Niji no Yu Nishiyamato: Spring Baths, Saunas, Prices and Access
Niji no Yu has a free-flow outdoor spring bath, separate indoor spring bath and three saunas. Entry is ¥900 weekdays or ¥950 weekends; last entry 11:15 p.m.
Niji no Yu Nishiyamato works well for an evening or half-day around Ōji, Gojō or western Nara. It is a large day-use spa with several pools, saunas, a restaurant, café and rest areas. The spring-water detail is more specific than a general “natural hot spring” label: the operator identifies one outdoor bath as free-flow, while the indoor spring bath is a separate feature. That does not mean every pool uses untreated source water.
Admission and the real cutoff
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| Adults, junior-high age and up | ¥900 weekdays; ¥950 weekends and public holidays |
| Children aged 4 through elementary school | ¥450 |
| Ages 0–3 | ¥100 |
| Hours | 10 a.m.–midnight |
| Last admission | 11:15 p.m. |
| Towels | Face towel ¥200; bath-towel rental ¥200 |
| Amenities | Shampoo, conditioner and body wash provided |
Without towels, an adult pays at least ¥1,300 on a weekday or ¥1,350 on a weekend or public holiday, before food or other extras. The facility is open year-round, with a two- or three-day maintenance closure once a year; check notices before a late visit.
| Food service | Hours | Last order |
|---|---|---|
| SASAYURI KITCHEN | 11 a.m.–11 p.m. | 10 p.m. |
| MAHOROBA CAFE | 11 a.m.–10 p.m. | Not listed |
Rest areas have table seating, sofas, tatami and massage chairs. The facility usually closes for two or three maintenance days once a year.
Which baths use the spring?
The outdoor area includes one Shigaraki-ware tub that the operator describes as a free-flow spring bath. Indoors, there is a natural-spring bath with two electric-bath positions. Other features include a waterfall-view bath, a carbonated bath, a screw-current bath, pottery tubs and cold baths, including a 90-centimetre-deep plunge. The operator’s descriptions do not identify all of these as spring-fed or free-flow, so keep the label to the two spring features it names.
The sauna lineup is unusual for a suburban day spa: a radon-panel sauna, a barrel sauna for about four people, and a mist sauna in the women’s bath only. The three options are not available to every guest in the same configuration.
The radon room uses ceramic seating panels, and the sauna stones are sprinkled with water about every 30 minutes. The women’s mist room is not a shared option for male visitors, while the barrel sauna is small enough that busy periods can mean waiting. The cooling facilities include a pottery cold bath and a plunge pool about 90 cm deep.
A 2026 pump outage was resolved
In July 2026, a spring pump failure temporarily forced the main indoor pool and the outdoor free-flow bath to operate with heated groundwater. The operator announced the spring supply had been restored on July 23. That was a temporary incident, not the current operating description. Check the latest notices if another equipment update appears before your visit.
Tattoos are not permitted, including fake tattoos and tattoo stickers. The published rules do not describe a cover-patch exception. The operator also does not list a bookable day-use family bath on its main public pages, so don’t assume a private option is available.
Families with young children need to follow the group’s supervision rules.
Getting there from Ōji or Gojō
The address is 3-1-1 Sasayuridai, Kamimaki. From Ōji or Shin-Ōji Station, take a Nara Kotsu bus for about 20 minutes to Kamimaki Town Cultural Center, then walk roughly three minutes east. From Gojō Station, the bus ride is about 15 minutes, followed by the same short walk. The operator lists free parking for 200 cars; driving from Kashiba Interchange takes about ten minutes, or about 20 minutes from Hōryūji Interchange.
This is not the closest choice for someone staying beside Nara Park. If you are staying in central Nara and want an easier evening soak, compare Kashihara Pokapoka Onsen. For a mountain setting with a more involved last leg by public transport, Shigi no Yu is a different kind of outing.
From Kintetsu Gojō Station, allow about 15 minutes by bus to Kamimaki Town Cultural Center, then a three-minute walk. Driving takes roughly 10 minutes from Kashiba IC or 20 minutes from Hōryūji IC; the facility lists 200 free parking spaces. From Nara Station, it is a cross-area trip, so it fits best when Ōji, Kamimaki, Kashiba or Gojō is already on the itinerary.
How it compares with a northern Nara spa
| Decision | Niji no Yu Nishiyamato | Yurarano-yu Oshikuma |
|---|---|---|
| Adult admission | ¥900 weekdays; ¥950 weekends/public holidays | ¥850 weekdays; ¥910 weekends/public holidays |
| Spring baths | Designated outdoor free-flow bath and separate indoor spring bath | Different spring-bath layout |
| Weekend opening | 10 a.m. | 7 a.m. |
| Location advantage | Western Nara, Ōji, Kamimaki, Kashiba or Gojō | Northern Nara; larger parking lot |
Choose Niji no Yu for its named free-flow outdoor bath and later evening access. Oshikuma is the easier fit for a northern Nara stay or an early weekend soak.
Guide ratings and quick answers
Our editorial scores are 95/100 for comfort, 100 for variety, 90 for upkeep, 95 for atmosphere, 55 for quiet, 70 for access and 95 for value. The quiet score reflects the facility’s scale, not its cleanliness.
| Quick answer | Current information |
|---|---|
| Adult price | ¥900 weekdays; ¥950 weekends/public holidays; designated holiday rates may differ |
| Last admission | 11:15 p.m.; the bath closes at midnight |
| Restaurant last order | 10 p.m. |
| Natural spring baths | One named outdoor free-flow bath and a separate indoor spring bath |
| 2026 pump outage | Restored July 23 |
| Saunas | Radon-panel, barrel and women-only mist |
| Tattoos | Prohibited, including stickers and fake tattoos |
| Private day-use bath | None listed on current public pages |
