Founded in 1923, a registered cultural-property bathhouse with a curved-gable entrance, carved transoms in the changing room and majolica tiles. Despite the 'onsen' in its name the water is heated, with electric bath, herbal bath, open-air pool and sauna. One of Kyoto's few tattoo-friendly baths, so popular with visitors. ¥550; opens 8 am on Sundays.
Four minutes from Hankyu Arashiyama Station and a short walk from Togetsukyo Bridge, Arashiyama's only dedicated day-use onsen. Mildly alkaline simple spring water in indoor, open-air, silky and sauna baths. Easy to slot between sights, with towel rental so you can come empty-handed. The changing room is small, so avoid peak hours. ¥1,200 weekdays, ¥1,400 weekends and holidays.
Four minutes from Arisugawa Station on the Randen tram near Arashiyama, a day spa in Kyoto-style timber architecture. Chloride water from 1,200 m below fills rock rotenburo, pot baths and a spacious indoor pool; the men's side has a 'theater' sauna, the women's two saunas. Open until midnight, so it works after a day in Arashiyama. Restaurant on site. ¥1,200 weekdays; closed the third Monday.
The only public bath in Miyazu, right next to Amanohashidate Station on the Kyoto Tango Railway — the gateway to one of Japan's Three Views. Named after the Monju bodhisattva of wisdom, it looks like a small ryokan. Magnesium-rich chloride water fills an indoor bath and hand-and-foot bath, with a free footbath outside. ¥800, 12:00–21:00. Perfect for a rinse while waiting for your train after walking the sandbar.
A mountain hot spring in the temple-gate village of Kurama, about 30 minutes from central Kyoto on the Eizan railway, home of the tengu legends. The open-air Hōroku-yu sits in a cedar grove facing the Kitayama hills and becomes a snow-viewing bath in winter. The simple hydrogen-sulphide water carries a faint whiff of sulphur that suits the mountain air. The open-air-only course is ¥1,500 weekdays / ¥1,600 weekends (towels extra); the full day course with indoor bath, open-air bath, sauna, lounge, towels and robe is around ¥2,600 on weekdays. Open 10:00–21:00 every day, no reservation. Ten minutes on foot from Kurama Station or by free shuttle. The classic way to end a visit to Kurama-dera or the hike over to Kibune — for anyone who wants a genuine onsen in Kyoto.
Of the inns at Yunohana Onsen — Kyoto's 'back parlour' spa in the Tamba hills outside Kameoka, about 25 minutes by train from Kyoto Station — this is the easiest for day bathing. Fields and woodland spread across its large grounds, and the main bath and garden open-air bath look out on the countryside through the seasons. The water is a clear, soft, mildly radioactive (radon) simple spring. Day bathing: adults ¥1,000, children ¥500; weekdays 12:00–21:00 straight through, weekends, holidays, eves of holidays and Obon in two sessions, 12:00–15:00 and 17:30–21:00. Day plans with lunch or kaiseki are offered — a fine finish to Kameoka, the starting point for the Hozu River boats and the Sagano scenic railway. About 15 minutes by car from JR Kameoka Station (ask about pick-up) or 10 minutes from Kameoka IC. Combine with Arashiyama for a Kyoto onsen day trip.
A hot-spring resort on the Rurikei plateau in Nantan at about 500 m, roughly an hour by car from Kyoto city, at the entrance to the scenic Rurikei gorge trail. Formerly 'Kyoto Rurikei Onsen for REST RESORT', it was renovated and renamed in 2025. The water is a mildly radioactive radon spring; besides the gender-separated 'Ruri-yu' halls, open-air baths and single-person ceramic pot baths, there is a swimwear zone where couples and families bathe together, along with a pool and saunas. Day admission (including the pool and swimwear area) is ¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children on weekdays, ¥950 and ¥500 on weekends and holidays; towel set ¥300, swimwear rental ¥400. Bedrock baths and the lantern terrace cost extra. Open 11:00–20:00 on weekdays and 10:00–21:00 on weekends and holidays, every day. Barbecue, a kids' area, the GRAX glamping site and a hotel share the grounds, and at night the 'Synesthesia Hills' illumination is a draw. Keihan Kyoto Kōtsū bus to 'Rurikei Onsen', or about 30 minutes by car from Kameoka IC.
A natural hot spring super-sentō in Mibu, the old Shinsengumi quarter, 5 minutes on foot from Tambaguchi Station – two stops from Kyoto Station on the JR Sagano Line. It is a rare in-city onsen useful while waiting for a night bus or to round off a day of sightseeing, open 10:00 to 1:00 am (last entry midnight) all year except two maintenance days. Simple spring water pumped from underground fills the outdoor rock bath and pot tubs, while indoors a variety of jet baths, an electric bath and a carbonated pool line up, and the hot sauna runs löyly sessions; with a cold plunge and outdoor cooling space, Kyoto's sauna fans call it a must-bathe. Prices are friendly – adults ¥840 on weekdays, ¥970 on weekends and holidays, children ¥370/¥420. The in-house Sakura-tei serves soba and hearty post-sauna meals, and there is free parking for 120 cars. Within walking distance of the Kyoto Railway Museum, Umekōji Park and Kyoto Aquarium, and handy after a stroll through Shimabara or Nishi-Honganji.