the sauna. Places that have both.
The “Kaminoyu Onsen” natural hot spring
The “Jindai no Yu” natural hot spring
The black “Daikokuyu” natural hot spring
A golden, strongly salty spring
Moor hot spring, a Hokkaido Heritage
Every tub is natural hot spring
A cold bath of Takeo Onsen water
A free-flowing natural hot spring rock bath
“Kokochi-yu”, straight from the source
A natural hot spring rock bath and pot baths
Black hot spring and a carbonated bath
A fossil-water natural hot spring
Two hot springs and a steam bath
A large bath looking out to the Zao mountains
Planning a visit
Hours, cold baths and tattoo rules for these 14 saunas
Nearest stations: Sannomiya, Josui.
| Sauna | Area | Hours | Cold bath | Tattoos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Sauna & Spa | Sannomiya | 24 hours | 11.7 °C all year | — |
| Thermae-yu Shinjuku | Kabukicho | 24 hours, open every day | About 17 °C | Rules differ: men who live in Japan with tattoos… |
| RAKU SPA Station Fuchu | Fuchu | Sun–Thu 10:00–1:00, Fri–Sat 10:00–8:00 the next morning | — | — |
| RAKU SPA BAY Yokohama | Yokohama | Sun–Thu & holidays 10:00–23:00, Fri–Sat & eves of holidays… | — | Not allowed — irezumi, fashion tattoos and tattoo… |
| Hokkaido Hotel (moor hot spring and sauna) | Obihiro | — | Underground water from the Satsunai River | — |
| Hasunuma Onsen | Nishi-Kamata | — | — | Allowed — people with tattoos may use the bath. |
| Rakan no Yu, Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel | Takeo | 15:00–24:00 on the day of stay, 6:00–10:30 the next morning | Takeo Onsen spring water chilled to 16–17 °C | — |
| Gokurakuyu Tsu | Tsu | 9:00–2:00 the next morning (from 6:00 on weekends) | Yes | Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers… |
| Ofuro no Ousama Ebina | Ebina | 9:00–24:00 (last entry 23:00) | Ryosen | Not allowed — tattoos, including stickers and… |
| Ryusenji no Yu Toyota Josui | Toyota | 6:00–3:00 (last bath entry 2:30) | Yes | — |
| Ofuro no Ousama Seya | Yokohama | 10:00–25:00 (last entry 24:00) | Ryosen | Not allowed — tattoos, including stickers and… |
| Moka Igashira Onsen Ofuro Café Ichigo no Yu | Moka | — | About 100 cm deep | — |
| Ofuro Café bijinyu | Shizuoka | 10:00–24:00 (5:00–9:00 1st floor only); closed 3rd Tuesday | — | — |
| Ofuro Café yusa | Yamagata | 10:30–22:00 (last entry 21:00) | — | — |
From each official website. “—” means the official information we checked does not say.
Questions visitors ask
Which saunas in this collection are open 24 hours?
Kobe Sauna & Spa, Thermae-yu Shinjuku are open 24 hours, according to their official hours. Some close the baths for cleaning for a short time.
Which saunas in this collection stay open after midnight?
RAKU SPA Station Fuchu (Sun–Thu 10:00–1:00, Fri–Sat 10:00–8:00 the…), RAKU SPA BAY Yokohama (Sun–Thu & holidays 10:00–23:00, Fri–Sat &…), Rakan no Yu, Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel (15:00–24:00 on the day of stay, 6:00–10:30…), Gokurakuyu Tsu (9:00–2:00 the next morning (from 6:00 on…), Ofuro no Ousama Ebina (9:00–24:00 (last entry 23:00)) and 3 more.
Can I go in with tattoos at the saunas in this collection?
Thermae-yu Shinjuku: Rules differ: men who live in Japan with tattoos of any size cannot enter; foreign…; RAKU SPA BAY Yokohama: Not allowed — irezumi, fashion tattoos and tattoo stickers.; Hasunuma Onsen: Allowed — people with tattoos may use the bath.; Gokurakuyu Tsu: Not allowed — tattoos or tattoo stickers (stickers must be removed before entry).; Ofuro no Ousama Ebina: Not allowed — tattoos, including stickers and similar.; and 1 more in the table above. For the others, check the official website or ask before you go.
Which saunas in this collection have a place to rest outdoors?
RAKU SPA Station Fuchu, Rakan no Yu, Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel, Moka Igashira Onsen Ofuro Café Ichigo no Yu, Ofuro Café yusa have an outdoor rest area, according to their official websites.
Can I pay without cash at the saunas in this collection?
Thermae-yu Shinjuku: Cash, credit cards, QUICPay, transport IC cards, PayPay, LINE Pay, Alipay and UnionPay.; RAKU SPA BAY Yokohama: Credit cards (no contactless tap). E-money and barcode payments are not accepted.. Other places do not state payment methods on their official websites.
What are the nearest stations for the saunas in this collection?
The stations mentioned most often are Sannomiya Station, Josui Station. Every sauna page has directions and the address in Japanese.
More collections
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Herbal and steam saunas
Lower-temperature saunas filled with the steam of herbs and medicinal plants.
7 saunas
Saunas with Aufguss (heat-wave) sessions
Places where staff fan the heat of löyly towards you at set times.
3 saunas
Bathhouses with beautiful tile murals and ukiyo-e
Showa-era painted tiles and Hokusai's ukiyo-e. Saunas that keep the memory of the bathhouse.
