Yumoto Sakakibarakan — Yu-no-sho Day Spa

The Pillow Book’s “Nanakuri-no-yu” — beauty water, alternating a 30 °C raw source tub with a 41 °C bath

Sakakibara Onsen is a quiet spa in the foothills west of Tsu, Mie. Tradition holds that it is the “Nanakuri-no-yu” that Sei Shonagon listed in her Pillow Book — “for hot springs: Nanakuri, Arima, Tamatsukuri” — and so it is counted with Arima and Tamatsukuri among “Japan’s three famous springs”. It was also where pilgrims purified themselves before visiting Ise Grand Shrine. Yumoto Sakakibarakan is the town’s long-established ryokan, and its attached day-bathing wing “Yu-no-sho” lets non-guests enjoy the inn’s own source, Nanakuri-no-yu. The water is an alkaline simple spring of pH 9.6 rising at about 30 °C. Step into the “source tub”, run untreated and unheated, and it feels cool rather than warm, yet your skin turns astonishingly slippery; alternating it with the 41 °C heated tub alongside is the local style. There is a faint sulphur scent, and cups are set out for drinking. The two bathrooms, “Moegi” and “Murasaki”, swap between men and women daily, each with a rotenburo; there is no sauna. Admission is ¥1,000 for adults on a two-hour limit, but that includes a face towel and yukata, with cosmetics and razors provided — ryokan-level hospitality. The reservable private observation rotenburo (50 min ¥3,000) is available to day visitors until 17:00. It is 10 minutes by taxi from Kintetsu Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station and 30 by car from Tsu Station, an easy stop between Ise Grand Shrine, Nabana-no-sato and the Akame 48 Waterfalls, and because the bathrooms change daily, many locals say it “never gets old even on a second visit”. Closures are irregular — phone before you go.

Tips & cautions

- 9:00–20:00 (last entry 19:00), two-hour limit, irregular closures — phone ahead.

- The 30 °C source tub feels cool — alternate with the 41 °C tub; start with the heated one in winter.

- Face towel and yukata included; bath towel charged. Changing-room storage is baskets — put valuables in the locker room by the entrance.

- Strongly alkaline and slippery — mind the floor and moisturise afterwards.

- Sip the drinking spring sparingly; it has a smell.

- Tattoos: ryokan facility with no published policy — enquire first.

- The private rotenburo’s last day-use slot is 17:00 — book ahead.

- The shuttle prioritises overnight guests; day visitors take a taxi (~10 min from Sakakibara-Onsenguchi, a station with few trains — check times).

Getting there

~10 min by taxi from Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station (Kintetsu Osaka Line), Sakakibara-cho 5970, Tsu, Mie. ~1 h 20 min from Nagoya by Kintetsu limited express with a change at Tsu; ~1 h 30 min from Osaka-Namba. By car ~20 min from Hisai IC on the Ise Expressway, ~30 min from Tsu Station; free parking, 100 cars. Tel. 059-252-0206.