Shiga · Kōnan (Jūnibō Onsen)
Jūnibō Onsen Yurara
十二坊温泉 ゆらら
A day-use hot spring in the Jūnibō forest of Kōnan, Shiga, near Ishibe, an old post town on the Tōkaidō. The two bathing areas, Shugen-no-yu and Momotsute-no-yu, alternate between men and women daily, each with an indoor bath, dry sauna and free-flowing open-air bath; the high-pH alkaline water feels slippery on the skin. Adults pay ¥800, and the complex also has a restaurant, gym, massage, pottery and craft workshops, an indoor onsen pool (late Apr–mid-Oct, extra) and a reservation-only campground. Open 10:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20); closed only over New Year and for maintenance. About 10 minutes by car from Kōsei Station on the JR Kusatsu line and close to Ritto-Kōnan IC — pairs well with the autumn-leaf temples of the 'Kōnan Sanzan'.
- Price (adult)
- ¥800
- Hours
- 10:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20)
- Closed
- Open daily (closed New Year and for maintenance)
- Access
- About 10 min by taxi from Kōsei Station (JR Kusatsu line); about 15 min by car from Ritto-Kōnan IC
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults ¥800, children ¥400. Shampoo provided, towels extra, lockers free. Men's and women's sides swap on odd and even dates ('Shugen-no-yu' and 'Momozute-no-yu'). Four indoor tubs plus plunge, one free-flowing outdoor bath, two pot baths, dry sauna. Indoor heated pool (late April to mid-October; swimsuit and cap required, separate fee). Restaurant (11:00–21:00), training room, massage (closed Tuesdays), auto campsite (by reservation), pottery and woodwork workshops. A handmade market on the 4th Sunday each month
- Baths
- An onsen facility in the 'Junibo-no-mori' leisure park at the foot of Mt Iwane (Mt Junibo) in Konan, Shiga, near the Koka area. The mountain's name recalls the twelve monks' quarters that once stood on its summit, a sacred site of Shugendo mountain asceticism. Two bath halls, 'Shugen-no-yu' and 'Momozute-no-yu', swap on odd and even dates, each with indoor tubs, a free-flowing outdoor bath, pot baths and sauna; an indoor heated pool in summer. Family-oriented, with a campsite, workshops and a handmade market. An hour by car from Kyoto or Osaka, near the Koka Ninja Village, the Shigaraki pottery village and the Miho Museum
- Spring water
- Junibo Onsen, an alkaline simple spring (hypotonic, alkaline, low-temperature, around pH 9 and about 30°C at source) from a private 1,500 m bore. One outdoor bath is heated free-flowing, the indoor tubs recirculated. Colourless, odourless and slick — a 'beauty bath'. Indicated for neuralgia, muscle pain, poor circulation, fatigue and skin care. Set in the hills, the rotenburo offers good stargazing at night
- Access & parking
- From Mikumo Station on the JR Kusatsu Line, Konan community bus to 'Junibo Onsen Yurara' (a few a day) or 10 min by taxi (about ¥2,000). About 50 min from Kyoto Station via the Biwako and Kusatsu lines plus taxi. By car 15 min from Ryuo IC on the Meishin, 10 min from Konan IC on the Shin-Meishin, 1 h from central Kyoto. Free parking for 100
- Phone
- 0748-72-8211
- Official site
- 12bo.jp ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Free-flowing rotenburo, two alternating halls
- Slippery high-alkaline water for ¥800
- Onsen pool and campground on site
At the foot of a Shugendo mountain: a forest leisure park's onsen and heated pool
Junibo Onsen Yurara is a day-spa inside the 'Junibo-no-mori' leisure park at the foot of Mt Iwane (Mt Junibo) in Konan, Shiga, bordering the Koka area. The mountain takes its name from the twelve monks' quarters said to have lined its summit in the Heian period, a sacred site of Shugendo mountain asceticism, and the two bath halls, 'Shugen-no-yu' and 'Momozute-no-yu', carry that history on. The halls swap between men and women on odd and even dates; each has four indoor tubs and a plunge, an outdoor bath filled free-flowing from a private 1,500 m source, two pot baths and a dry sauna — a generous line-up for ¥800. The alkaline simple spring is colourless but leaves skin slick, well regarded locally as a 'beauty bath', and up in the hills the night rotenburo offers fine stargazing. Its distinguishing feature is the indoor heated pool open from late April to mid-October, letting families combine swimming and bathing in a day, and the park adds an auto campsite, pottery and woodwork workshops, a restaurant, a training room and a handmade market on the fourth Sunday of each month — a place for a whole family day. An hour by car from Kyoto or Osaka, it pairs well with the Koka Ninja Village, the Shigaraki pottery village and the Miho Museum; by public transport, a 10-minute taxi from Mikumo Station is the realistic option.
Two halls that swap by date, and a free-flowing rotenburo
From the park car park enter the main building, buy an ¥800 ticket at the machine and hand it in at reception to be told which hall is which that day (on odd dates the men's bath is Shugen-no-yu, on even dates Momozute-no-yu). The changing room is roomy with shampoo and body soap provided; towels cost extra. Indoors are four tubs — main pool, jets, electric bath, lying bath — plus a plunge and a dry sauna around 90°C; outside, a single rock-rimmed pool overflows with heated free-flowing water from the house source, flanked by two single-person pot baths. The water has the unmistakable alkaline slip, and at 40–41°C it suits a long soak; the rotenburo is wrapped in forest, with birdsong by day and stars by night, so the 'nothing around' location becomes a virtue. The two halls are similar in make-up but their outdoor baths differ, and regulars pick their dates accordingly. In summer (late April to mid-October) the separately charged indoor heated pool opens (10:00–18:00, swimsuit and cap required), keeping children busy, and combined with bathing a half day flies by. The restaurant (11:00–21:00) serves soba, udon, set meals and dishes using Omi produce, with the post-bath soft-serve a favourite; a training room and massage are also available. Weekend afternoons are busy with families, so weekdays or after 8 p.m. are quieter, and campsite users can bathe at night, making 'camp plus onsen' popular.
Practical details and a Koka / Shigaraki route
Hours are 10:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20), open all year except New Year and occasional maintenance closures, so check before visiting. Adults ¥800, children ¥400; the pool is charged separately and seasonal (late April to mid-October, varying by year). Access is 10 minutes by taxi from Mikumo Station on the JR Kusatsu Line (community buses are infrequent), 15 minutes by car from Ryuo IC on the Meishin or 10 from Konan IC on the Shin-Meishin, an hour from Kyoto or Osaka, parking free. Suggested routes: (1) a Koka ninja day — the Koka Ninja Village (shuriken, ninja house), the Koka-ryu Ninja Mansion, a bath at Yurara, back to Kyoto; (2) Shigaraki pottery — the tanuki kiln street and the Ceramic Art Park, the Miho Museum (designed by I.M. Pei; spring blossom, autumn colour), then Yurara; (3) a family camp — a night at the Junibo-no-mori auto campsite (reservation) plus onsen and workshops; (4) a 'quick dip' from Kyoto — 50 minutes by train plus a taxi for an easy forest soak. Konan also has the 'Konan Sanzan' temples (Joraku-ji, Choju-ji, Zensui-ji, with National Treasure halls) for an autumn foliage pilgrimage. Since the halls swap by date, pick your day if you want a particular rotenburo, and for stargazing choose a clear, moonless night after 8 p.m. Unlike Kyoto's lively spas this is a quiet, locals-first facility, so keep the noise down, and check the tattoo policy on site.
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
Sauna & wellness
Price
Who with
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 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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