Public Bathhouses in Kyoto: Sento and Day Spas

What should you know about Kyoto’s public baths?

Kyoto Prefecture sets the adult admission price for a general public bath, or sento, at ¥550, effective April 1, 2025. Larger day spas set their own admission prices, and extras such as towel rental or stone bathing may cost more. Check what your chosen ticket includes before you visit. Kyoto Prefecture’s sento price notice gives the regulated rate.

At the end of fiscal 2024, Kyoto Prefecture had 441 public bath facilities, including 132 general public baths classified as sento, according to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Those are prefecture-wide figures, not a count of bathhouses in Kyoto city. The facilities below are a practical selection whose details could be checked on their own sites. The ministry’s report provides the prefectural figures.

Prices and hours were checked on each facility’s official site on October 12, 2026. Check the site again before going, particularly for closing days and any detail marked as unstated below.

Where can you bathe near Kyoto Station?

There is no super sento within walking distance of Kyoto Station. The two listed station-area choices are sento. If you want a larger bath complex, you can travel by train toward Tanbaguchi for Mibu Onsen Hana no Yu or toward Takeda for Fushimi Chikara no Yu. Walking times and directions can change with your station exit and route, so leave room in your plans.

Is Hinodeyu convenient from the Hachijo side?

Hinodeyu is on the Hachijo side of JR Kyoto Station, in Kyoto’s Minami Ward. It has deep and shallow baths, jet and electric baths, and a cold bath; it does not have a sauna. Adult admission is ¥550. It opens from 16:00 to 23:00 and closes on Thursdays. Its tattoo policy is not stated, so check the official site before visiting.

How far is Sauna no Umeyu from the station?

Sauna no Umeyu is about a 15-minute walk from JR Kyoto Station or about a 10-minute walk from Keihan Kiyomizu-Gojo Station. It has a dry sauna and cold bath, opens from 6:00 to 26:00, and closes on Thursdays. Adult admission is ¥550. The site lists cash and PayPay as payment methods. Its tattoo policy is not stated; check the official site.

Which neighborhood sento can you try in central Kyoto?

A neighborhood sento is useful when you want a bath without planning a longer trip to a day spa. The following two have different schedules, so check the day as well as the closing time. If you are new to shared bathing, read how to use a Japanese public bath before you arrive.

What does Gokoyu offer?

Gokoyu is in Shimogyo Ward, a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Omiya Station or a two-minute walk from the Omiya Gojo bus stop. It has high- and low-temperature saunas, a cold bath, a medicinal bath, and stone bathing for an extra charge. Adult bath admission is ¥550. Hours are 14:30–24:30 on weekdays, 7:00–24:00 on Sundays, and 11:00–24:00 on public holidays. It closes every Monday and the third Tuesday. Its tattoo policy is not stated; check the official site.

Which listed sento allows tattoos?

Kyoto Tamanoyu states that tattoos are allowed. This Nakagyo Ward sento has a sauna, cold bath, jet bath, and electric bath. Adult admission is ¥550. It opens Monday through Friday from 15:00 to 24:00 and Saturday from 14:00 to 25:00; Sunday is its regular closing day. Access details are not stated in our listing, so check the official site for directions.

Which larger day spas are available beyond the station area?

These facilities offer more than a neighborhood sento, but their admission prices and travel requirements differ. Read each facility’s rules before choosing one: every larger day spa listed below states that tattoos are not allowed. For a wider explanation of policies and alternatives, see tattoos at Japanese baths in Osaka and Kyoto.

What is near Arashiyama?

Sagano Onsen Tenzan no Yu is a three-minute walk from Arisugawa Station on the Randen railway. It has natural hot spring water, open-air baths, a carbonated bath, a high-temperature sauna, and dining. Adult admission is ¥1,200 on weekdays and ¥1,300 on weekends and public holidays; member prices are also available. It opens 10:00–24:00, with last admission at 23:00. It closes on the third Monday of each month, or the following day if that Monday is a public holiday. Tattoos are not allowed.

