Yuhigaura Onsen in Kyotango: Day-Use Hot Spring Prices

Welling up along the Kyotango coast, Yuhigaura Onsen is a spa village named for the splendid sun that sinks into the Sea of Japan. Its silky water is known as a beauty bath, leaving the skin smooth and soft afterward. Soaking while listening to the waves makes you forget everyday life. Opened in 1980, the spa is lined with inns where you can savor seafood.

Highlights

• The silky beauty water typical of an alkaline simple spring
• Stunning sunsets at Hamazume beach, chosen among Japans finest sunset spots
• A salt scented spa street lined with inns serving seafood
• The snow crab of Tango, king of winter flavors

Enjoying the Seasons

In winter the bounty of the Sea of Japan, led by snow crab, reaches its peak, and many people come for the pairing of hot springs and crab cuisine. Summer lets you enjoy both sea bathing and the baths. All year round the sun setting on the horizon is exceptional, and the moment when sky and sea turn crimson moves the heart every time. Watching the sunset from a swing on the beach is an experience unique to this place.

Access and Basic Information

• The nearest station is Yuhigaura Kitsu Onsen on the Kyoto Tango Railway, about 5 minutes from the station by car
• Many inns offer free pickup from the station
• About two and a half hours by car from Osaka or central Kyoto
• The spring is an alkaline simple type, a low tonic weakly alkaline high temperature spring
• Some inns welcome day bathers, with hours and closing days varying by facility

Practical Travel Notes

• Aim to arrive in time for the best sunset hours. The time of sunset shifts with the season, so checking the days sunset time makes it certain.
• Hamazume beach has a photogenic swing where you can capture a memorable shot against the setting sun. People gather around sunset, so arriving early to secure a spot is reassuring.
• Winter crab meals require reservations and are very popular, so book your inn early.
• The station is close to neighboring Kitsu Onsen too, so a Tango bath trip visiting both is recommended.
• Since the draw shifts by season, sea bathing in summer and crab in winter, choosing your timing to match your aim makes the trip more enjoyable.

A Quick Tip

Aim to arrive in time for the best sunset hours. The beach even has a photogenic swing where you can capture a memorable shot. Winter crab meals require reservations, so book your inn early. Whether day bathing is accepted varies by inn, so if a drop in bath is your aim, confirm in advance.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: alkaline simple hot spring (hypotonic, weakly alkaline, high-temperature spring). The source temperature is 40 to 43 degrees Celsius
• How the water is used: because the water is piped from the source to each facility, whether it is free-flowing or recirculated, and whether chlorine is used, differs from one facility to another
• Tattoos: most facilities do not state publicly whether tattoos are permitted. Please check directly before booking
• Day-use bathing (the public bathhouse Hana Yuumi): 12:00-21:45 (last admission 21:15); 700 yen for adults (junior high school students and older) and 350 yen for children (age 3 through elementary school). It has indoor baths, an open-air bath, a lying-down bath, a sauna and a cold plunge bath. Closed days are announced on the official website. The address is 256-1 Hamazume, Amino-cho, Kyotango City
• Amenities: Hana Yuumi sells towels for 300 yen and bath towels for 500 yen, as well as toothbrushes, combs and skincare items
• Day-use bathing at the inns: whether day visitors are accepted, and the hours and prices, differ from inn to inn. If a day soak is your aim, check in advance
• Nearest station: Yuhigaura Kitsu-onsen Station on the Miyatoyo Line of the Kyoto Tango Railway. It is about 5 minutes by taxi from the station, or about 10 minutes on the Tankai bus to the Sotoyu Hana Yuumi stop, from where the beach is about 5 minutes on foot. Many of the inns run a free shuttle from the station
• By car: roughly 2 hours 30 minutes from Osaka or central Kyoto
• Parking: the car park at the beach becomes a paid car park during the sea-bathing season (usually mid-July to mid-August). During that period the Kyotango City Tourism Public Corporation website streams real-time information on whether swimming is allowed and on how busy the car park is
• Time needed: 1 to 2 hours if you only take a bath. If you plan to wait for the sunset and walk along the beach, arriving an hour before sunset leaves you plenty of time
• In wet weather: the bathing facilities operate whatever the weather, but of course you will not see the sunset. Even on a cloudy day the sky can still turn crimson, so if you are staying overnight the realistic approach is to give yourself chances on several days of your stay
• Underfoot: the beach is sandy, and walking as far as the swing will get sand into your sneakers. Sandals make it more comfortable. The "Yuhi no Michi" (Sunset Path) walking route is paved
• Strollers and wheelchairs: you can reach the paved "Yuhi no Michi" without difficulty, but the wheels sink once you go onto the sand. Barrier-free provision in the bathhouses varies from facility to facility, so check in advance
• Crowds: the busiest periods are the snow crab season in winter and the sea-bathing season in summer. If you want to watch the sunset itself in peace, weekdays in spring or autumn are the times to aim for
• Budget guide: for a day trip, the 700 yen bath plus the cost of a towel or so. For an overnight stay, prices vary greatly between the crab season and the rest of the year
• Nearby: neighboring Kitsu Onsen has a station close by, so you can also put together a Tango hot spring journey that takes in both

📚 Sources

The spring quality, the source temperature, the story of how the spring was opened (the formation of the development association in 1980, the successful drilling in 1981, the start of the hot water supply in 1982 and the redrilling in 2007) and the number of inns were compiled from published material on Yuhigaura Onsen. The alternative name of Hamazume Beach, "Tokoyo no Hama," the "Yuhi no Michi" walking route, and access by bus from the nearest station were confirmed in the sightseeing spot information on "Umi no Kyoto," the wide-area tourism site for northern Kyoto Prefecture. The sea-bathing season and the streaming of car park congestion information come from Kyotango City's guidance, and the opening hours, bathing charges, bath facilities and items on sale such as towels at the public bathhouse "Hana Yuumi" come from that facility's official website. The award in the Onsen Sosenkyo (hot spring general election) is based on an announcement by Kyotango City. Prices, opening hours and closing days are subject to change, so please check official information before you set out.