Kumamoto · Kurokawa Onsen
Ana-yu communal bath
穴湯共同浴場
A tiny bath hut on the Tanohara River, rebuilt by donations in 2022 after the 2020 floods (now separate men's and women's rooms). Slide the shutters open and it becomes almost open-air. ¥200 in the box.
- Price (adult)
- ¥200
- Hours
- 06:00–21:00 (approx.)
- Closed
- Open daily
- Access
- 5 min walk from Kurokawa Onsen bus stop
- Water type
- Sulfur spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- ¥200 in the unattended box at the entrance (no change). Nyuto Tegata not accepted
- Water
- Simple sulfur spring, on the hot side. One tub (~5 people), separate men’s/women’s (women upstream, men downstream). Open the river-side shutters and the Tanohara river is right there
- History
- Originally a mixed communal bath, washed away in the July 2020 floods and rebuilt by a residents’ crowdfunding campaign in January 2022 with separate baths
- Amenities
- No showers, soap, shampoo or lockers. Bring a towel. Cold tap for cooling (handrail fitted)
- Phone
- 0967-48-8130
- Official site
- www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Kurokawa Onsen. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- Riverside soak for ¥200
- Rebuilt in 2022 — clean and new
- From 6 am; ideal after a stroll
The ¥200 sulfur bath reborn on the riverbank
Ana-yu is a tiny bath hut on the bank of the Tanohara river that runs through the middle of Kurokawa, just below Marusuzu Bridge. A mixed communal bath used by locals since old times, it was swept away entirely in the July 2020 floods; the residents’ association crowdfunded its rebuilding, and it reopened in January 2022 with separate baths. There is just one tub that seats five, but open the shutters and the river flows right past while hot, sulfur-scented water overflows straight from the source. Drop in between ryokan baths to feel a genuine village bathhouse.
Tips & cautions
- Unattended, honour system: have ¥200 in coins.
- Changing area is inside the bathroom with no lockers — leave valuables behind.
- The water is hot; you may add cold water but turn it off for the next person.
- A locals’ bath: no photos, no loud talk, don’t linger for hours.
- After 21:00 it is residents-only; may close when the river is high.
- Hard to find — take the steps down to the river beside Marusuzu Bridge.
Getting there
About 5 min on foot from the Kurokawa Onsen bus stop (Manganji 6541), down the steps beside Marusuzu Bridge in the village centre. No parking — use the free car park at the village entrance.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- As a communal bath there is no soap or shampoo — bring your own or buy at the shop.
- The water runs hot (43–45°C). Don't add cold water; take short repeated dips instead.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Price
Mood & scenery
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 ゆる〜と2025-11・アソビュー2026-05
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
More in this area
Kurokawa Onsen Nyuto Tegata (bath-hopping pass)
One cedar 'nyuto tegata' pass (¥1,500) admits you to any three of the rotenburo at Kurokawa's 26-odd ryokan. Valid for six months, and one of the three stickers can be spent on food or souvenirs instead. Most inns accept bathers roughly 8:30–21:00, but hours vary and some close for cleaning or when full. Buy the pass at any ryokan or the association office 'Kaze no Ya'.
Jizō-yu (Kurokawa communal bath)
The oldest communal bath in town, next to the Jizō hall that gives Kurokawa its identity. Not covered by the bath-hopping pass, but only ¥200. No soap; the water runs hot.
Kurokawa Onsen Yamamizuki
Five minutes' drive beyond the village in Oku-Kurokawa, this inn's riverside open-air bath 'Yūkoku-no-yu' is often called the finest in Kurokawa. Day use 10 am–3 pm, ¥600 (or with the ¥1,500 hopping pass); private baths ¥2,500/50 min until 8 pm.