Gonge Onsen is a hot spring town in Ehime, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 24–27°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. Officially the water is classed as simple spring.
Getting there
From Kyoto / Osakaabout 3 h
CarTaxi from the station
JR PassCovers the train
Train to Horie Station (JR)
Taxi, about 5 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.
Simple 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.
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.