
Shimane · Chihara Onsen, Misato
Chihara Onsen Yudani Tōjiba
千原温泉 千原湯谷湯治場
A cure-bath founded in the Meiji era, tucked in the hills of Misato, Shimane, up a tributary of the Gō River. The spring bubbles up directly through gaps in the wooden floor of the tub — 'footspring' water that onsen devotees rank among the finest sources in western Japan. The carbonated iron-bicarbonate water is tepid at around 34 °C, faintly yellow-brown, and coats the body in tiny bubbles. There is one small wooden tub each for men and women, no washing area, soap and shampoo are forbidden, and bathing is limited to an hour: this is a place purely for soaking. Afterwards you can warm up in a heated goemon iron-kettle bath. Adults ¥500; open 08:00–18:00 April–October (last entry 17:00) and 08:00–17:00 November–March (last entry 16:00), closed Thursdays. Room rest is available. With the Sankō rail line gone, driving is realistic: about 1 hour from JR Gōtsu Station or 50 minutes from Ōasa IC on the Hamada Expressway, with a narrow mountain road at the end. Not for those wanting facilities, but unforgettable for those who care about the water itself.
- Price (adult)
- ¥500
- Hours
- 08:00–18:00 (until 17:00 Nov–Mar)
- Closed
- Thu
- Access
- About 1 h by car from JR Gōtsu Station; about 50 min from Ōasa IC (Hamada Expressway); about 2 h from Matsue or Hiroshima (narrow mountain road at the end)
- Water type
- Bicarbonate spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Phone
- 0855-76-0334
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Chihara Onsen, Misato. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- Meiji-era cure bath fed from beneath the floor
- 34 °C carbonated iron water, bubbles on skin
- No soap; 1-hour limit; ¥500
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Mood & scenery
Price
Who with
Convenience
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 美郷町公式/シン・温泉に行こう 2025-12(大人500円・4–10月8–18時 11–3月8–17時・木曜休)
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
More in this area
Tamatsukuri Onsen Yū-yu
Tamatsukuri's day-use bath, famous for 'beautiful skin' water. A magatama-jewel-shaped building with a cascade bath, open-air tub and 1 m-deep standing bath. Often combined with Izumo Taisha.
Yunotsu Onsen Yakushi-yu
The communal bath of Yunotsu, once the shipping port for the World Heritage Iwami Ginzan silver mine. Rated a perfect 'all fives' by the Japan Spa Association, it is 100% free-flowing, and iron-rich mineral deposits coat the tub in thick brown crusts. Next door is 'Shin-yu', a Western-style wooden building from 1919 whose retro café and rooftop terrace are open to bathers. ¥600. The whole street is a preserved historic district.
Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Chidori-yu Public Bath
Shimane's only onsen bathhouse, offering the lakeside Matsue Shinjiko spring for ¥430. Five minutes on foot from Matsue-Shinjiko-Onsen Station on the Ichibata line, easy to drop into after Matsue Castle or the moat cruise. The sodium-calcium sulfate-chloride water holds heat well. No soap or shampoo provided, but a take-along set is sold. Ninety percent of bathers are locals—everyday Matsue at its most authentic.