Ishikawa · Yamashiro Onsen, Kaga
Yamashiro Onsen Ko-Sōyu
山代温泉 古総湯
A faithful reconstruction of the Meiji-era public bath, with stained glass and Kutani-ware tiles. No washing stations — you simply soak, the old way. The combined ticket with the adjacent Sōyu is the better deal.
- Price (adult)
- ¥700
- Hours
- 06:00–22:00 (Dec–Feb 07:00–21:00)
- Closed
- Closed 4th Wednesday 06:00–12:00 (opens at noon)
- Access
- 20 min by CAN BUS from JR Kaga-Onsen Station
- Water type
- Sulfate spring
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults ¥700 / ages 6–11 ¥280 / 3–5 ¥140 / under 3 free. Combined ticket with the Soyu ¥1,000 (revised 1 Apr 2026; ¥900 is outdated). Free on the 26th of each month. A “first bath” token gives a small perk
- Baths
- A “living onsen museum” — the Meiji-era bathhouse rebuilt in 2010. One indoor tub per gender, Kutani-ware tiles on floor and walls and stained glass as in the original. No taps, showers or soap — rinse with a ladle, then simply soak. Tatami rest room upstairs
- Water
- Sodium-calcium sulfate-chloride spring (hypotonic, mildly alkaline, high-temperature), 100% undiluted. Clear, soft and on the hot side. Opened 1,300 years ago — legend says the monk Gyoki found a crow bathing its wounds here
- Parking
- Free shared car park with the Soyu, ~100 cars (a short walk away). The Hazuchio Gakudo next door has a tea house and Kutani-ware shop
- Phone
- 0761-76-0144
- Official site
- yamashiro-spa.or.jp ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Yamashiro Onsen, Kaga. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- Restored Meiji bathhouse
- Kutani tiles and stained glass
- Soak-only, no wash stations
A Meiji bathhouse reborn: soaking amid Kutani tiles
Yamashiro Onsen, said to have been opened 1,300 years ago by the monk Gyoki, is the heart of the Kaga spa region and still keeps its “yu-no-gawa” layout: inns and shops ringed around the communal Soyu bath. At its centre the Ko-Soyu, rebuilt in 2010, recreates not just the look of the Meiji-era bathhouse but the way people bathed — no taps or washing area, just a ladle rinse and a soak. Kutani-ware tiles cover floor and walls, stained glass glows in the windows, and the tatami room upstairs lets you cool off overlooking the old street; hence its nickname, “the onsen museum you can bathe in”. Pair it with the modern Soyu opposite (¥500) on a ¥1,000 combined ticket for a vivid old-and-new contrast.
Tips & cautions
- You cannot wash here: the classic order is Soyu (with washing area) first, then Ko-Soyu — use the combined ticket.
- A single small tub (6–8 people). Quietest right after 6:00 opening and at dinner time. First bather of the day gets a commemorative token.
- The water is hot; rest upstairs and dip again.
- Winter (Dec–Feb) hours 7–21. Closed 4th Wednesday mornings.
- Free on the 26th, hence crowded.
- Stroll the yu-no-gawa: Hazuchio Gakudo tea house next door, Rosanjin’s former lodging Iroha Soan and Yakuoin Onsenji temple are all within walking distance.
Getting there
Kaga onsen bus (CAN BUS) ~12 min from JR Kaga-Onsen Station to “Yamashiro Onsen Soyu/Ko-Soyu”, right there (Yamashiro Onsen 18-128). ~15 min from Kaga IC. Free parking for ~100 (shared with the Soyu).
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
Mood & scenery
Price
Only here
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
Wakura Onsen Sōyu
Salty water rising from the Noto sea, for ¥500. The community anchor of the onsen town, still operating after the 2024 Noto earthquake. Open 7:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30), and from January 2026 closed on the 25th of each month (the following Monday if it falls on a weekend). Open-air and indoor baths, a rest area, and free parking for 90.
Yamanaka Onsen Kiku-no-yu (Sōyu)
The communal 'sōyu' of Yamanaka, praised by the poet Bashō as one of Japan's three finest baths. Men's and women's halls stand in separate buildings across the street; the deep, hot (~43°C) pool is the signature. 6:45 am to 10 pm, ¥500. Bring your own soap.
Katayamazu Onsen Sōyu
An all-glass communal bath on the shore of Lake Shibayama in Katayamazu, part of the Kaga onsen cluster, designed by architect Yoshio Taniguchi. The lake-facing 'Kata-no-yu' and garden-facing 'Mori-no-yu' swap between men and women on odd and even days; for ¥500 you get the Hakusan peaks and the lake to yourself. The salty chloride water keeps you warm long after. Open from 6:00 to 22:00, with a café upstairs (closed Thursdays) selling onsen eggs. About 10 min by bus from Kaga-Onsen Station.