Which day spa is near Tanbaguchi?

Mibu Onsen Hana no Yu is a five-minute walk from JR Tanbaguchi Station. Its facilities include an open-air bath, pot baths, transported hot spring water, and two types of sauna. Adult admission is ¥890 on weekdays or ¥1,020 on weekends and public holidays; a rental towel set costs ¥250. It opens daily from 10:00 to 25:00, with last admission at 24:00. Tattoos are not allowed.

What can you find near Takeda Station?

Fushimi Chikara no Yu is about a four-minute walk from Kintetsu Takeda Station. It has an open-air bath using transported natural hot spring water, a silk bath, sauna, dining, and women-only stone bathing. Adult admission is ¥850 on weekdays or ¥950 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays; stone bathing costs an additional ¥600. Hours are 10:00–23:00 Sunday through Thursday and 10:00–24:00 Friday and Saturday, with last bath admission 30 minutes before closing. Check the official site for closing days. Tattoos are not allowed.

Is there a day spa in Uji?

Uji Natural Onsen Genji no Yu is about an eight-minute walk from Kintetsu Okubo Station or JR Nitta Station. It has natural hot spring water, open-air baths, a sauna, dining, and a resting area. Adult admission is ¥1,100 on weekdays and ¥1,200 on weekends and public holidays. Regular hours are 10:00–24:00 on weekdays and 9:00–24:00 on weekends and public holidays, with last admission at 23:00. Weekend and public-holiday morning bathing runs from 6:00 to 9:00 for ¥800. It is open year-round except on facility inspection days. Tattoos are not allowed.

What is available near Matsuiyamate?

SPA & HOTEL Suisyun Matsuiyamate is about a seven-minute walk from Matsuiyamate Station. The complex has natural hot spring water, a carbonated bath, sauna, stone bathing, reclining space, and a hotel. Adult spa admission is ¥1,430 on weekdays or ¥1,650 on weekends, public holidays, and specified dates, plus a separate ¥75 bathing tax. Stone bathing and late-night recliner use cost extra. The spa opens from 6:00 to 2:00 a.m., with last admission at 1:30 a.m. Check the official site for closing days. Tattoos are not allowed.

Which facility operates around the clock?

Kyoto Takenosato Onsen Manyo no Yu in Nishikyo Ward operates 24 hours, though its large baths close for cleaning from 3:00 to 5:00 a.m. It has open-air baths, stone bathing, dining, and accommodation. Adult set admission is ¥2,730, plus a separate ¥100 bathing tax. Stone bathing costs ¥1,100, and an additional late-night charge applies after 3:00 a.m. It is open year-round. Check the official site for access details. Tattoos are not allowed.

What is the other listed option in Fushimi?

Gyokkoyu Hijiri no Ne has a natural hot spring open-air bath, sauna, dining, and relaxation facilities. It opens daily from 8:00 to 24:00, with last admission at 23:30. The information we checked does not state an admission price or access directions; check the official site for both before setting out. Tattoos are not allowed.

How can you prepare for your visit?

Bring a towel and soap when visiting a sento. The items available to buy or rent vary by facility, so check its official site if you would rather travel light. For a packing reminder, use what to bring to a sento or onsen. Payment methods also vary. Sauna no Umeyu lists cash and PayPay; check the official site for payment details at other facilities.

Bathing is done nude. Wash your body before entering a bath, then do kakeyu (rinsing yourself with a bucket of hot water before getting in). Keep your towel out of the bathwater, tie up long hair, and avoid photos in bathing areas. The Japan National Tourism Organization’s bathing guide also advises against bathing after drinking alcohol.

At a sento, use the shower while seated and take care not to spray other guests. Do not swim, dive, or put your towel in the bath. The Kyoto bathhouse association’s guide suggests three to four buckets for kakeyu and asks guests to use one locker and one washing place each. Dry yourself before returning to the changing room.