Sazu Onsen is a hot spring town in Hyogo, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 33°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring and sulfate spring.
Getting there
From Kyoto / Osakaabout 3 h
CarNot needed
JR PassCovers the train
Train to Satsu Station (JR)
Walk, about 10 min
Fly into Kansai (KIX) or Itami. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.
Chloride springSulfate spring
The water here
Chloride spring 塩化物泉
Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.
Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉
Clear water with a faintly bitter taste. Known for holding heat.
Places from Wikidata, photographs from Wikimedia Commons. Distances are in a straight line from the town.
With tattoos
Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.