Tokushima Aratae no Yu: Source-Flowing Onsen, Saunas and Bedrock Baths
Check Aratae no Yu’s natural 29.4°C spring, ¥800 weekday admission and separate bedrock-bath fee, plus its saunas and bathing complex in Tokushima City.
Checked: September 27, 2026
Tokushima Aratae no Yu is in Minamitamiya, north of the city centre. The Tamiya branch draws spring water from 800 metres underground and lists it as a sodium chloride and bicarbonate spring. At the source it is 29.4°C, pH 7.4, with a flow of 97.4 litres per minute. The designated natural-spring bath is used without added water and heated to bathing temperature.
That technical detail matters if you are choosing between the natural pool and the facility’s other themed baths. The carbonated pool, jet baths and ceramic tubs are separate features; they do not all contain the same spring water.
Admission and opening hours
| Adult admission | Bathing | Bedrock bath add-on | Both |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | ¥800 | +¥800 | ¥1,600 |
| Weekend / Japanese public holiday | ¥1,000 | +¥1,000 | ¥2,000 |
The complex opens at 8 am and normally closes at 1 am, with last admission at midnight. On Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays, it stays open until 2 am, with last admission at 1 am. The regular closure is the second Wednesday of each month. The bedrock-bath area is optional, so a short soak does not require paying for the extra section.
Inside the bathing area
The facility lists ten bath types, including outdoor baths, carbonated water, pot baths and electric baths, plus dry and salt saunas. Bath arrangements vary between the men’s and women’s sides. The second-floor bedrock-bath section is a separate low-temperature heated-stone area with several themed rooms; allow extra time if you plan to use it, rather than treating it as a small add-on between trains.
There is also a soba restaurant in the building, listed from 11 am to 11 pm. That makes a longer stop easier to plan without leaving for a meal, though the restaurant’s closing time does not extend the bath’s last-entry time.
Getting there and facility rules
The address is 1-2-8 Minamitamiya. The stop called Nakayoshino-cho 4-chome is about a three-minute walk away; the operator also lists parking on site. This is reachable without a car, but it is not directly beside Tokushima Station. If the bath is a fixed stop on a tight city itinerary, check the bus back as carefully as the bus out.
The bathing rules exclude people with tattoos, including tattoo stickers. Children aged seven and older cannot bathe mixed-gender with a parent; visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. These restrictions are worth checking before making the trip with family or a tattooed traveller.
For other natural springs around town, compare four Tokushima City baths. The sento and city bathing guide separates traditional neighborhood baths from facilities with published natural-spring data.
