Does Shikishimakan’s In-Room Bath Use Onsen Water?
Find out which Shikishimakan baths use natural spring water, whether its guest-room open-air tubs are onsen, and what private bathing costs.
The short answer for room shoppers
If the room itself must have a natural hot spring, Shikishimakan is not the right match. Its official room page lists premium twins, Japanese-Western suites and larger rooms with private open-air baths, but the inn’s hot-spring page does not include guest-room baths among its spring-water facilities. That page identifies the indoor cypress bath and four private baths as onsen, while the outdoor public pools use heated water. A current ANA accommodation listing describes the guest-room tubs as heated water, too.
That does not mean a room with an outdoor bath is pointless. It gives you a private place to soak without leaving your room. The difference is the water source: pay extra for privacy and convenience, not for a private natural spring.
You can still bathe privately in spring water
Shikishimakan has four private baths—Chiku, Kai, Gan and Tou. Overnight guests can use them free of charge, as often as they like, with no advance booking. Check the indicator lamp outside; when it shows the bath is vacant, enter and lock the door. The baths are first come, first served, so no particular time slot is guaranteed.
The official spring information lists all four private baths as onsen, along with the cypress indoor bath in the public bathing area. The source is Chikoin Onsen, classified as a low-tonicity, weakly alkaline cold mineral spring. If all you need is one private natural-spring soak, a standard room may be enough; you do not have to book an open-air-bath room to get that access.
The outdoor public baths are a different water system
The public bathing area has indoor and outdoor facilities, but the property does not classify them all the same way. Its spring summary lists the cypress indoor bath as onsen. The outdoor rock bath, cypress tub and reclining bath are listed as heated water, not spring water.
So the choice depends on what you mean by “open-air onsen.” For an outdoor private soak, look for one of the four private baths and check availability. For an in-room soak, the bath is private but not natural spring water. The public outdoor pools offer an outdoor setting, also with heated water.
The public bath is currently listed as open from 3 p.m. to 10 a.m.; the sauna closes from midnight to 5 a.m. The private baths are listed as open 24 hours. Confirm hours with the inn before travel, as operating conditions can change.
Which room should you book?
Choose a standard Double or Twin if you are comfortable using the shared facilities and are happy to check the private-bath lamps when you want a spring-water soak. Look at an open-air-bath room if you specifically want privacy and an in-room tub on your own schedule, or need the larger layout offered by some of those room types. Do not choose one on the assumption that its bath uses onsen water.
The property’s room page distinguishes buildings and room configurations, and not every room has a bath. Check the description for the exact room you are about to reserve; “bath included” and “onsen bath” are not interchangeable labels.
For another Kotohira inn where selected guest rooms are explicitly listed with private spring baths, see the Kotohira Kadan room guide. The broader Kotohira one-night itinerary compares Shikishimakan’s shared-bath access with Kadan and Kotosankaku.
