Mie · Kumano (Yunokuchi & Iruka)
Yunokuchi Onsen (Yumoto Sansō)
湯元山荘 湯ノ口温泉
A hidden spring on the site of an old copper mine in the hills of Kumano, Mie. The abundant water is entirely free-flowing with no dilution or heating; the clear sodium-chloride spring warms you to the core. The cedar-scented bathhouse, rebuilt in 2015, has an indoor bath, an open-air area with standing, half-body and lying baths, and a private bath for ¥1,080 per hour. Admission ¥600 for adults, open 09:00–21:00 (last entry 20:15), irregular closures. A trolley train through the old mine tunnel (about 10 minutes) links it with Iruka Onsen Seiryūsō and is a famous ride in itself — but as of 2026 it is suspended for safety inspections, so check ahead. Half-price admission on the 26th of each month. About 40 minutes by car from Kumano-Ōdomari IC.
- Price (adult)
- ¥600
- Hours
- 09:00–21:00 (last entry 20:15)
- Closed
- Irregular closures (check ahead)
- Access
- About 30 min by car from JR Kumanoshi Station (or Mie Kōtsū bus to 'Seiryūsō', then trolley or car); about 40 min by car from Kumano-Ōdomari IC
- Water type
- Simple spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults ¥600, children 3 to elementary ¥300, under 3 free (older sources ¥540/¥550). Private bath 1 hour ¥1,500 weekdays, ¥2,000 weekends and holidays, ¥2,500 peak, plus admission per person. Towels sold, shampoo provided. Mine trolley train from Hotel Seiryuso plus bath set ¥880 (return extra). A toji lodging wing for self-catering long stays. Rest room; a simple shop
- Baths
- A hidden hot spring in the mountains of Kiwa, Kumano, Mie, reached by a 'trolley train' running through the old Kishu mine tunnel. Discovered during Muromachi-period gold mining and revived after the mine closed in the 1970s, its bathhouse of Kumano cedar was fully rebuilt in 2015. Indoor, outdoor, standing and toji baths are all free-flowing with no dilution or heating. Ten minutes by trolley through a 1 km tunnel from Hotel Seiryuso (the jet-boat pier for Doro-kyo gorge on the Kitayama River). Near the Maruyama rice terraces and Akagi Castle ruins on the Kumano Kodo; Hana-no-iwaya shrine 40 min by car
- Spring water
- Yunokuchi Onsen, a sodium-chloride spring (weakly alkaline, hypotonic, high-temperature, about 45–47°C at source); every tub is free-flowing with no dilution or heating. Colourless with a slight salty taste and smooth feel, highly heat-retaining — a 'heat bath'. Indicated for neuralgia, joint pain, poor circulation, cuts, skin conditions and chronic gynaecological complaints. Highly rated by connoisseurs as one of the Kumano region's finest toji waters
- Access & parking
- 30 min by car from Kumanoshi Station on the JR Kisei Line, or Mie Kotsu bus to Seiryuso 45 min to the terminus, then the trolley train 10 min (about 6 a day; check times) and a short walk. By car 28 km / 45 min from Kumano-Odomari IC on the Kisei Expressway via Route 311, about 3.5 h from Nagoya or Osaka. Free parking (at the onsen and Seiryuso). Maruyama rice terraces 15 min by car; the Doro-kyo jet boat departs from Seiryuso
- Phone
- 0597-97-1126
- Official site
- seiryusou.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Fully free-flowing spring at an old copper mine
- Standing and lying outdoor baths, private bath
- Mine trolley suspended for inspection (check)
A hidden spring reached by mine trolley: fully free-flowing baths in a cedar hall
Yumoto Sanso Yunokuchi Onsen is a hidden hot spring deep in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula in Kiwa, Kumano, Mie, famous for its unusual approach aboard a small 'trolley train' that runs through the tunnel of the old Kishu mine. Said to have been discovered while digging for gold in the Muromachi period, the spring was cherished as a cure-bath by miners, revived by the town after the mine closed in the 1970s, and in 2015 its bathhouse was wholly rebuilt in local Kumano cedar as a bright hall fragrant with wood. Every tub — indoor, outdoor, the standing bath and the tepid toji bath — is free-flowing with no dilution or heating whatsoever, which is why connoisseurs rate it so highly; the faintly salty chloride water holds heat well, so you stay warm even in the mountain air. Admission is ¥600, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and a set ticket of ¥880 covers the ten-minute trolley ride through the 1 km tunnel from Hotel Seiryuso, where the jet boats for Doro-kyo gorge on the Kitayama River depart. With only about six trolleys a day, you can also drive in by the narrow mountain road if the times do not suit. Nearby are the Maruyama rice terraces and Akagi Castle ruins of the Kumano Kodo and the deep Doro-kyo gorge, making it a fine place for a day in Kumano's mountain villages, and the self-catering toji wing allows an old-style stay of several days.
