Kinosaki Onsen: public baths, tattoos and getting there
Kinosaki Onsen is a hot-spring town in Toyooka, in the north of Hyogo Prefecture. Visitors walk between its public bathhouses, called sotoyu. This page lists the bathhouses with their hours and closures, explains the day pass and the tattoo rule, and compares the trains and buses from Kyoto and Osaka. Facts come from Toyooka City's tourism site (Visit Kinosaki), the Kinosaki Onsen Tourism Association, JR West and Zentan Bus.
Quick answer
- Price: ¥800 per bathhouse for adults, or ¥1,500 for a day pass (yumepa) that covers all of them. Hotel and ryokan guests are usually given a pass when they check in.
- Tattoos: allowed at all the public bathhouses, with no need to cover them. Baths inside hotels and ryokan may have their own rules.
- Open now: 5 of the 7 bathhouses. Kono-yu is closed for renovation until 30 October 2026 (planned) and Satono-yu is closed indefinitely.
- Getting there: about 2 hours 20 minutes to 2 hours 35 minutes from Kyoto on the Limited Express Kinosaki (¥5,370 with a reserved seat), or 2 hours 39 minutes to 2 hours 44 minutes from Osaka on the Konotori (¥6,140). Only some trains go all the way to Kinosaki Onsen.
The public bathhouses
| Bathhouse | Hours | Closed on | Adult price | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kono-yu | 7:00–23:00 | Tuesday | ¥800 | Closed for renovation until 30 October 2026 (planned) | 2026-10-13 |
| Mandara-yu | 15:00–23:00 | Wednesday (open on Wednesdays while Kono-yu is closed) | ¥800 | Open | 2026-10-13 |
| Goshono-yu | 7:00–23:00 | Thursday | ¥800 | Open | 2026-10-13 |
| Ichino-yu | 7:00–23:00 | Wednesday | ¥800 | Open | 2026-10-13 |
| Yanagi-yu | 15:00–23:00 | Thursday | ¥800 | Open | 2026-10-13 |
| Jizo-yu | 7:00–23:00 | Monday | ¥800 | Open | 2026-10-13 |
| Satono-yu | — | — | ¥900 | Closed indefinitely for renovation since 1 April 2024 | 2026-10-13 |
Hours and closed days are from Visit Kinosaki, which says they were last updated in April 2026. The open-on-Wednesdays note for Mandara-yu is from the Tourism Association's notice (in Japanese). Children pay half. Visit Kinosaki also notes that most businesses in the town speak only Japanese.
Day pass and the guest pass
Day visitors can buy the yumepa day pass for ¥1,500 at any bathhouse window and use all the open bathhouses that day. People staying overnight in Kinosaki are usually given a pass to all the bathhouses at check-in; Visit Kinosaki asks you to check with your accommodation. See Visit Kinosaki's bathhouse guide.
Tattoos
Visit Kinosaki says all seven public bathhouses allow tattoos of all sizes, with no need to cover them. The baths are separated by gender and you bathe naked. Baths inside hotels and ryokan may have different rules, so ask your accommodation. See Visit Kinosaki's tattoo guide.
Getting there from Kyoto and Osaka
| From | Option | Time | Departures | Fare | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | JR Limited Express Kinosaki | 2 h 20 min–2 h 35 min | 4 trains a day go through to Kinosaki Onsen (07:32, 11:25, 13:25, 15:25); other Kinosaki trains end at Fukuchiyama or Toyooka | ¥5,370 with a reserved seat (fare ¥2,640 plus ¥2,730) | 2026-10-13 |
| Osaka | JR Limited Express Konotori | 2 h 39 min–2 h 44 min | 4 trains a day go through to Kinosaki Onsen (08:14 on weekdays only, 09:10, 10:12, 12:11); others end at Fukuchiyama or Toyooka | ¥6,140 with a reserved seat (fare ¥3,410 plus ¥2,730) | 2026-10-13 |
| Osaka | JR Limited Express Hamakaze (via Himeji) | 2 h 45 min–2 h 58 min | 07:48 (weekdays only) and 12:23; the 12:23 does not run on 26–28 October and 4–6 November | Not checked (a different route via Himeji); use JR West’s route finder | 2026-10-13 |
| Osaka | Zentan Bus highway bus (from Osaka Umeda, Hankyu Sanbangai) | 3 h 4 min–3 h 27 min | 4 buses a day from Osaka (07:20, 09:20, 13:20, 18:20); 2 more are suspended. Seat reservation required | ¥4,100 one way | 2026-10-13 |
Train times are counted from JR West's timetable for Wednesday 14 October 2026; weekend and holiday departures can differ. Visit Kinosaki says all limited express trains require a seat reservation in advance. Fares are from JR West's route finder for Wednesday 4 November 2026, which it calls a guide. Visitors with the JR Kansai Wide Area Pass (¥12,000 for 5 days) can use reserved seats on the Konotori. Zentan Bus has suspended its highway bus between Kinosaki Onsen and Kyoto.
Booking a stay
Visit Kinosaki lists ryokan and hotels with plans and prices and takes bookings in English, paid by credit card. The plan we checked notes a Toyooka City bathing tax of ¥150 per adult, paid in cash. For help planning in English, it offers a 30-minute consultation for ¥2,000.
FAQ
Can I visit Kinosaki Onsen as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka?
The train takes about 2 hours 20 minutes or more each way, and only some trains run through to Kinosaki Onsen (see the table). Day visitors can use the ¥1,500 day pass.
Are all seven bathhouses open?
No. As of 2026-10-13, Kono-yu is closed for renovation until 30 October 2026 (planned) and Satono-yu has been closed since 1 April 2024, so 5 are open.
Prices and details checked on 2026-10-13.