Teiregi no Yu: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices (Ehime)

This is a day-use hot spring standing in a corner of spreading farmland in Nakano-cho, Matsuyama City. The "Minami-Dogo Onsen No. 1 Source," which flows up of its own accord from 1,200 meters underground, is distributed among more than ten baths, from the great indoor bath to open-air pools, a walking bath and a barrel bath. Its signature is the open-air "Kinsen-yu," dyed golden by iron, and it is open from 6 in the morning until midnight.

"Teiregi" Is a Matsuyama Dialect Word — The Name of a City-Designated Natural Monument

The "teiregi" in the facility's name is the Matsuyama-area dialect name for oobatanetsukebana, an aquatic plant of the mustard family. It is a perennial that grows in wet ground and ditches in low mountains and open country, standing about 10 to 20 centimeters tall, and from spring into early summer it bears small white flowers in spikes. Those from Takai-cho in Matsuyama City in particular have a sharp pungency and a fine aroma, and so have long been prized as a garnish for sashimi; the clear stream there, held at a constant temperature of around 15 degrees all year, is said to produce that distinctive flavor. As its habitat declined, it was designated a natural monument of Matsuyama City on November 5, 1962 (Showa 37), and it is now managed by the Takai Preservation Society. Nakano-cho, where the hot spring rises, is right next door to that Takai-cho.

Kinsen and Ginsen: Two Open-Air Baths

The source is named the Minami-Dogo Onsen No. 1 Source. The spring quality is a sodium chloride spring, and the spring temperature is 40.5°C. Because it flows up on its own under underground pressure, the discharge is described as impossible to measure, and this strength of flow is what makes possible the cascade bath — something "only a genuine self-flowing source can provide" — and the rinsing water drawn from 100% source water.

There are two open-air baths. In "Kinsen-yu," the iron contained in the source water oxidizes on contact with the air and turns into a shining golden bath. With 3,287 mg of sodium ions, 5,269 mg of chloride ions and 438 mg of bicarbonate ions, it is richly composed and is a therapeutic spring known as the "salt water" and the "heat water." The other, "Ginsen-yu," is a water containing sodium and minerals, and lets you enjoy bathing in the open air. There are also a 10-meter open-air walking bath on a 20-meter circuit, a deep barrel bath, a shape-up bath with powerful jets, a relaxation bath (in the men's bath, a cold-water bath you can submerge in), a bubble bath, and a child bath for young children. The cold-water bath uses subsoil water from the Ishizuchi mountain range.

Highlights

Open-air pools, a walking bath, a cascade bath, a barrel bath and saunas are all on offer. The self-flowing natural water is mellow, and the cascade bath is one only a true self-flowing source can provide. With gold and silver baths, a bubble bath, a shape-up bath and many other tubs, the appeal lies in taking your time moving from pool to pool.

Enjoying the Seasons

It can be enjoyed in any season, but in the cold months the open-air cool-down between the outdoor bath and sauna is superb. Warming from the feet up in the walking bath is also a good choice when the chill sets in.

Access and Basic Information

About 10 minutes by car from the Kawauchi IC on the Matsuyama Expressway, with free parking for around 150 cars. Admission is 680 yen for adults and 300 yen for children (ages 3 to elementary school) on weekdays, and 790 yen for adults on weekends and holidays. It keeps long hours from 6 a.m. until midnight (last entry at 23:00), open year-round and part of daily life for locals. Prices and hours can change, so checking the official site before your visit is wise.

Practical Travel Notes

With so many kinds of baths, the trick is to try a bit of everything at a leisurely pace. Early afternoon away from the busy evening, or the hours near midnight, tend to be more relaxed. The ample parking makes it easy to reach by car, so it is handy as a quick bath between sightseeing in central Matsuyama or the Dogo area. With active baths like the walking and cascade pools, the bath tour alone can happily fill your time.

A Quick Tip

With so many kinds of baths, the trick is to try a bit of everything at a leisurely pace. Avoiding the busy early evening makes for a more comfortable visit. Be sure to experience the cascade bath that only a self-flowing source can offer.

