Onsen with kids — age rules, nappies and places they won't get bored
Rules differ bath by bath. Check three things in advance and you won't be turned away.
Check three things first
- Children in nappies — usually not allowed in communal or ryokan baths; look for a private or family bath.
- Age limit for the opposite-sex bath — by prefectural rule usually up to 7 (primary school), in some prefectures 10.
- Heat — Kusatsu, Nozawa and Zao run 42–46°C. Start with milder towns (Yufuin, Ureshino, Shuzenji).
Places kids don't get bored
- Swimwear onsen Hakone Yunessun, Shinhotaka-no-yu (open-air)
- Sand bath Ibusuki Saraku (primary-school age and up)
- Footbath hopping Yufuin, Kinosaki and Kurokawa have free footbaths everywhere
- Kyushu's family-bath culture Ureshino and Kurokawa: private baths from ¥1,800 per 50 min
What to bring
- Several small towels for the kids, drinks for afterwards
- Private baths are timed — keep a watch or phone in the changing room