Hondani Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices (Ehime)

Rising in the hills of Saijo, Hondani Onsen is one of the three great hot springs of Iyo alongside Dogo and Nibukawa. It is a spring of great pedigree, said to have hosted the ancient emperors Jomei and Saimei.

Highlights

The water is a gentle, low-tonicity alkaline cold mineral spring (the source is around 19 degrees), prized for its clear, silky-smooth touch. The day-use bathhouse offers saunas, cold baths and open-air pools, with two large baths rotated between the mens and womens sides. The main building has indoor and family baths and the new wing has an open-air bath, so touring tubs of different character is part of the fun.

Enjoying the Seasons

The surrounding countryside is lush and green, glowing with fresh leaves in spring and crimson foliage in autumn. Bathing in the open air brings a different mood in each season.

Access and Basic Information

Located in the Kounouchi district, a drive up into the hills from central Saijo. Admission is 700 yen for adults and 350 yen for children (ages 3 through elementary school), with private baths on the order of a few thousand yen per hour. The baths open from around 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (last entry roughly 30 minutes before closing) and are open year-round. Prices and hours can change, so checking the official site before your visit is wise.

Practical Travel Notes

Public transport is scarce, so arriving by car is the practical choice. To enjoy the open-air cool-down amid greenery, spring foliage and autumn colors are especially fine. Since the two large baths swap between the sexes on different days, a repeat or overnight visit lets you sample both. Paired with sightseeing in central Saijo or toward Mount Ishizuchi, it makes for a leisurely day in the countryside, and the modest admission is easy on the budget.

A Quick Tip

Alternating between the sauna and the open-air cool-down is popular here. Settle into this historic spring and let the fatigue melt away. If you would like a private bath, confirming availability in advance is reassuring.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: No designated spring type (hypotonic, weakly alkaline, cold mineral spring). The sources are named Miyoshi Kosen No. 1 and No. 2
• Source temperature and pH: Source 20.6 degrees, pH 8.2. At the bath itself (point of use) the water is 41.5 degrees
• Water treatment: No added water / heated / recirculation and filtration system in use / disinfected with chlorine-based agents / no bath additives
• Benefits: Neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, sensitivity to cold, recovery from fatigue and more
• Opening hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (last admission 21:30). On the fourth Wednesday of each month only, 12:00 to 22:00
• Closed: Open year-round
• Bathing fee: 700 yen for adults, 350 yen for children (age 3 through elementary school)
• Coupon books: 3 visits 1,850 yen, 7 visits 3,900 yen, 11 visits 5,700 yen
• Family (private) bath: Just one room, 3,000 yen for 90 minutes. The changing room has a baby bed and a toilet
• Open-air baths: Both of the two large bathing areas have an open-air bath and an outdoor cooling-off space, and each is fully equipped with a sauna and cold-water bath
• Facilities inside: Arcade games for children and a slide at the entrance; manga and magazines, massage, a women-only self-service beauty area, a meeting room and four private karaoke rooms on the second floor. The multipurpose room and training room are free to use
• Parking: About 50 spaces, free of charge
• Access (train and bus): From Nyugawa Station on the JR Yosan Line, take the bus bound for Hondani Onsen
• Access (car): About 15 minutes from the Toyo-Tanbara IC on the Matsuyama Expressway, or about 18 minutes from the Iyo-Komatsu IC
• How long to allow: 1 hour for bathing alone, or 2 to 3 hours if you also use the relaxation facilities inside
• Address and phone: 494 Kounouchi-Ko, Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture / 0898-66-0372

Information Sources

The layout of the bathing areas (the Iyo-Nuyu and Ishiyu baths, which alternate between men and women, along with the open-air baths, saunas and cold-water baths), the family bath fee and the baby bed, the bathing fees and coupon books, the opening hours and year-round operation, and the address and telephone number were confirmed on the pages of the official Hondani Onsen-kan website (renewed in April 2026). The spring type, source temperature of 20.6 degrees, pH 8.2, point-of-use temperature of 41.5 degrees, and the statements about no added water, heating, recirculation and filtration, and chlorine-based agents come from the hot spring analysis certificate issued by the Ehime Prefecture Saijo Public Health Centre (September 2021) posted on the same site. The approximately 50 parking spaces, the bus from Nyugawa Station, the travel times from the Toyo-Tanbara IC and Iyo-Komatsu IC, the fourth-Wednesday opening hours and the listed benefits were confirmed in the facility information on Iyokan Net, run by the Ehime Prefecture Tourism and Products Association. Emperor Jomei's stay at the Iyo-Nuyu hot spring (in the year 639) and the legend of Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto are based on the hot spring introduction page of the official Hondani Onsen-kan website. Fees, hours and facilities are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.