Tochigi · Nikkō (town & Kiyotaki)
Nikko Hoshinoyado
日光 星の宿
An onsen inn on a hill above Shinkyo bridge, the gateway to the World Heritage shrines and temples of Nikko. Its garden bath of alkaline simple spring (pH 9.5) is the signature, with a cypress tub and open-air bath overlooking the garden through the seasons. Day bathing, often paired with lunch, is popular.
- Price (adult)
- ¥1,200
- Hours
- 12:00-15:00
- Closed
- Irregular
- Access
- 1115 Kami-Hatsuishimachi, Nikko, Tochigi. About 5 minutes by Tobu Bus from JR/Tobu Nikko Station, getting off at Shinkyo, then a 3-minute walk; or about 15 minutes by car from Nikko IC. Free parking available.
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Phone
- 0288-54-1105
- Official site
- hoshinoyado.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- A garden bath of alkaline simple spring (pH 9.5), with a cypress tub and open-air bath over the garden
- A 2-3 minute walk to World Heritage Shinkyo bridge, within walking distance of Nikko Toshogu
- Day bathing for 1,200 yen (towel included); 12:00-15:00, or 800 yen combined with lunch
About this onsen
Standing on a hill beside Shinkyo bridge at the gateway to Nikko town, the inn is within walking distance of the World Heritage shrines and temples. Its bath draws the Nikko Wada-no-Yu source, an alkaline simple spring (pH 9.5), and the garden bath with wide-open windows is the signature — greenery in summer, maples in autumn, snow in winter. The kaiseki featuring Nikko's famed yuba (tofu skin) is another draw.
Good to know
Day bathing is 12:00-15:00 for 1,200 yen (bath and face towels included; preschoolers free). Combined with lunch (11:30-14:30), bathing drops to 800 yen. The private bath Amanogawa costs 1,500 yen extra (45 minutes, by reservation). Its location makes an easy stop between visits to Toshogu and Shinkyo; closing days are irregular, so checking ahead is wise.
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
Rules & private
Mood & scenery
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.
More in this area
Moto-yu Shika-no-yu
The 1,300-year-old birthplace of Nasu Onsen. Inside the wooden bathhouse, tubs are graded from 41 to 48°C, all fed with milky, strongly acidic sulfur water. No showers, no soap — start with the traditional head-dousing ritual.
Kojika-no-yu
A day-use facility on the same source as Shika-no-yu, open every day until 9 pm with an open-air bath and private rooms. Ideal for families or anyone daunted by Shika-no-yu's rituals — the milky water is identical.
Kinugawa Onsen Niouson Plaza (day bathing)
A small riverside hotel on the south side of Kinugawa Onsen, five minutes from Tobu World Square Station. While the big hotels stop day bathing around 15:00, this one welcomes walk-ins 9:00–21:00 for ¥700. Its own alkaline sulfur spring (43.6 °C) flows 100% free into a quirky set of baths: a rotenburo made from an actual Kinugawa river-cruise boat, a rock rotenburo, indoor baths and a swimsuit mixed bath. The slightly cool, silky water is highly rated by onsen fans.