Practical Information

• Spring quality: Sodium chloride spring (source name: Minami-Dogo Onsen No. 1 Source). Spring temperature 40.5°C, flowing up of its own accord from 1,200 meters underground, with the discharge described as impossible to measure
• Indications: Chronic pain and stiffness of muscles and joints (the chronic phase of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, nerve pain, frozen shoulder, bruises, sprains and the like), muscle stiffness accompanying motor paralysis, sensitivity to cold, peripheral circulatory disorders, reduced gastrointestinal function, mild hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, mild hypercholesterolemia, mild asthma and emphysema, hemorrhoid pain, autonomic instability, symptoms caused by stress, convalescence, recovery from fatigue, health promotion, cuts, and dry skin
• Use of the water: The cascade bath is built so that free-flowing source water pounds your shoulders at high pressure for two minutes. The rinsing water is also 100% source water
• Hours: 6:00–24:00 (last entry 23:00), open year-round
• Admission: On weekdays, 680 yen for adults and 300 yen for children (age 3 through elementary school); on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 790 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. Coupon books are 3,800 yen for six tickets and 6,300 yen for ten tickets plus one free ticket. There are special sale days for coupon books at the end of the month
• Payment methods: Besides cash, credit cards and cashless payments can be used
• Amenities: Body shampoo, shampoo and conditioner are provided free at the washing area. The hair dryers in the changing room are Dyson models and free to use. If you are going without a towel, an admission ticket that includes a towel, purchasable from the official website, is convenient
• Saunas: Indoors there is a far-infrared sauna and a salt sauna (in the women's bath only; the salt is handed out free at the reception, and pink rock salt, which brings on more sweat, costs 100 yen). The cold-water bath uses subsoil water from the Ishizuchi mountain range
• Outdoor saunas available for private use: The tent sauna "Yua" and the barrel-shaped sauna hut "Helsinki" on the grounds are rented privately by the hour and used while wearing a swimsuit. Except on Wednesdays they run 11:00–20:00 (reservation slots until 18:30), extensions are 500 yen per 30 minutes, and Wednesday bookings are made through a dedicated reservation site. Users bathe at Teiregi no Yu free of charge. They are cancelled in rain or strong wind (reservations: 080-3171-4283)
• Tattoos: Please inquire in advance with the front desk (089-963-3535) as to whether they are accepted
• Free facilities for after your bath: Nine massage chairs in all, a self-service collagen light for beauty care, a hydrogen inhaler, a hydrogen water server, four tablets available for loan, about 4,000 manga and paperback books, and an all-you-can-read service accessible over the in-house Wi-Fi with about 140 magazines and about 20,000 manga. There is also a kids' corner. Only the tanning machine is charged
• To avoid crowds: The official website has a page showing how busy the men's and women's baths are, so you can check availability before setting out
• Underfoot: When heading to the outdoor tent sauna, the rule is to put a parka or shorts on over your swimsuit before moving from inside the building. Moving about in a swimsuit is limited to the area around the tent sauna
• Parking: 150 spaces, free. Staying overnight in a car or camper is also permitted; in that case, register your contact details and vehicle number at the front desk (no charge)
• Access (by car): About 10 minutes from the Kawauchi IC on the Matsuyama Expressway along Prefectural Route 23 toward Iyo and Tobe, on the right. From the Matsuyama IC, about 10 minutes along National Route 33 and Prefectural Route 23 toward Toon City
• Access (by bus): The nearest bus stop is "Masatomo-guchi," about 540 meters or a 6-minute walk away
• Time needed: One to two hours for bathing alone. Many people spend half a day here for the free post-bath facilities and the manga
• Nearby: The Ehime Prefectural Sports Park (Ninjiniá Stadium), Tobe Zoo and Ehime Children's Castle are all about 10 minutes by car. Barbecues can also be enjoyed on the grounds
• Address: 853 Ko, Nakano-cho, Matsuyama City, Ehime 791-1121 (089-963-3535). It is operated by Progresso Co., Ltd.

