Itako Suigo Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices

Itako Suigo Onsen springs up in Itako City in the southeast of Ibaraki Prefecture. Known as a waterside town that once thrived on river transport, it lets you bathe amid a distinctive landscape laced with rivers and canals. A soft, moist atmosphere unique to the waterside lingers here.

Highlights

At the Suigo Itako Iris Festival in early summer, the Suigo Itako Iris Garden is brightened by about 500 varieties and one million irises. In the garden you can take a hand rowed boat tour or watch the traditional bridal boat, graceful sights found only in this canal town. The garden sits right by Itako Station, and entry is free.

Enjoying the Seasons

Early summer is the peak of the irises, generally best around mid June, drawing lively crowds. Summer brings the cool of the canals, autumn calm waterside walks, and winter the quiet scenery of the water town. All year round, the calm waterside mood is a charm of its own.

Access and Basic Information

The nearest station is Itako on the JR Kashima Line, only about a three minute walk from the Suigo Itako Iris Garden. By car, reach it via the Itako interchange on the Higashi Kanto Expressway. The iris festival is held each June, with bridal boats, iris dances, and boat tours during the period. The garden is open all day and free of charge. Some day bathing facilities are on hand, with fees and hours varying by facility, so checking ahead is best.

Practical Travel Notes

The best time is mid June, when the irises are at their peak. The festival period is especially busy, so an early morning visit is more comfortable. Taking a boat lets you feel the towns charm more deeply from the water. A stroll through the garden takes about an hour, and adding a boat tour and nearby walking makes about half a day. You can also drive to the waterside of the Suigo Tsukuba Quasi National Park or to the townscape of Sawara just across the border in Chiba. Budget wise, the garden is free, and a boat ride or day bathing runs around a thousand yen.

A Quick Tip

The iris festival period is especially busy, so an early morning visit is best. Riding a river boat to enjoy the view from the water lets you feel the towns charm more deeply. Summer sun can be strong, so bring a hat and water.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: Sodium chloride cold mineral spring (from the hotel's own source)
• Indications: Neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive complaints, haemorrhoids, sensitivity to cold, convalescence after illness, recovery from fatigue, chronic skin conditions, chronic women's ailments and more
• Handling of the water: Water is added to the source water, which is then heated, recirculated and filtered. Chlorine-based agents are used as a measure against Legionella bacteria
• Hours for day-use bathing: 11:00-17:00 (last admission 16:00). Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the large bathing hall undergoes hygiene maintenance, so day-use hours are shortened to 15:00-17:00 (last admission 16:00)
• Day-use bathing fee: 750 yen for adults and 350 yen for children (primary school students)
• Bathing hours for overnight guests: 5:00-9:00 and 11:00-24:00. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays bathing is not possible from 9:00 to 15:00
• Open-air and private baths: None. There is only the large view bath on the 4th floor
• Tattoos: Use of the large bathing hall is not permitted. However, it is allowed if the tattoo is covered with a sticker or similar so that it cannot be seen by others
• Parking: 100 spaces, free of charge. There are 2 normal EV chargers (400 yen per hour; ask at the front desk, payment via the TOYOTA Wallet app)
• Access by train and bus: About 10 minutes by Kanto Railway bus from Nobukata Station on the JR Kashima Line; get off at Kamenoi Hotel Itako-shita and walk about 5 minutes. For overnight guests there is a free shuttle bus from Nobukata Station and the Suigo Itako Bus Terminal, running twice a day (reservation required; it does not run on days with no reservations)
• Access by car: About 15 minutes from the Itako Interchange on the Higashi-Kanto Expressway via National Route 51, turning left at the Nobukata traffic lights and continuing about 4 km
• Getting there from the iris garden: About a 3-minute walk from the Suigo Itako Iris Garden to Itako Station, then about 5 minutes on the JR Kashima Line from Itako Station to Nobukata Station
• Barrier-free access: Barrier-free guest rooms (with a bath) are available
• How long to allow: About an hour for bathing alone. Half a day if you combine it with a walk in the iris garden or a sculled-boat cruise
• Avoiding the crowds: The whole town is busy at weekends during the iris festival and around the times of the bridal boat processions. If you only want to bathe, weekday afternoons are calmer
• Address: 1830-1 Mizuhara, Itako City, Ibaraki Prefecture (Kamenoi Hotel Itako)

Information Sources

The spring quality, indications, opening hours and fees for day-use bathing, the maintenance days for the large bathing hall, the policy on tattoos, the parking and the access and shuttle bus details are from the hot spring and access pages on the official website of Kamenoi Hotel Itako. The information on adding water, heating, recirculation and filtration, and hygiene management with chlorine-based agents is based on the explanation the hotel publishes in the hot spring section of Rakuten Travel. The dates of the iris festival, the number of plants, the times of the bridal boat processions, the fees for the sculled-boat cruises and the illumination hours are as stated on the Suigo Itako Iris Festival 2026 feature page of the official Kanko Ibaraki website. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.