Hananuki Takahagi Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Prices

Hananuki Takahagi Onsen springs up in a mountain valley in Takahagi City in northern Ibaraki. Close to Hananuki Gorge, famous for its autumn leaves, it lets you enjoy a quiet bath wrapped in the murmur of the stream and deep forest. It is a fine choice for travelers who want to relax slowly in nature.

Highlights

The Shiomidaki suspension bridge spanning Hananuki Gorge is a renowned scenic spot, celebrated for the tunnel of colored leaves that arches overhead. Walking the path along the gorge, you can feel the nature of each season up close. Carved by the Hananuki River, the gorge charms with quiet scenery of deep forest and clear stream.

Enjoying the Seasons

The fresh green of spring and the cool stream of summer are both pleasant, but the autumn foliage is truly the highlight. The peak is generally in November, when crowds gather to see it. In winter you can soak deeply in the warm water within a quiet, snow clad village.

Access and Basic Information

The nearest station is Takahagi on the JR Joban Line, about a twenty minute taxi ride from the gorge. By car, take the Takahagi interchange on the Joban Expressway and follow National Route 461 and other roads toward the hills. During the foliage season (mainly November), vehicles are restricted within the gorge, and paid car parks such as 500 yen for a standard car are set up near the Shiomidaki bridge. On weekends and holidays in that season, a reservation only shuttle bus runs from Takahagi Station. Weekday route buses are very infrequent, so always check the schedule if traveling by public transport. Some facilities accept day visitors.

Practical Travel Notes

The best time is mid to late November, when the tunnel of leaves reaches its peak. To avoid crowds, aim for a weekday morning, as weekends in the season bring busy car parks and shuttles. A walk through the gorge takes one to two hours, and adding a bath pushes it toward half a day. Nearby you can pair it with the Takahagi coast, or drive a little farther to the Izura coast in Kitaibaraki. Budget wise, parking is 500 yen for a standard car and day bathing runs from a few hundred to the low thousands of yen.

A Quick Tip

For the tunnel of autumn leaves, mid to late November on a weekday morning is best. Since the season brings vehicle restrictions and busy car parks, consider the reservation only shuttle from the station for smoother travel.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality at Horikawa Onsen: Two sources, a sodium sulphate spring (source temperature 32 degrees C) and a sulphur spring (20 degrees C)
• Handling of the water at Horikawa Onsen: Free-flowing water straight from the naturally gushing source, with no added water, no recirculation and filtration, and no disinfectant. There are two tubs, a heated one at 42 degrees C and a source-temperature one at 32 degrees C
• Day-use bathing at Horikawa Onsen: Not available. The baths can be used only by overnight guests of the private lodging, which takes a single group per day by reservation only
• Winter closure at Horikawa Onsen: It was closed for the winter from 20 November 2025 to 20 March 2026. If you are visiting in winter, check whether it is open
• Payment at Horikawa Onsen: Advance payment only, by bank transfer or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Diners Club, Discover)
• Meals at Horikawa Onsen: As it is a private lodging without meals, you bring your own ingredients. There are two sinks, an induction hob, and a grill and iron plate for barbecues. Bento boxes from a partner restaurant (dinner only) can be ordered as an option
• Address and access for Horikawa Onsen: 3661 Anada, Kamitezuna, Takahagi City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Ten minutes by car from the Takahagi IC on the Joban Expressway and 15 minutes by car from central Takahagi. There is no nearby station, so a visit by car is assumed
• Spring quality at Takahagi Yama no Yu: A weakly alkaline spring. It is said to warm the body, improve the skin and help recovery from fatigue
• Day-use bathing at Takahagi Yama no Yu: Only from 17:00 to 20:00. 500 yen (including tax), 300 yen (including tax) for children aged 1 to primary school age, free for infants under 1
• Staying at Takahagi Yama no Yu: One night with two meals costs 8,090 yen for adults and 7,300 yen for children aged 3 to 9 (both excluding tax; 8,910 yen for adults on Saturdays); with breakfast only 6,730 yen for adults; and without meals 5,900 yen for adults. There are 12 Japanese-style rooms with capacity for 70 guests
• Parking at Takahagi Yama no Yu: A free car park is available by reservation
• Address and access for Takahagi Yama no Yu: 3028 Kamitezuna, Takahagi City, Ibaraki Prefecture. One minute from the Takahagi IC on the Joban Expressway and 8 minutes by car from Takahagi Station on the JR Joban Line. The sea is about 10 minutes away by car
• Access to Hananuki Gorge: About 25 minutes by taxi from JR Takahagi Station, or about 20 minutes from the Takahagi IC on the Joban Expressway
• Parking at Hananuki Gorge (during the autumn leaves festival): The Hananuki car park has 110 spaces for ordinary cars and 12 for buses, and the Ono car park has 40 spaces for ordinary cars. An environmental maintenance contribution of 1,000 yen for ordinary cars and 3,000 yen for buses is charged. Vehicles that exceed the size of a parking space (2.5 m wide and 5 m long) are treated as large vehicles and charged 3,000 yen
• How long to allow: One to two hours to walk through the gorge. If you combine it with a bath, allow half a day to be comfortable
• Avoiding the crowds: On Saturdays and Sundays during the autumn leaves festival, both the car parks and the shuttle buses are crowded. Weekday mornings are the easiest time to get around
• Enquiries: Takahagi City Tourism Association (3-10-16 Kasuga-cho, Takahagi City), telephone 0293-23-2121

If you are willing to drive a little further, you can also combine your trip with the Izura Coast in Kitaibaraki.

Information Sources

The location of Hananuki Gorge, the best time for the autumn leaves and the journey times from Takahagi Station and the Takahagi IC were confirmed on the Hananuki Gorge page of the official Kanko Ibaraki website, while the dates of the autumn leaves festival, the illuminations, the environmental maintenance contribution for parking and the days the shuttle bus runs were confirmed from the announcement of the Reiwa 7 (2025) Hananuki Gorge Autumn Leaves Festival on the official website of the Takahagi City Tourism Association. The spring quality and source temperature at Horikawa Onsen, the notice required under Article 18 of the Hot Spring Act (whether water is added, heated, recirculated and filtered or disinfected), the indications, whether day-use bathing is possible, the period of the winter closure, the payment methods and the access details are from the various pages of the official Horikawa Onsen website. The spring quality and benefits at Ryokan Takahagi Yama no Yu, the times and fees for day-use bathing, the accommodation rates, the number of rooms, the parking and the address are based on the accommodation page of the official website of Chojunoyu Co., Ltd., which runs the inn, and on the accommodation guide on the official website of the Takahagi City Tourism Association. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.