Sōtome Onsen

Tochigi · 早乙女温泉

Sōtome Onsen is a hot spring town in Tochigi, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 73.4°C, hot. It measures pH 7.41 — close to neutral. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring and sulfur spring. Its sources put out around 180 litres a minute.

Getting there

From Tokyoabout 2 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Ujiie Station (JR)
Many inns send a car to the station — ask when you book

Fly into Haneda or Narita. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Chloride springSulfur 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.

Sulfur spring 硫黄泉

The classic rotten-egg smell and milky white water. It can tarnish silver jewellery, so take it off.

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 — Tochigi Inns with a private bath — Tochigi