Comparisons

Uchinomaki Town Baths: Seven Bathhouses Compared by Price and Hours

Compare Uchinomaki town baths by admission, opening time and features, including Yura’s mist sauna and private baths and Yakushi’s spring analysis.

YUBIYORI Editorial TeamUpdated 2026-09-27

Photo: Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert, Wikimedia Commons_VLux5_hdsr_02.jpg), CC BY 4.0.

Takara-yu in Uchinomaki

You can spend ¥200 on a straightforward local soak or pay more for a place with a mist sauna and private family rooms. The onsen association lists four stand-alone bathhouses—Yakushi, Takara-yu, Shichifuku and Yura—plus three inns that also admit day visitors: Ōaso, Asonoyu and Yunosato Irifune. Decide first whether you want a quick neighbourhood bath or the extra facilities of an inn; the list below covers both.

Current options at a glance

Bath	Adult admission	Listed hours	Useful detail
Shichifuku Onsen	¥200	1 pm–9:30 pm	Cheapest; one bath for each gender, no rest room
Ōaso Onsen	¥300	7 am–9 pm	Earliest opening; city page gives 7:30 am
Yakushi Onsen	¥400	10 am–9 pm; facility page also gives noon opening	Source analysis published; call if arriving before noon
Takara-yu	¥400	10 am–9:30 pm	Indoor and outdoor bathing; city listing differs on hours
Yura	¥500	1 pm–10 pm; closed Tuesday	Mist sauna and two family baths
Asonoyu	¥500	3 pm–8 pm; last admission 7 pm; closed Wednesday	One 50-minute family bath costs ¥2,000 for two adults; day use may be unavailable
Yunosato Irifune	¥600	1 pm–9 pm; last admission 8 pm; closed Wednesday	Two springs and five private baths

Treat the prices as a way to plan, not a ranking. Shichifuku keeps things basic and costs the least; Yura charges more for its sauna and family-bath options. Asonoyu and Irifune also accommodate overnight guests, so their day-use availability can depend on how the inn is running that day.

Four stand-alone baths, four different reasons to stop

Shichifuku: a ¥200 soak, with the basics only

Shichifuku is the easy low-budget choice. Admission is ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for children; it is open 1 pm–9:30 pm year-round. The city lists no rest room and one bath for each gender. Wash supplies and towels are not guaranteed, so bring a small towel and your own toiletries.

Ōaso: the early start, with two listed opening times

Ōaso is useful before a day of sightseeing because it opens in the morning. The association gives 7 am–9 pm, while Aso City gives 7:30 am–9 pm. If that half hour affects a train or bus connection, call before going. Adult admission is ¥300 and child admission is ¥100. The property does not publish enough source details to compare its water chemistry with Yakushi or Sozankyo.

Yakushi: the clearest published spring analysis

Yakushi is the one to choose when spring data interests you. The facility publishes a 44°C source temperature, pH 7.34 and a sodium-magnesium-calcium sulfate classification. Admission is ¥400 for adults. Its visitor information gives a noon opening in one section, while another page and the association list 10 am; call before planning an arrival between 10 am and noon. Towels and basic wash items can be bought individually if needed.

Takara-yu: indoor and outdoor baths, with conflicting hours

Takara-yu costs ¥400 for adults and ¥200 for children. The association lists 10 am–9:30 pm, while the city page gives 11 am–10 pm. It has indoor and outdoor bathing. A dated 2024 transcription of an on-site spring analysis records a 40.7°C source temperature; that secondary record is not a current, independent measurement of the bath on your visit.

Yura and the inn-style baths

Yura: a mist sauna and two family baths

Yura is the most fully equipped of the stand-alone town baths. Adult admission is ¥500, children pay ¥250, and the mist sauna costs another ¥200. Two family baths are available: ¥2,000 for 50 minutes or ¥2,300 for 60 minutes for up to three adults and two children; larger groups pay the regular admission as well. It is open 1 pm–10 pm and closed Tuesdays.

Three inns that also welcome day bathers

Ōaso opens early, so it can work for a morning stop. Asonoyu lists a public bath and a 50-minute family session for two adults. It may suspend day visits when lodging bookings affect operations; check Asonoyu’s current day-use rules before setting out.

Irifune opens at 1 pm and assigns private rooms from those available on arrival. Its separate guide covers the two springs and winter limits. All three inns also host overnight guests, so day-use hours can be affected by their schedules.

Keep the walk and bus stop in the same plan

Uchinomaki has several stops, not one station at the centre of the bath district. The bath you choose may be closest to Uchinomaki, Aso General Center, Aso Onsen Hospital or another local stop. Routes and fares change by direction and day, so use the current Aso City timetable and save the return journey as well. The car-free half-day route explains how to fit one or two nearby baths between buses.

The simplest two-bath pairing is Shichifuku with Yura: they are in the same part of town, and their facilities feel different. If the bus schedule leaves little room, pick one. Changing, washing, resting and walking between baths all take time, even when the admission is low.

Choose by what you need

If your budget tops out at ¥200–¥300, start with Shichifuku or Ōaso. For published spring figures, Yakushi is the clearest pick. Takara-yu is an option if you want a longer soak and indoor/outdoor baths, but call about its conflicting hours. For a mist sauna, look at Yura. Couples or families wanting a private session should compare Yura’s family baths with the inn facilities at Kadoman and Irifune; check each room’s time limit and same-day availability.

Bring the basics and keep spring figures in context

Town baths may not supply towels or toiletries, and the equipment varies by property. Check whether you need cash, a small towel or wash items before leaving. Keep source temperature, bathing-tub temperature and district-wide onsen claims separate: a source analysis from Yakushi or a dated transcription for Takara-yu does not establish the temperature of another facility’s water.

Frequently asked questions

Which Uchinomaki town bath is cheapest?

Shichifuku is listed at ¥200 for adults and ¥100 for children. Ōaso is ¥300 for adults and ¥100 for children. These are bathhouse prices; hotel day-use baths are a separate comparison.

Is Shichifuku still ¥100?

No. The current association listing used here gives ¥200 for adults. Check the association before travelling in case the price changes again.

Does Yakushi open at 10 am or noon?

The published times conflict: the association and one facility page list 10 am, while another section gives noon. Call Yakushi if you plan to arrive before noon.

Do the town baths have private rooms?

Yura lists two family baths. Some inn-style facilities also offer private sessions; see the Aso private-bath comparison for their different booking rules.

Can I visit several baths in one day?

Yes, but allow for washing, changing, walking and the bus. Shichifuku and Yura are in the same part of town and have different facilities; if your connection is tight, choose one.

Tattoo policy

There is no district-wide tattoo rule. Check with the specific bath before visiting, especially if you plan to use an inn’s family bath.