Sainokawara Rotenburo in Kusatsu: Hours, What to Bring and Friday Bathing
Plan a visit to Kusatsu’s large Sainokawara outdoor bath: there are no washing stations, dryers or towel rentals, and Friday mixed bathing may vary.
This is an outdoor-bath stop, not a full-service bathing complex. If you arrive ready to soak and do not need to wash or dry your hair, its setting is the point. If you need a shower before getting on a long-distance bus, use another bath or your accommodation first.
Hours, admission and the walk
| Visit detail | Published terms |
|---|---|
| Adult admission | ¥800 |
| Child admission, age 3 through elementary school | ¥400 |
| Opening, April 1–November 30 | 7 a.m. |
| Opening, December 1–March 31 | 9 a.m. |
| Closing | 8 p.m. year-round; last entry 7:30 p.m. |
| Walk from Yubatake | About 12 minutes |
The combined bathing area is about 500 square metres: approximately 333.5 square metres for the men’s side and 166 square metres for the women’s. The water comes from Bandai spring, whose source temperature is around 94–95°C. That is the spring temperature, not the temperature of the bath.
Pack for the facilities it does not have
There are separate changing rooms and lockers, but no washing area, shower, rest area, restaurant or hair dryer. Towels are sold rather than rented: the official price list currently shows a face towel at ¥380 and a bath towel at ¥1,700. Bring your own if you prefer not to buy one.
That limited setup is easy to plan around. Wash at your hotel or another public bath, bring a towel, then use Sainokawara for the outdoor soak itself. The comparison of Kusatsu’s three public baths shows how it differs from Ohtakinoyu and Gozanoyu.
Friday’s mixed-bathing period is not all-day access
The facility lists a mixed-bathing period on Fridays, except on specified dates. From 5:30 to 8:00 pm, the men’s outdoor bath becomes mixed; last entry is 7:30 pm. The women’s outdoor bath remains open as usual. Women are asked to wear a rented bathing garment or their own swimsuit; men must wear the garment supplied by the facility during the mixed period. There are no children’s bathing garments, so bring swimwear for children.
This schedule can be affected by special-date exceptions and events. Check the facility’s mixed-bathing notice before planning around a Friday. Its cleaning notice also sets an early 5:00 pm close, last entry 4:30 pm, on the second Wednesday of the month. The currently posted 2026 dates after September 27 are October 14 and November 11.
Sources
- [Sainokawara Rotenburo: hours, prices and facilities](https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/guide/) - [Sainokawara Rotenburo: bathing FAQ and access](https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/faq/) - [Sainokawara Rotenburo: spring and bath information](https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/hot-spring/) - [Friday mixed-bathing rules and exceptions](https://onsen-kusatsu.com/sainokawara/mixed-bathing/) - [Current facility notices, including cleaning dates](https://onsen-kusatsu.com/news-cat/sainokawara/)Checked: September 27, 2026
Tags: Kusatsu Onsen, Sainokawara Rotenburo, outdoor bath, bathing guide, Friday mixed bathing
