Ehime · Nibukawa Onsen, Imabari
Nibukawa Seseragi Kōryūkan (Imabari)
今治市鈍川せせらぎ交流館
The municipal day-use bathhouse of Nibukawa Onsen — one of the 'three baths of Iyo' alongside Dōgo and Hontani, with a history back to the Edo period. Built beside the clear stream of Nibukawa Gorge, it has indoor and open-air baths and a sauna overlooking the valley. The mildly alkaline, radon-bearing simple spring is a silky 'beauty bath'. Adults pay just ¥420, and there is a rest hall, a snack corner and a shop with local produce. Open 10:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30); closed 2nd and 4th Mondays (next day if a holiday) and over New Year. About 30 minutes by bus from Imabari Station to 'Seseragi Kōryūkan-mae'. Popular with cyclists finishing the Shimanami Kaidō.
- Price (adult)
- ¥420
- Hours
- 10:30–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
- Closed
- 2nd & 4th Mon (next day if holiday); Dec 31 & Jan 1
- Access
- About 30 min by Setouchi bus (Mikomori line) from JR Imabari Station to 'Seseragi Kōryūkan-mae'; about 20 min by car from Imabari IC
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults (junior high+) ¥420 / 65 and over ¥340 / children (3 to elementary) ¥210 / under 3 free. Locker ¥10. No shampoo or soap provided (sold from ¥70, amenity set ¥400, towel rental ¥100). Private rest room ¥2,100 per 2.5 h; the main hall is free
- Baths
- A Showa-retro municipal bath run by Imabari City. Gender-separated indoor baths (a large main tub and bubble bath), a small rotenburo facing the gorge, and a sauna; tent-sauna events in winter. The attached 'Seseragi Shokudo' (11:00–14:30) and a local-produce corner
- Water
- Alkaline simple cold mineral spring (source 'Tamagawa Kosen', 23.6°C, pH 9.9, radon-bearing). Counted with Dogo and Hontani as one of the 'Three Baths of Iyo' — with no volcano nearby the cold spring is heated; the water is silky and viscous and keeps you warm afterwards. Heated and recirculated
- Parking & access
- Free parking for about 110 cars. About 35 min from JR Imabari Station on the Setouchi bus for Nibukawa Onsen to 'Nibukawa Onsen', 3 min on foot (a few a day). About 20 min from Imabari IC via Route 317 and a prefectural road; 25 min by car from central Imabari on the Shimanami Kaido
- Phone
- 0898-55-4477
- Official site
- seseragi-onsen.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Find a stay on Trip.com
Search and book accommodation across Japan on Trip.com. Day-use bathing needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- One of the three baths of Iyo
- Gorge-view open-air bath for ¥420
- After cycling the Shimanami Kaidō
One of the 'Three Baths of Iyo', pH 9.9 beauty water for ¥420 — the finishing soak for Shimanami Kaido cyclists
Nibukawa Seseragi Koryukan is a municipal day-use onsen run by Imabari City in the Nibukawa gorge on the upper Soja River, Ehime — the easiest way into Nibukawa Onsen, a mountain-village spa coloured by cherry blossom in spring and maples in autumn. Nibukawa's water is an alkaline simple cold mineral spring (source 23.6°C, pH 9.9, radon-bearing), ranked since the Edo period with Dogo and Hontani as one of the 'Three Baths of Iyo' for its beautifying effect. With no volcano in this region the cold spring is heated for bathing, but the silky, viscous feel and the warmth that lingers long afterwards are the genuine work of pH 9.9 alkalinity. The building is a plain, Showa-retro public facility with gender-separated indoor baths, a small rotenburo facing the gorge and a sauna; in winter, tent-sauna events are held by the stream. At ¥420 for adults (¥340 for over-65s) it is both a locals' everyday bath and a favourite finishing soak for cyclists who have just ridden the Shimanami Kaido into Imabari. There is no shampoo or soap, so bring your own or buy some at the shop; add a local set lunch at the 'Seseragi Shokudo' and you have a half day.
Tips & notes
① Closed 2nd and 4th Mondays (next day if a holiday) and 31 Dec–1 Jan. ② No shampoo, soap or towels — bring them or buy at the shop (amenity set ¥400). ③ Lockers need a ¥10 coin. ④ The rotenburo is small with a limited gorge view — for open-air bathing try nearby Nibukawa Onsen Hotel (stream-side rotenburo); water purists prefer Kairakuso (¥500, 9:00–17:00). ⑤ The restaurant closes at 14:30 — eat in Imabari after an evening bath. ⑥ Strongly alkaline: moisturise afterwards; silver may tarnish. ⑦ Only a few buses a day from Imabari; bicycle parking is available for Shimanami cyclists.
Getting there
From JR Imabari Station (about 40 min by express from Matsuyama, about 2 h from Okayama), the Setouchi bus for Nibukawa Onsen takes about 35 min to 'Nibukawa Onsen' near the terminus, then 3 min on foot — only a few buses a day, so check the timetable; a taxi from Imabari Station takes about 25 min. By car, about 20 min from Imabari IC via Route 317 (towards Matsuyama) and the prefectural road towards Tamagawa Dam, 25 min from central Imabari; free parking for 110. Easy as an afternoon round trip for travellers overnighting in Imabari after riding the Shimanami Kaido; pair with Tamagawa Dam lake and the Tamagawa Museum of Modern Art for a half day.
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.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Sauna & wellness
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.
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 Tsubaki-no-Yu
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.
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.