Ten minutes by trolley: a cedar-scented hall with standing and toji baths
Buy the set ticket (¥880) at the trolley platform beside Hotel Seiryuso and wait for departure. The trolley, converted from small mine wagons, rattles into the dark tunnel and ten minutes later arrives at Yunokuchi station on the far side of the mountain, with the cedar bathhouse right in front. Show your trolley ticket at reception and the changing room greets you with the scent of cedar; the bathroom too is wood from floor to ceiling, bright and warm in feel. The indoor main pool is a touch hot at around 43°C; the deep 'standing bath' lightens the legs with buoyancy, good after a hike; and the separate toji bath at 38–39°C follows the tradition of long soaks of thirty minutes or more. The rotenburo opens toward the cedar forest and steams thickly in winter. Source water overflows every tub untouched, so it is always fresh — faintly salty, smooth, and warming long after you climb out. Families and couples can reserve the one-hour private bath (¥1,500–2,500 plus admission). Rest in the lounge and time your exit to the return trolley (about six a day — mind the last one). Food facilities are basic, so eat at Seiryuso's dining room or in Kumano town; staying in the self-catering toji wing lets you have the quiet morning and evening baths to yourself. The trolley is busy with few seats on weekends and holidays, so arrive early to secure tickets.
Practical details and a Kumano mountain-village route
Hours are 9:00–21:00 (last entry 20:15), closed irregularly (inspections, year-end — phoning ahead is advised); adults ¥600, children ¥300 (as of 2025–26; formerly ¥540/¥550); private bath 1 hour ¥1,500–2,500 plus admission. The trolley runs about six times a day from Hotel Seiryuso (varying by season and day — check times with Seiryuso or the Kumano tourism site); the trolley-plus-bath set is ¥880, and riding one way and returning by car is also possible. Access is 30 minutes by car from Kumanoshi Station or 45 minutes by bus plus the trolley, 3.5 hours by car from Nagoya or Osaka, parking free. Suggested routes: (1) a Kumano mountain-village day — Kumano city, the Maruyama rice terraces (1,340 paddies; flooded in May–June, golden in September, the summer 'mushi-okuri' torch procession), Akagi Castle ruins (one of the 'Continued 100 Famous Castles'), the Doro-kyo jet boat from Seiryuso (Kitayama River gorge; check sailings), the trolley to Yunokuchi for a bath, a night in Kumano; (2) combine with the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage — Kumano Hongu Taisha (50 min by car) and Yunomine Onsen for a 'Kii mountain hot-spring circuit'; (3) the World Heritage coast — Hana-no-iwaya, Onigajo and Shichiri-mihama beach (40 min by car), then Yunokuchi. Mountain roads are narrow and dark at night, so aim for the last trolley or move before sunset, and beware ice in winter. Yunokuchi is all about 'the water and the fun of getting there' rather than facilities, so it especially suits onsen lovers and adventurous travellers, and a self-catering stay of two or three nights in the toji wing is possible.
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
Rules & private
Mood & scenery
Price
Who with
Convenience
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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