Karatsu Onsen

Saga · 唐津温泉

Karatsu Onsen is a hot spring town in Saga, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 19°C, cool enough that the baths here are usually reheated. It measures pH 7.74 — mildly alkaline, the slippery kind. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring and sulfate spring. 1 inns take visitors here.

Getting there

From Fukuokaabout 1½ h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Karatsu Station (JR)
Walk, about 15 min

Fly into Fukuoka. 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.

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 — Saga Inns with a private bath — Saga