Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

Shodoshima Onsen

Kagawa · 小豆島温泉

Shodoshima Onsen is a hot spring town in Kagawa, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 18.8–42.7°C, hot. It measures pH 9 — strongly alkaline. Officially the water is classed as simple spring, chloride spring, bicarbonate spring, iron spring and radioactive spring.

Simple springChloride springBicarbonate springIron springRadioactive spring

The water here

Simple spring 単純温泉

Mild and low in dissolved minerals. Usually clear and gentle on the skin, which is why these baths are often recommended for first-timers.

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.

Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉

Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.

Iron spring 含鉄泉

Turns reddish brown as the iron meets air. The water is clear at the source.

Radioactive spring 放射能泉

Contains trace radon that leaves the water quickly. Also called radium or radon springs.

More photographs

From Wikimedia Commons. Tap a photo for the photographer and licence.

Things to see nearby

Takamatsu CastleCastle · 19.4 km

Teshima Art MuseumArt museum · 8.6 km

KankakeiGorge · 11.2 km

Saikō-ji TempleTemple · 0.5 km

Hosho-in Temple (Tonosho)Temple · 1.4 km

Mount GokenMountain · 14.5 km

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.

Rooms with an open-air bath — Kagawa Inns with a private bath — Kagawa