Okutsu Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices

Rising along the upper Yoshii River in Kagamino, Okutsu Onsen is a historic spa counted among the three great hot springs of old Mimasaka. Its alkaline water, flowing abundantly from underground, is known nationwide as a beauty bath that leaves the skin smooth. Long-established inns and day-use baths dot the valley, letting you enjoy the water to the sound of the river.

Highlights

The foot-washing custom performed at the foot of the Okutsu Bridge involves nimbly washing laundry with the toes in the warm river water. It is now a beloved emblem of the town, and the movements are affectionately called the washing dance. It is said to have arisen from a household wisdom that made use of the bleaching effect of the high-pH water.

Enjoying the Seasons

The foot-washing is presented as a display for visitors. The surrounding valley is beautiful with autumn foliage, and strolls along the river are a pleasure. Winter offers spa charm amid quiet snow.

Access and Basic Information

Located in Okutsu, Kagamino, Okayama. Drive north from the Innosho interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. Day-use bathhouses and long-established inns dot the area, offering baths alongside riverside scenery.

A Quick Tip

The silky feel of the water is a delight, but skin can dry out after bathing, so do not forget to moisturize. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for strolling.

Practical Travel Notes

• Spring quality: An alkaline simple spring with a pH of about 9.2. The source runs roughly 35 to 44 degrees. It is known as a silky-feeling beauty bath.
• Foot-washing: A traditional riverside display, in recent years presented for visitors on Sundays and holidays from March to November (equipment washed away in a 2023 typhoon was restored in 2026). Please check the dates in advance.
• Day-use bathing: The day-use spa Hanabijin no Sato and riverside open-air baths let you enjoy the beauty bath with ease. Fees and hours differ by facility.
• Access: About 25 minutes by car from the Innosho interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. Buses are also available from JR Tsuyama Station.
• Display dates and fees may change, so please check the latest information before visiting.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Spring quality: Alkaline simple spring. It is known as a bijin-no-yu (beauty bath) thanks to its whitening components. The notice at Okutsuso gives a pH of 9.3, a source temperature of 42.6 degrees and a flow of 247 litres per minute
• The spa town's water: More than 1,000 litres per minute of water at over 40 degrees rises from 150 metres underground
• Day-trip bathing at Okutsuso: 10:45-14:30 (last reception 14:00), 1,000 yen for adults (junior high school students and above) and 500 yen for children (aged 3 and over). Closing days and regular maintenance days are irregular, so check in advance by calling 0868-52-0021
• Watch your footing at Okutsuso: The Kagi-no-yu and Tachi-yu baths have rocky floors formed by the riverbed itself. Bathing can be difficult for people who are unsteady on their feet
• Tattoos at Okutsuso: People with tattoos cannot use the large communal baths
• Private baths at Okutsuso: There are two, Izumi-no-yu and Kawa-no-yu, each for 60 minutes. The price varies with the day of the week
• Amenities at Okutsuso: Shampoo, body soap and hairdryers are provided
• Opening hours of Hana Bijin no Sato: 10:00-19:00 (last reception 18:00), closed every Thursday
• Admission to Hana Bijin no Sato: 940 yen for adults (junior high school students and above) and 470 yen for children (from age 3 to elementary school age)
• Family bath at Hana Bijin no Sato: 1,500 yen per hour on top of the bathing fee, but it is suspended for the time being
• Rest room at Hana Bijin no Sato: The paid rest room costs 1,200 yen per hour
• Towels at Hana Bijin no Sato: Small towels are sold for 230 yen and bath towels can be rented for 150 yen. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap are provided
• Ashibumi sentaku (foot-treading laundry): In fiscal 2026 it is held on designated days from May to November and in March, about 21 days in the year. It is suspended from December to February. For the dates, contact the Kagamino Tourism Bureau (0868-52-9100)
• Access (by car): About 25 minutes from the Innosho IC on the Chugoku Expressway, taking National Route 179 towards Kurayoshi
• Parking: The spa town has a car park with 20 spaces for ordinary visitors
• How long to allow: About one hour if you only take a bath, or half a day if you combine bath-hopping with watching the foot-treading laundry
• How to plan your time: Okutsuso's reception for day visitors is fairly short, ending soon after midday. If your aim is the bath where the water wells up under your feet, the surest order is Okutsuso in the morning and Hana Bijin no Sato in the afternoon
• Address: Okutsu, Kagamino-cho, Tomata-gun, Okayama Prefecture (Hana Bijin no Sato: 261 Okutsu Kawanishi, Kagamino-cho)

Sources of the Information

The legends handed down from the Sengoku period, the therapeutic bathing place of Mori Tadamasa, lord of Tsuyama Castle, the development into a spa town in the Taisho era, the flow of 1,000 litres per minute from 150 metres underground, the origin of the foot-treading laundry and its demonstration season in fiscal 2026, the 20 parking spaces and the travel time from the Innosho IC were confirmed on the Okutsu Onsen page of Kagamino Town's tourism site Kagamino no Tabi to Kurashi. Okutsuso's reception hours and prices for day visitors, the water welling up underfoot in the Kagi-no-yu and its flow of 247 litres per minute, the spring quality with its pH of 9.3 and source temperature of 42.6 degrees, the private baths, the amenities, the warning about the rocky bath floor and the policy on tattoos are based on the day-trip bathing page of the Okutsuso official website. The opening hours, closing day, bathing fees, suspension of the family bath, paid rest room, towel prices and amenities of Hana Bijin no Sato come from the price page of the Hana Bijin no Sato official website, while the damage to the laundry site caused by Typhoon No. 7 in August 2023, the resumption of the demonstrations in 2026 and the figure of 21 days a year were confirmed in reports by the Sanyo Shimbun. Prices, opening hours and demonstration schedules are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.