Manza Prince vs. Manza Kogen: Which Onsen Works Better for a Day Trip?
Compare Manza Prince and Manza Kogen for a day bath by hours, gender-separated or mixed pools, private-bath access and return transport.
Checked: September 27, 2026
The two hotels sit in the same remote onsen area and share the Ubayu spring, but their day-use visits feel different. Prince is easier to navigate if you want a conventional men’s or women’s bath with one optional shared pool. Kogen is the better match for trying several source waters in one visit, provided your group is comfortable with the mixed-bathing rules.
| Day-use detail | Manza Prince Hotel | Manza Kogen Hotel |
|---|---|---|
| Adult admission | ¥1,500 standard; ¥1,300 with the current online ticket | ¥1,700 standard; ¥1,500 with the current online ticket |
| Child admission, ages 6–11 | ¥750 standard; ¥650 online | ¥850 standard; ¥750 online |
| Day-use hours | 11 am–4 pm; last entry 3 pm | 11 am–6 pm; last entry 5 pm |
| Main bathing choice | Gender-separated indoor and outdoor pools, plus one shared outdoor pool | Eight outdoor pools using four source waters; seven are mixed and one is women-only |
| Private bath | Two private baths, ¥3,000 for 45 minutes, plus each visitor’s admission | No private bath in the Stone Garden outdoor area |
The official online tickets are listed for use from September 1 through November 22, 2026. Each ticket covers up to five people and must be shown at the front desk; the hotels may turn visitors away when busy. The day-use pages also warn that bathing may be unavailable on some dates. Check both the discount terms and operating notice again before travelling: these prices are a limited-period offer, not the standard tariff.
The two hotels share the Ubayu spring, whose source temperature is listed at roughly 76–80°C; that is not the temperature of the bath water. Prince describes it as an acidic, sulfur-bearing sulfate spring with a pH around 2.5 and says it should not be drunk.
Kogen also uses Daiku-yu, Ryusen no Yu and Tsumatori no Yu. The hotels’ 20 baths draw on the four sources, with a combined spring output of about 5.4 million litres per day. Water may be cooled or adjusted before bathing, so the source figure does not describe every pool’s temperature.
Choose Prince for a simpler bath layout
Manza Prince’s Komakusa no Yu has gender-separated outdoor and indoor bathing, plus one shared outdoor pool. The layout works well if you want a conventional bath and would rather skip the shared pool.
Regular swimwear is not permitted in the shared pool. Visitors must use the hotel’s designated bathing towel or a bath garment sold on site; men must also wear one in the adjoining outdoor area. Prince has two private baths, with sessions starting on the hour. Both towel rental and private bathing are additional to admission.
See the comparison table above for Prince’s day-use hours, admission and private-bath rate. Its shorter visit window makes it the less flexible choice if you are arriving late.
Choose Kogen for the four-source outdoor circuit
The Stone Garden at Manza Kogen has eight outdoor pools supplied by four springs: Ubayu, Daiku-yu, Ryusen no Yu and Tsumatori no Yu. Seven pools are mixed bathing and one is for women. The varied spring waters are the main reason to choose Kogen over a single-source soak.
Mixed bathing here is not swimsuit bathing. Guests use the designated towel or a bath garment sold on site. If anyone in your group would rather avoid a shared pool, note that the women-only pool is the only Stone Garden pool reserved for women.
See the comparison table above for Kogen’s hours and admission. The online ticket is a limited-date offer, and both hotels may restrict entry when busy. Standard towel costs are listed in the budget table below.
Budget for towels, private bathing and the onsen pass
| Extra item | Manza Prince | Manza Kogen |
|---|---|---|
| Face towel to buy | ¥110 | ¥110 |
| Bath towel to rent | ¥300 | ¥300 |
| Designated shared-pool towel | Required in specified areas; confirm rental at reception | ¥300 for day visitors |
| Private bath | ¥3,000 per 45 minutes; admission charged per guest | Not available in the Stone Garden |
These extras sit on top of the admission rates in the comparison table. Kogen’s designated shared-pool towel does not replace the ordinary bath-towel rental. At Prince, the private-bath rate covers the room, while each guest still pays admission; check availability before building the visit around a session.
The Manza Onsen Association’s multi-bath pass has its own pricing, separate from each hotel’s regular day ticket. On October 1, 2026, the day-visitor pass rises from ¥1,300 to ¥1,500, and each participating inn sets its own entry charge when the pass is used. If you only want one of these hotels, its own admission ticket is simpler; recalculate the pass only if you plan to visit more than one participating bath.
Both hotels say tattoo access may be restricted in some areas. The policy is not a blanket promise of admission, so contact the hotel about your specific situation and intended bath before travelling.
The bus timetable can decide the day
The nearest station is JR Manza-Kazawaguchi, followed by a seasonal Seibu Kanko Bus ride into Manza Onsen. The hot-spring association notes that bus times change with the season. Check the return trip before you go: Prince’s last entry is 3 pm, and even Kogen’s later closing time is not useful if the bus leaves first.
From Karuizawa, the public bus takes about 108 minutes in normal conditions. The hotels also run a free, reservation-only shuttle for overnight guests, but it is not a day-trip transfer. Driving is more flexible, though Manza has no petrol station and winter conditions can affect the mountain roads. If you are staying overnight instead, the Manza Prince Hotel stay guide covers the guest-bath schedule and hotel shuttle.
For nearby alternatives, compare the Shima Onsen day-trip guide and Kusatsu’s three public baths. Our guides to onsen source temperature versus bath temperature and how spring quality is assessed explain why source figures alone do not rank a soak.
