How bath-hopping works — Kinosaki, Nozawa, Beppu, Kusatsu and Shibu explained
'Sotoyu' are bathhouses run by the town itself. How you pay and when you can enter differs in each town — learn the system before you go.
1. What a sotoyu is
A bathhouse run by the town (a cooperative or municipality) rather than by an inn. Overnight guests get in free or at a discount; day visitors can usually pay to enter. Strolling between baths in yukata and wooden geta is the heart of Japanese onsen-town culture.
2. Five towns compared
| Town | Baths | Day fee | Overnight guests | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinosaki (Hyogo) | 7 | ¥800–900 each / ¥1,500 day pass | Free pass | All walkable. Evening strolls 15:00–23:00 are the highlight |
| Nozawa (Nagano) | 13 | Donation box | Same | No washing area, very hot. 05:00–23:00 (06:00 in winter) |
| Beppu (Oita) | 100+ | Municipal ¥250–300 | No difference | Takegawara and Furosen are the classics. Old style: ladle water from the tub to wash |
| Kusatsu (Gunma) | 3 open to visitors | Free | Same | Shirahata, Jizo, Chiyo-no-yu. Locally run, cleaning hours |
| Shibu (Nagano) | 9 | Guests only (No. 9 open to day visitors) | Key from your inn | Stamp a towel on the 'nine-bath pilgrimage' |
3. Three ways to pay
- Ticket machine / front desk: Kinosaki, Beppu municipal baths. Bring ¥1,000 notes or coins.
- Donation box: Nozawa and some Kusatsu baths. ¥100–300 is the norm — locals clean these, so always give.
- Key or pass from your inn: Shibu, Kinosaki. Issued at check-in, valid until check-out.
4. What sotoyu don't have
- Soap and shampoo: almost never in Nozawa, Kusatsu or Beppu municipal baths. Kinosaki provides them.
- Towels: sold sometimes, rarely rented.
- Lockers with keys: often just open baskets. Leave valuables at the inn.
- Wash stations: old baths in Nozawa and Beppu have no taps. Scoop water from the tub with a bucket to rinse.
5. Coping with hot water
44–46°C is normal in Nozawa, Kusatsu and Beppu. Local etiquette: ask the people already in before adding cold water. Pour 10+ scoops over yourself first, then sit still for one or two minutes. If it's too much, feet only is fine.
6. A sample day
Kinosaki: check in at 15:00, walk in yukata to Goshono-yu and Ichino-yu, dinner, then Kono-yu or Yanagi-yu at night. Nozawa: Ō-yu around 05:00 is emptiest and freshest. Beppu: Takegawara in the morning (from 06:30), the Kannawa 'hells' by day, Furosen in the evening.