Okayama · Yubara Onsen
Yubara Onsen Yumoto Onsenkan
湯原温泉 湯本温泉館
A municipal day bath in the middle of the Yubara Onsen village in northern Okayama, a few minutes' walk from the famous riverside open-air 'Sunayu'. Yubara has a thousand-year history and copious water; this is its source bath, and the pH 9.3 alkaline simple spring is a slippery 'beauty water'. The three-storey building has souvenirs on the ground floor and baths on the first: for each sex an indoor bath, jacuzzi and sauna, plus a barrier-free bathroom usable by elderly and wheelchair guests, which can also be hired as a family bath (¥3,000 per hour for up to three). There is no view, but travellers value it as the place to wash and warm up properly after the mixed Sunayu. Adults ¥800, children ¥400; open 10:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30), closed Wednesdays. A tatami rest room and relaxation corner are provided. About 5 minutes by car from Yubara IC on the Yonago Expressway, or 40 minutes by bus for Hiruzen Kōgen from JR Chūgoku-Katsuyama Station to 'Sayama' then 5 minutes on foot.
- Price (adult)
- ¥800
- Hours
- 10:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
- Closed
- Wed
- Access
- About 5 min by car from Yubara IC (Yonago Expressway); Maniwa community bus for Hiruzen Kōgen from JR Chūgoku-Katsuyama Station, about 40 min to 'Sayama' then 5 min on foot
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Junior-high and up ¥800 / elementary ¥400 (latest Maniwa Tourism Bureau listing; formerly ¥600). Family bath ¥3,000 per hour (up to 3; regular fee per extra person). Soap and shampoo provided; towels sold. Local-produce shop on the ground floor
- Baths
- A three-storey city-run facility in the very centre of the Yubara spa street, opposite the Yakushi-do hall — Yubara’s “moto-yu” (original bath). Men’s and women’s bath halls on the 2nd floor (indoor tub, jacuzzi, sauna), a barrier-free bathroom doubling as family bath, rest rooms, relaxation room and tatami room. No rotenburo; a compact two-tub layout
- Water
- Alkaline simple spring, pH 9.3 — Yubara prides itself on its abundant flow; clear and silky. The same soft water as Suna-yu, indoors and at a comfortable temperature
- Parking
- Only ~3 spaces on site — better to use the city-run free car park by Suna-yu (~50 spaces), 5 min on foot. Bus ~40 min from Chugoku-Katsuyama Station to “Yubara Onsen”, then 5 min on foot
- Phone
- 0867-62-2039
- Official site
- maniwa.or.jp ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
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Why go
- Yubara's source bath (pH 9.3), minutes from Sunayu
- Wash and warm up after the riverside bath
- ¥800; barrier-free room as a family bath
Where you wash after Suna-yu — the city-run “original bath” in the centre of town
Yumoto Onsenkan is a Maniwa city-run day-bath in the very middle of the Yubara spa street, diagonally opposite the Yakushi-do hall, and styles itself Yubara’s “moto-yu”, the original bath. The ground floor of the three-storey concrete building is a local-produce shop and the baths are on the 2nd floor — an indoor tub, jacuzzi and sauna for each gender, no rotenburo and only two tubs, so don’t come for views or scale. What it does have is pH 9.3 alkaline simple spring water, the soft, abundant water Yubara is proud of, and — unlike at Suna-yu — you can use soap and shampoo and warm up in the sauna. That is its whole point: soak in Suna-yu (free 24 hours, but no soap, tepid and mixed), then wash and warm up here — the standard Yubara day-trip routine. The barrier-free bathroom serves elderly and disabled visitors and doubles as a family bath (¥3,000 per hour), and there are rest rooms, a relaxation room and a tatami room for lounging afterwards. Admission has risen to ¥800 in the Maniwa Tourism Bureau’s latest listing (formerly ¥600); closed Wednesdays. The spa street also has a riverside footbath, a promenade and Yubara’s characteristic bridge views, so combine with a short stroll.
Tips & cautions
- Closed Wednesdays; last entry 20:30.
- No rotenburo or views — think of it as “wash and warm up”. Best visited after Suna-yu (5 min on foot).
- Only 3 parking spaces on site — park at the city lot by Suna-yu and walk.
- Admission recently rose to ¥800 — ignore old blogs quoting ¥600.
- The family (barrier-free) bath is ¥3,000 per hour for 3 — also an option for tattooed bathers; ask in advance.
- The ground-floor shop sells Yubara specialities (yuzu, pickled mountain vegetables).
- 5 min from Yubara IC — fits a driving loop with Hiruzen Highlands and Kanba Falls.
Getting there
Maniwa community bus toward Hiruzen Highlands ~40 min from Chugoku-Katsuyama Station (JR Kishin line) to “Sayama” or “Yubara Onsen”, then 5 min on foot (Yubara-Onsen 23-2, Maniwa). By car ~5 min from Yubara IC (Yonago Expressway). ~3 spaces on site; the city-run free car park by Suna-yu is 5 min on foot. Tel. 0867-62-2039.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Baths
Sauna & wellness
Rules & private
Price
Convenience
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
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.