Sources of Information

The source name, spring quality, spring temperature, self-flow from 1,200 meters underground, discharge and indications, the ion figures contained in the golden bath, the composition of the baths and saunas, the business hours, admission fees, coupon books, parking capacity, the handling of overnight stays in vehicles, and the access routes are based on the "For First-Time Visitors," "About the Water," "Sauna Introduction," "The Shining Golden Bath," "User Guide" and "Access" pages of the official website of Minami-Dogo Onsen Teiregi no Yu. The payment methods were confirmed in the same site's notation based on the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, and the operating days, hours, private-rental system, extension fee and free-bathing benefit of the outdoor tent sauna "Yua" were confirmed in the description on the official tent sauna introduction site. Details of the post-bath facilities such as the number of hair dryers and massage chairs are from the facility information on Nifty Onsen, and the distance from the nearest bus stop "Masatomo-guchi" is from the facility information on Navitime. The dialect name "teiregi," its characteristics as a plant, its prizing in Takai-cho, and its designation as a natural monument of Matsuyama City on November 5, 1962, are based on the designated cultural property page of the Matsuyama City official website. As these may change, please check official information before setting out.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: Sodium chloride spring (source name: Minami-Dogo Onsen No. 1 Source). Spring temperature 40.5C, gushing naturally from 1,200 m underground, with a flow rate described as too great to measure
• Indications: Chronic pain and stiffness in the muscles and joints (rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, neuralgia, frozen shoulder, bruises and sprains in their chronic stage), muscle stiffness from motor paralysis, sensitivity to cold, poor peripheral circulation, weakened gastrointestinal function, mild hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, mild high cholesterol, mild asthma and emphysema, haemorrhoid pain, autonomic nervous instability, stress-related symptoms, convalescence, recovery from fatigue, general health promotion, cuts and dry skin
• Water treatment: The pounding-water bath is built so that free-flowing source water strikes your shoulders at high pressure for 2 minutes. The rinsing water is also 100 percent source water
• Opening hours: 6:00 to 24:00 (last admission 23:00), open year-round
• Bathing fee: On weekdays, 680 yen for adults and 300 yen for children (age 3 through elementary school); on weekends and public holidays, 790 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. Coupon books are 3,800 yen for 6 tickets, or 6,300 yen for 10 tickets plus 1 free ticket. There is a coupon book sale day at the end of each month
• Payment methods: Cash, credit cards and cashless payments are all accepted
• Amenities: Body shampoo, shampoo and conditioner are provided free of charge at the washing stations. Dyson hairdryers in the changing rooms are free to use. If you are travelling without a towel, the bathing tickets with a towel sold on the official website are convenient
• Saunas: Indoors there is a far-infrared sauna and a salt sauna (in the women's bath only; the salt is handed out free at reception, while pink rock salt, which makes you sweat more, is 100 yen). The cold-water bath uses groundwater from the Mount Ishizuchi range
• Outdoor saunas for private hire: The tent sauna "Yua" and the barrel-shaped sauna hut "Helsinki" on the grounds are hired privately by the hour and used while wearing a swimsuit. They are open 11:00 to 20:00 except on Wednesdays (with the last booking slot at 18:30), extensions cost 500 yen per 30 minutes, and Wednesdays must be booked through the dedicated reservation website. Users bathe at Teiregi no Yu free of charge. Sessions are cancelled in rain or strong wind (reservations 080-3171-4283)
• Tattoos: Please enquire in advance at the front desk (089-963-3535) about whether tattoos are accepted
• Free post-bath facilities: 9 massage chairs in all, a self-service collagen light booth, a hydrogen inhaler, a hydrogen water server, 4 tablets available to borrow, about 4,000 manga and paperback books, and an all-you-can-read service offering about 140 magazines and roughly 20,000 manga when connected to the in-house Wi-Fi. There is also a children's corner. Only the tanning machine costs extra
• To avoid the crowds: The official website has a page showing how busy the men's and women's baths are, so you can check before setting out
• Underfoot: When heading to the outdoor tent sauna, the rule is to put a hoodie and shorts on over your swimsuit before leaving the building. Moving about in a swimsuit is permitted only in the immediate area around the tent sauna
• Parking: 150 spaces, free of charge. Sleeping in your car or staying in a camper van is also allowed; in that case, register your contact details and vehicle number at the front desk (no fee required)
• Access (car): About 10 minutes from the Kawauchi IC on the Matsuyama Expressway along Prefectural Route 23 towards Iyo and Tobe, on your right. From the Matsuyama IC, about 10 minutes via National Route 33 and Prefectural Route 23 towards Toon City
• Access (bus): The nearest bus stop is Masatomo-guchi, about 540 m or a 6-minute walk away
• How long to allow: 1 to 2 hours for bathing alone. Many people spend half a day here for the free post-bath facilities and the manga
• Nearby: The Ehime Prefectural Sports Park (Ningineer Stadium), Tobe Zoo and Ehime Kodomo no Shiro are all about 10 minutes away by car. You can also enjoy a barbecue on the grounds
• Location: 853 Nakano-cho-Ko, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture 791-1121 (089-963-3535). The facility is operated by Progresso Co., Ltd.

Information Sources

The source name, spring quality, spring temperature, the natural flow from 1,200 m underground, the flow rate and indications, the ion figures contained in the golden waters, the layout of the baths and saunas, and the opening hours, bathing fees, coupon books, number of parking spaces, policy on sleeping in vehicles and driving routes come from the "For First-Time Visitors," "About the Water," "Sauna Guide," "The Shining Golden Water," "Visitor Guide" and "Access" pages of the official Minami-Dogo Onsen Teiregi no Yu website. Payment methods come from the same site's statement based on the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions, while the opening days and hours, private-hire system, extension fees and free bathing privilege for the outdoor tent sauna "Yua" were confirmed on the official tent sauna information site. Details of the post-bath facilities, such as the hairdryers and the number of massage chairs, come from the facility information on Nifty Onsen, and the distance from the nearest bus stop, Masatomo-guchi, comes from the facility information on Navitime. The dialect name "teiregi," the characteristics of the plant, the way it was prized in Takai-cho, and its designation as a Matsuyama City natural monument on 5 November 1962 are based on the designated cultural properties page of the official Matsuyama City website. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.