Yunohira Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices (Oita)

Nestled in the mountains near Yufuin, Yunohira Onsen is a historic spring that has been cherished as a healing retreat since the Edo period. Its signature feature is the stone paved slope running along the valley, lined on both sides with inns and public baths. Though it lacks flashiness, the quiet charm of an old fashioned bathing village still lingers strongly.

Highlights

The stone paved slope running through the heart of the hot spring town is a graceful sight built during the Kyoho era of the Edo period using stones from the Kagono River. Simple public baths such as Kin no Yu, Naka no Yu, Gin no Yu, and Hashimoto Onsen dot the slope, letting you soak in the same water as the locals. The water is a sodium chloride and sulfate spring, and at night the lanterns are lit, wrapping the area in a mellow and evocative atmosphere.

Enjoying the Seasons

In spring fresh greenery buds on the surrounding mountains, and in autumn the foliage colors the stone slope. In winter, a relaxed stay at a healing inn amid the quiet is recommended. It is a perfect hot spring for the season when you want to leave the bustle behind and heal body and mind.

Access and Basic Information

It lies in the mountains about thirty minutes by taxi from JR Yufuin Station, with inns gathered around the Yunohira Onsen bus stop. The direct bus from Yufuin Station has been discontinued, so travel is now mainly by Yufu City community bus or taxi. Access by car is also possible, and the location pairs well with sightseeing in Yufuin.

Practical Travel Notes

The four public baths tend to be simple in design, so bringing a towel and soap is reassuring. The stone paved slope has a historic charm but is steep, so visit in comfortable walking shoes. The evening, when the lanterns are lit, is recommended for savoring the mellow mood of the healing village. Allow one to two hours for touring the public baths and strolling the slope. It suits travelers who want to spend time quietly away from the bustle and is convenient to visit together with Yufuin sightseeing. Budget wise, public baths run around a few hundred yen, while day use bathing at an inn is around one thousand yen.

A Quick Tip

The stone slope can be slippery after rain, so watch your step as you walk. Many public baths have a simple design, so bringing a towel and the like is a good idea. Since there is no direct bus, check community bus or taxi times in advance if arriving by public transport.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: A sodium chloride/sulfate spring. pH 9.1, source temperature 68 degrees (the Oyu drinking spring source)
• How the water is used: Free-flowing straight from the source. No water is added, no reheating is done and no chlorine disinfection is used
• Public bathhouses currently open (as of May 15, 2026): Only two, Gin no Yu and Hashimoto Onsen
• Gin no Yu: 10:30-20:00. 300 yen for adults (junior high school age and above), 100 yen for children (elementary school students), free for age 5 and under, and 100 yen for overnight guests. The address is 351-7 Yunohira, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City
• Hashimoto Onsen: 8:00-20:00. Fees are the same as at Gin no Yu. The tub is divided in two, one lukewarm and one hot, and it is the largest of Yunohira's public bathhouses. The address is 503-7 Yunohira, Yufuin-cho
• Currently suspended: Kin no Yu, Naka no Yu and Suna-yu (all for adjustment of their sources)
• Bathing rules at Naka no Yu: Because there is only one tub, when it reopens it will alternate day by day, women only on odd-numbered days and men only on even-numbered days
• Drop-in bathing at the inns: Two establishments, Ryokan Shimizu and Yamashiroya. Check directly by telephone with each inn as to whether you may use them
• What to bring: The public bathhouses are plainly built, so it is reassuring to bring your own towel and soap
• Parking: None of the public bathhouses has its own car park. Use the free car parks in the hot spring town. The roads are narrow, so please avoid parking on the street
• Access (by rail): It is about 4 km from Yunohira Station on the JR Kyudai Main Line to the hot spring town. That is about 10 minutes by car, or about an hour on foot including the uphill sections
• Taxis: Few taxis are stationed at Yunohira Station and there may be none waiting when you arrive, so booking in advance is the sure thing (Minato Taxi Yufuin office 0977-84-2141 / Daiichi Kotsu Yufuin office 0977-28-8822)
• Pick-up for overnight guests: The inns provide pick-up from places such as Yunohira Station. Check when you make your reservation
• Footing: The heart of the hot spring town is a steep cobblestone slope. It is slippery after rain and is not suited to strollers or wheelchairs. Wear comfortable walking shoes
• Tourist information office: Ishidatami no Eki Tsuruya (356-1 Yunohira, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City / reception 13:00-17:00, closed Wednesdays and Thursdays)
• How long to allow: One to two hours to go around the public bathhouses and stroll the slope

Enjoying the Seasons

In spring fresh greenery buds on the surrounding mountains, and in autumn the leaves color the cobblestone slope. In winter, amid the quiet, a leisurely stay at a therapeutic bathing inn suits the place well.

Information Sources

The spring quality, pH, source temperature, benefits and designation as a National Health Resort Hot Spring were confirmed on the page "The benefits of Yunohira Onsen" on the official website of the Yunohira Onsen Tourist Information Office. The operating status, hours, fees and addresses of the public bathhouses and the parking information come from the same site's "List of public bathhouses" (updated May 15, 2026), the distance from Yunohira Station and the taxi situation from its "Transport and access" page, and the origin of the cobblestones, the great fire of Meiji 45, the poet Santoka Taneda and the film locations from its "History of Yunohira Onsen" page. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.