Befukyō Onsen is a hot spring town in Kochi, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 17.5°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. Officially the water is classed as bicarbonate spring.
Getting there
From Kyoto / Osakaabout 4½ h
CarNot needed
JR PassCovers the train
Train to Tosa-Yamada Station (JR)
Local bus, about 40 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.
Bicarbonate spring
The water here
Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉
Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.
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.