Jomon Natural Onsen Shiraku no Yu: Kawasaki’s Woodland-Style Hot Spring
See Shiraku no Yu’s high-salinity natural spring, weekday and weekend prices, sauna differences, entry restrictions and route from Yako Station.
Shiraku no Yu is an unusual day onsen for Kawasaki: the design leans toward stone, timber and a wooded retreat, while the spring itself is a concentrated sodium-chloride hot spring drawn from more than 1,300 metres underground. It is still a city facility, but it does not feel like a standard tiled sento.
The spring is the main distinction
Shiraku describes its water as a natural, 100-percent self-sourced spring. The mineral analysis lists 27,750 milligrams of dissolved components per kilogram, and classifies the spring as a high-salinity sodium-chloride hot spring. The facility calls it “fossil seawater,” referring to ancient seawater held underground and enriched by minerals from the surrounding rock and plant matter.
That high mineral content is more useful as a way to understand the water than as a promise of a health benefit. If you are comparing Kawasaki’s springs, Shiraku’s saline water is quite different from the dark alkaline spring at Chitose Onsen.
The bathing areas carry the same natural-material theme. The outdoor pools sit among andesite rocks and natural wood. Indoors, the men’s bath has a broad stone pool and a wooden column, while the women’s side includes a magatama-shaped bath and a reused miso barrel bath. Sauna facilities differ by side: the men’s area has a dry sauna; the women’s has a mist sauna. A facility notice in May 2026 said the lighting repair in the women’s sauna was complete.
Admission and practical restrictions
| Admission | Weekday | Weekend or holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, junior high and older | ¥1,170 | ¥1,400 |
| Child, age five and older | ¥730 | ¥950 |
| Face towel / bath towel | ¥150 / ¥210 | ¥150 / ¥210 |
| Towel set | ¥310 | ¥310 |
Children under five are not admitted. Neither are guests of any age who still wear diapers. Tattoos, tattoo-like stickers and intoxication are also grounds for refusal. Shampoo and body wash are provided; towels and indoor wear are rentals.
The facility is open from 10 a.m. to midnight, but bathing and changing areas close at 11:45 p.m. On the third Wednesday of each month, except August, opening moves to 3 p.m. Maintenance closures and special holiday rates can also apply, so check the current notice before travelling.
Access from Yako or Kawasaki Station
Yako Station on the JR Nambu Line is the most direct rail stop; the walk is about six minutes. From Kawasaki Station’s west exit, a bus to Tode Elementary School leaves a five-minute walk to the entrance. Drivers can use the free car park, which has 55 spaces, including one accessible space.
The facility’s atmosphere rewards a slower visit more than a rushed stop. If you want a fast soak near a station at a lower price, Chitose Onsen is a simpler option. Shiraku is the pick when the saline spring and the setting itself are the reason for going.
Sources
- [Shiraku no Yu: spring composition and facility background](https://www.shiraku.jp/about/) - [Shiraku no Yu: bath areas and sauna details](https://www.shiraku.jp/guide/) - [Shiraku no Yu: current admission, hours, rules and access](https://www.shiraku.jp/access/) - [Shiraku no Yu: May 2026 sauna repair notice](https://www.shiraku.jp/2026/05/02/%E5%A5%B3%E6%80%A7%E7%94%A8%E3%83%9F%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%82%B5%E3%82%A6%E3%83%8A%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%8D%E5%85%B7%E5%90%88%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%8D%E3%81%BE%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6/) - Image: [facility bath photograph](https://www.shiraku.jp/wp-content/themes/shirakunoyu/images/about_img01.jpg), Shiraku no Yu. - [Yako Station image](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JR_East_Yak%C5%8D_Station_building_in_Yokohama_City_Tsurumi_Ward,_Kanagawa_Pref_20240203.jpg), Wikimedia Commons. Checked: 2026-09-27Tags: Shiraku no Yu, Kawasaki onsen, fossil seawater, high-salinity hot spring, Jomon-style bathhouse
