Ōita · Yufuin Onsen
Yufuin Tsukanoma
ゆふいん束ノ間
An inn famous for spring water that turns cobalt blue on certain days. A wide open-air bath with views of Mt. Yufu and silica-rich water that feels like lotion, for ¥800.
- Price (adult)
- ¥800
- Hours
- 09:30–18:30(last entry 18:00)
- Closed
- Wednesdays & Thursdays
- Access
- 5 min by taxi / 25 min walk from JR Yufuin Station
- Water type
- Alkaline simple
- Tattoos
- Ask ahead
- Admission
- Adults ¥800 / elementary & junior-high ¥500 / infants free. Towel ¥200. Bathing is free if you pre-book a treatment at the on-site “Yururito” relaxation salon
- Water
- Free-flowing sodium-chloride spring whose colour shifts to cobalt blue with weather and temperature (light scattering from colloidal silica)
- Baths
- No indoor bath; one large open-air rock bath per gender. Private baths available. No swimsuit zone
- Parking
- Free
- Phone
- 0977-85-3105
- Official site
- tsukanoma.club ↗
- Open in Google Maps
- Google Maps ↗
Essentials
Stay in this onsen town
Compare and book stays in Yufuin Onsen. Day bathing itself needs no booking.
Opens partner booking site (affiliate)
Why go
- Rare water that turns blue (varies by day)
- Big open-air bath facing Mt. Yufu
- Private baths available too
A cobalt-blue bath that changes colour by the day
Tsukanoma, at the foot of Mt Yufu in Yufuin’s Kawakami district, is an open-air-only bathhouse famous for its rare blue water. Clear at the source, the water turns blue as it cools in the air and dissolved silica forms fine particles that scatter light; on cloudy or cold days it leans milky white. The big rock bath faces Mt Yufu, and the moisturising sodium-chloride water has earned it the nickname “beauty bath”.
Tips & cautions
- Closed Wed & Thu (some sources list Wed only — call 0977-85-3105 to confirm).
- Last entry 18:00, closes 18:30; no late evenings.
- No indoor bath, so cold in winter; the water looks bluest on clear days around midday.
- No towels provided (¥200 to buy). Rinse off afterwards — the water is salty.
- Over 30 min on foot from Yufuin Station; taxi or rental car advised. Combine with Lake Kinrin.
Getting there
About 7 min by car from JR Yufuin Station (Kawakami 444-3), ~35 min on foot; ~10 min from Yufuin IC. Free parking.
Before you go
- No official tattoo policy is published — ask at reception.
- Ryokan day-use hours are limited and may be suspended in peak season — phone the same morning.
- Payment is usually by ticket machine in cash — bring coins.
- Last entry is 30–60 minutes before closing.
Features
Price
Mood & scenery
Convenience
Rules & private
Amenities
✔ Verified operating: 2026-09 るるぶ2026-07・アソビュー2025-10
Prices and hours change. Check official sources before visiting.
More in this area
Takegawara Onsen
Founded in 1879, with its 1938 wooden building and curved gable, Takegawara is the symbol of Beppu Onsen. A regular bath costs ¥300 — a deep, hot pool down a flight of steps. The famous sand bath has you buried in warm sand by staff while wearing a yukata. Bring your own soap and shampoo.
Hyotan Onsen
A large complex where you can try Kannawa's specialties — waterfall bath, sand bath and steam bath — in one place. It once earned three Michelin stars and is used to overseas guests. Many private family baths; tattooed visitors are directed to these. A restaurant serves hell-steamed dishes. Open until 1 am.
Shitan-yu at Lake Kinrin
A thatched communal bath on the shore of Lake Kinrin. Unstaffed — drop ¥300 in the box at the door. Changing area and bath share one room; an indoor pool and a half-open pool facing the lake, and it is mixed bathing with clear water and little screening, so it's a challenge for women. Right in busy central Yufuin, but quiet at the 10 am opening.