Okayama · Okutsu Onsen
Meisen Kagi-yu Okutsuso
名泉鍵湯 奥津荘
A century-old inn registered as a tangible cultural property. Its Kagi-yu and Tate-yu baths sit directly over the source, with 247 litres a minute flowing free, neither heated nor diluted. Day bathing is ¥1,000.
- Price (adult)
- ¥1,000
- Hours
- 10:45–14:30 (last entry 14:00)
- Closed
- Irregular closures (check ahead)
- Access
- In the Okutsu Onsen village of Kagamino, Okayama, beside the Yoshii River; about 60 minutes by car from JR Tsuyama Station.
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Private baths only
- Admission
- Day bathing is ¥1,000 for junior-high age and over and ¥550 for children aged 3 and up, tax included. The private baths Izumi-no-Yu and Kawa-no-Yu carry an extra charge that varies by day, and each is used for 60 minutes. A day-use plan pairing dinner with bathing runs 17:00–21:00.
- Hours and closure
- Day bathing runs 10:45–14:30 with last entry at 14:00. Closures fall on the inn's closed days and scheduled maintenance days and are irregular, so calling 0868-52-0021 (staffed 9:00–21:00) beforehand is advised.
- Spring quality
- An alkaline simple spring at pH 9.3, 42.6 °C, flowing at 247 litres a minute: colourless, without taste or smell. It is indicated for neuralgia, muscular and joint pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, stiff joints, bruises, sprains, haemorrhoids, chronic digestive complaints, convalescence, fatigue, general health and cold sensitivity.
- Baths and things to note
- There are two baths, Kagi-yu and Tate-yu, and men's and women's sides change by time of day. Both are indoor only, with no open-air bath. The private Kawa-no-Yu and Izumi-no-Yu have flat tiled floors. In Kagi-yu and Tate-yu the rock beneath the tub is continuous with the bed of the Yoshii River, so the floor is uneven and bathing can be difficult for anyone unsteady on their feet. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, facial wash, cleanser, soap and a hairdryer are provided, and for resting there are benches in the lounge and cooling-off area.
- On tattoos
- The inn respects guests' cultural backgrounds and does not ban visitors with tattoos outright. It does, however, refuse entry to the communal baths for tattoos that might alarm other guests. If you would rather avoid the shared bath, the private baths are the practical option.
- Phone
- 0868-52-0021
- Official site
- okutsuso.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
- A source that wells up through the bath floor, said to be 0.001% of Japan's springs
- Granite tubs joined as one rock to the riverbed of the Yoshii
- A timber inn built in 1927, a registered tangible cultural property
An inn built in 1927, a registered cultural property
Okutsuso is a timber inn on the bank of the Yoshii River in the Okutsu Onsen village of Kagamino, Okayama. It opened in 1927 and is registered as a national tangible cultural property. Loved by figures such as Inukai Tsuyoshi and Munakata Shiko, with its carved gable entrance and long corridor, it is something of a landmark in the onsen village. Day bathing is accepted alongside overnight stays, between 10:45 and 14:30.
A rare spring that wells up through the bath floor
Okutsuso's spring is what the Japanese call ashi-moto yushutsu: the tub is built directly over the source. It flows at 247 litres a minute and reaches the bath without meeting air, so the water is always fresh. Kagi-yu and Tate-yu stand where the bed of the Yoshii River once ran, and the granite beneath the tubs is still one continuous rock with the riverbed outside. The floors are therefore rough and uneven, which can make bathing hard for anyone unsteady on their feet. Tate-yu is around 120 cm deep at its deepest, deep enough to stand in.
How to use it as a day visitor
Day bathing runs 10:45–14:30 with last entry at 14:00, and the fees are ¥1,000 for adults and ¥550 for children aged 3 and over, tax included. Closures for holidays and maintenance are irregular, so it is worth phoning 0868-52-0021 (staffed 9:00–21:00) before setting out. Both sides are indoor only, and Kagi-yu and Tate-yu alternate between men and women by time of day. The private Kawa-no-Yu and Izumi-no-Yu cost extra and are used for 60 minutes each. Tattoos are not banned as a rule, but those that might alarm other guests cannot use the communal baths, in which case a private bath is the better choice.
Before you go
- With tattoos, use the private or family baths rather than the main bath.
- 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
Who with
Convenience
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
Yubara Onsen Sunayu
A natural open-air bath on the Asahi River gravel bed right below Yubara Dam, where water bubbles up through the riverbed itself — ranked the 'western grand champion' of Japan's rotenburo. Three pools at different temperatures; mixed, free and open 24 hours. Only a simple changing hut, so women are advised to wear a bathing garment (sold and rented in town). Closed Wednesday mornings for cleaning. Photography strictly forbidden.
Yunogo Onsen Sagi Onsen-kan
The source bath of Yunogo Onsen, where legend says the monk Ennin found an egret healing its wounds some 1,200 years ago. One of the three famed Mimasaka hot springs, an hour by car from Okayama. The town-run bathhouse charges ¥960 for indoor and open-air baths across two bathing wings linked by a moving walkway, alternating daily. Open 8:00–21:00; the 'all-day rest' plan lets you come and go until closing. Bring your own food.
Okutsu Onsen Hanabijin-no-Sato
A town-run day spa at Okutsu Onsen, one of the three Mimasaka hot springs and famous for the autumn colours of Okutsu Gorge. The airy, high-ceilinged main bath holds pH 9-plus alkaline 'beauty water', with a rotenburo, family baths and sauna. ¥880, 10:00–19:00, closed Thursdays. The gorge trail is within walking distance, so it fills up after leaf-viewing in autumn. Forty minutes by car from Tsuyama.
