
Gifu · Gerō Onsen
Gero Onsen Suimeikan (day use)
下呂温泉 水明館(日帰り入浴)
Three minutes on foot from JR Gero Station, this is the day-bathing option at Suimeikan, one of Gero Onsen's landmark ryokan. Entry is taken 11:00–14:00 at ¥1,500 for adults and ¥1,000 for children aged 3 to elementary school, with a face towel and bath towel included. You may use either the open-air bath on the first floor of the Sansuikaku wing or the viewing great bath on the ninth floor of the Hisenkan wing, one visit to one of them. Its alkaline simple spring feels smooth, and being this close to the station is the draw. Cash only.
- Price (adult)
- ¥1,500
- Hours
- 11:00-14:00(last entry )
- Closed
- Open daily (with cleaning days)
- Access
- 3 minutes on foot from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Line
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults ¥1,500, ages 3 to elementary school ¥1,000, under 2 free. A face towel and a bath towel are included in the fee, which covers one visit to one bath. Cash only. The town's bath-hopping pass can also be used, but then reception is shorter: 12:00–14:00 on weekdays and 13:00–14:00 on weekends and holidays.
- Spring water
- Gero Onsen is an alkaline simple spring (around pH 9) known as 'beautiful-skin water'. It feels smooth enough that soap seems unnecessary, and unlike strongly acidic springs it is mild, so a long soak is comfortable.
- Baths
- For day bathing you may use either the open-air bath on the first floor of the Sansuikaku wing or the viewing great bath on the ninth floor of the Hisenkan wing; using both means paying twice. The open-air bath is cleaned on Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00 to 17:00 and the viewing bath on Tuesdays, so entry may not be possible then. The Shimotomari bath, which has a sauna, is not open to day bathers.
- Access & parking
- Three minutes on foot from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Line, making it one of the closest facilities in Gero to the station. It sits in the centre of the spa town, so after bathing you can walk straight on to the bridge, the onsen temple and the shop-lined street. If you drive, park as the inn directs.
- Before you go
- Reception runs only 11:00–14:00 and is at the Suimei Health Club on the first floor of the Sansuikaku wing. On days with many overnight guests it may not be accepted, so confirming by phone beforehand is the surest approach.
- Phone
- 0576-25-2800
- Official site
- suimeikan.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Gerō Onsen. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- A landmark ryokan 3 minutes from the station
- One visit to the open-air or viewing bath
- ¥1,500 for adults, towels included
Gero's water, three minutes from the station
Gero Onsen is counted among Japan's three famous springs, long loved for the smooth feel typical of an alkaline simple spring. Suimeikan is one of its landmark ryokan, and its position three minutes on foot from JR Gero Station is its greatest strength. Day bathing costs ¥1,500 for adults with a face towel and bath towel included, so you can drop in without carrying a towel. For travellers moving by train it is the easiest way to taste Gero's water without unpacking. Afterwards the walk over the spa town's bridge to the onsen temple follows on naturally.
Open-air bath or observation bath: which to choose
Day bathers have two baths to choose from and pick one at a time. The open-air bath on the first floor of the Sansuikaku is for soaking in the open air among timber and stone; the viewing great bath on the ninth floor of the Hisenkan looks down over the town and mountains. For a first visit the open-air bath conveys Gero more readily, while on a rainy or hot day the indoor viewing bath is easier. Both have set cleaning times (the open-air bath on Wednesdays and Fridays 8:00–17:00, the viewing bath on Tuesdays), when entry may not be possible. Using both means paying for each.
The 11:00-14:00 reception window
The first thing to check here is the timing. Reception is 11:00–14:00 only, at the Suimei Health Club on the first floor of the Sansuikaku wing. Neither early morning nor evening works, so if you are staying in Gero, slotting it around midday is natural. On days with many overnight guests day bathing may not be accepted, so on weekends and in peak season a phone call before setting out is needed. Payment is cash only, so bring coins. Conversely, if you can move in that window, the three-minute walk from the station makes a day trip far simpler.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- Ryokan day-use hours are limited and may be suspended in peak season — phone the same morning.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Mood & scenery
Price
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-10 Operating status and rates cross-checked against the official site and onsen guides (full source notes in Japanese on the JA page)
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
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