Tochigi · Shiobara Onsen
Shiobara-Motoyu Onsen Oidekan
塩原元湯温泉 大出館
A member inn of the society that guards Japan's hidden springs, standing in Motoyu, the innermost part of Shiobara Onsen. Eight of its own sources fill eight baths, all run 100 percent flow-through, and the water is known as a spring you may also drink. The signature Sumi-no-yu, black with iron, is a mixed bath, reserved for women from 2:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon and 7:00 to 8:30 at night. Day bathing is received from 10:00 to 14:00, for use until 16:00, at 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for children.
- Price (adult)
- ¥1,000
- Hours
- Entry 10:00–14:00 (usable until 16:00)
- Closed
- Irregular closures (check ahead)
- Access
- From Nishinasuono-Shiobara IC on the Tohoku Expressway, take Route 400 into the Shiobara spa street and continue further up the valley to the Motoyu district. From Nishinasuno Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line it is about 20 minutes by car.
- Water type
- Sulfur spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- 1,000 yen from age 15 and 500 yen for children aged three to under fifteen, tax included. Bring a towel, a bath towel and toiletries; every bath may be used, the private one included.
- Baths
- There are eight baths. The black Sumi-no-yu and Shika-no-yu are mixed, with the open-air Iwa-no-yu and Kodashi-no-yu, the women's Takao-no-yu and Gosho-no-yu, and the private Fuji-no-yu. Sumi-no-yu is for women from 14:00 to 15:00 and 19:00 to 20:30.
- Spring water
- A sulphur-bearing sodium chloride-bicarbonate spring of the hydrogen sulphide type, neutral, hypotonic and hot. The source is 50.9 degrees for Gosho-no-yu and 52.6 for Sumi-no-yu, and it is also known as a spring that may be drunk.
- Access & parking
- From Nishinasuono-Shiobara IC on the Tohoku Expressway, take Route 400 into the spa street and continue up the valley to Motoyu. There is free parking, and winter tyres are needed from December to March.
- Day bathing
- Reception is from 10:00 to 14:00, for use until 16:00. It is not accepted on some days, so a phone call is needed. Day visitors may also use the private bath, Fuji-no-yu, free of charge.
- Tattoos
- No tattoo policy is posted. Several baths, including Sumi-no-yu, are mixed, so if mixed bathing is uncomfortable there is the option of the women's hours or the women's and private baths.
- Phone
- 0287-32-2438
- Official site
- ooidekan.com ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- The one-of-a-kind black Sumi-no-yu
- Eight baths, all 100 percent flow-through
- A private bath that can be used free
Japan's one black spring
Oidekan is a member inn of the society that guards Japan's hidden springs, standing in Motoyu, the innermost part of Shiobara Onsen. Eight of its own sources fill eight baths, all flow-through, and among them Sumi-no-yu, heavy with iron, is black and said to have no equal in Japan. A short soak leaves black flakes on the skin, and towels turn black, so many take one home as a keepsake.
Mixed bathing and the women's hours
Among the eight baths, Sumi-no-yu, Shika-no-yu and the open-air Iwa-no-yu and Gosho-no-yu are mixed. For women, Sumi-no-yu is reserved from 2:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon and 7:00 to 8:30 at night, and there are also Kodashi-no-yu and a women's open-air bath. The private Fuji-no-yu needs neither reservation nor payment and may be used when free. If mixed bathing is difficult, these three can be combined.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- There is a mixed-gender area. Check the description for bathing garments and women-only hours.
- 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
Mood & scenery
Rules & private
Price
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
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.
