Ehime · Dōgo Onsen
Dogo Onsen Tsubaki-no-Yu
道後温泉 椿の湯
The locals' bath for anyone who wants to skip the Honkan queue. Same source water for ¥500 with almost no wait. Bring or buy soap.
- Price (adult)
- ¥500
- Hours
- 06:30–23:00 (last entry 22:30)
- Closed
- Open daily (one closure day in December)
- Access
- 3 min walk from Dogo-Onsen tram stop
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Allowed
- Admission
- Adults (12+) ¥500 / children (2–11) ¥200; 1-hour limit. Three-bath pass (Honkan Kami-no-yu, Tsubaki-no-yu, Asuka-no-yu 1F) ¥1,440 adults / ¥680 children, valid on the day of purchase and the next — 20% off
- Water
- Same unheated, undiluted free-flowing water as the Honkan; alkaline simple spring. Granite bathroom with Dogo’s signature yugama spout
- History
- Built in 1953 for the 8th National Sports Festival, rebuilt 1984, reopened after renovation on 26 Dec 2017. Matsuyama’s everyday “familiar bath”
- Shop / payment
- Towel rental ¥110, bath towel ¥320, shampoo/conditioner ¥50 each, mikan soap ¥70, bathing garment ¥500. Credit cards, transit IC and QR pay (Alipay, WeChat, PayPay etc.) accepted; shoe/clothes lockers may need coins
- Phone
- 089-935-6586
- Official site
- dogo.jp/onsen/tsubaki ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Dōgo Onsen. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- Same source as the Honkan
- Almost no queue
- Open until 11 pm
Sister bath of the Honkan, the locals’ daily bathhouse
Tsubaki-no-yu, an L-shaped warehouse-style building in the middle of the Dogo arcade, is one of three public baths run by Matsuyama City alongside the Honkan and Asuka-no-yu. Its name — camellia — comes from the “camellia grove” described in the stele attributed to Prince Shotoku’s visit. Unlike the tourist-packed Honkan, it is chiefly a locals’ bath with almost no queue, the cheapest ticket (¥500), and exactly the same unheated, undiluted spring water.
Tips & cautions
- The best fallback when the Honkan is full; the ¥1,440 pass over two days is the most economical way to do all three.
- One-hour limit and no lounge — for a rest, use Asuka-no-yu’s 2F.
- Water is around 42 °C and mildly alkaline, gentle for children and seniors. No soap or shampoo provided — buy at the shop (¥50–70).
- One temporary closure day in December; check the official site around year-end.
Getting there
About 3 min on foot from the Dogo Onsen tram stop through the Haikara-dori arcade; 2 min from the Honkan. No dedicated parking — use the paid Dogo Onsen car park.
Before you go
- As a communal bath there is no soap or shampoo — bring your own or buy at the shop.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Price
Convenience
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 道後温泉公式サイト
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
More in this area
Dogo Onsen Honkan
Built in 1894 and the first public bathhouse designated an Important Cultural Property, the Honkan is Dogo's symbol. Full operation resumed in 2024 after a five-and-a-half-year restoration. The ground-floor 'Kami no Yu' is ¥700 for bathing only; upper floors add a rest room with tea. Soft alkaline water. Quietest right after the 6 am opening or after 9 pm.
Dogo Onsen Annex Asuka-no-Yu
An annex opened in 2017 in Asuka-period style with Ehime craftwork throughout, plus an open-air bath the Honkan lacks. Upstairs rest rooms and a private special bath limited to five groups a day.
Dōgo Onsen Funaya (day use)
A 390-year-old inn where Sōseki and Shiki once stayed. Two large baths (cypress and granite) with open-air tubs and saunas, all pure Dōgo water. Day use is ¥1,800 with towels and amenities included — a calm alternative to the crowded Honkan.