Kobayashi Bijin-no-Yu: Public Bath or Private Family Room?
Choose a ¥550 public bath with sauna and outdoor pool, or rent one of nine private family rooms by the hour. Compare layouts, group size and privacy.
Checked: September 27, 2026 At first glance, the family rooms may look like a more expensive version of the public bath. In practice, they solve different problems. The public side is an inexpensive full bathing circuit; the family side gives your group a private room, a fresh tub for each booking and several layouts, including an accessible option.
| Public bath | Private family rooms | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Adult ¥550; children aged 3 through elementary school ¥300 | One room for one hour: ¥1,700–¥2,200 on weekdays; ¥2,000–¥2,500 on weekends and holidays |
| Bathing | Shared men’s and women’s facilities; outdoor bath, walking bath, bubble and jet baths, sauna and cold bath | Nine fully private rooms in four layouts; two layouts include a garden or courtyard, two have a kettle-style outdoor bath, and one is accessible |
| Best for | Solo visits, sauna time and keeping the bill low | Couples, families, guests who need privacy or groups sharing the room fee |
| Important limits | No tattoos, including small ones | The family-bath page does not state a tattoo exception; ask before booking |
The public bath is the simple value choice
The public bath costs ¥550 per adult, opens from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and stops admitting guests at 8:30 p.m. The ticket includes more than the main bath: there is an outdoor bath, a walking pool, bubble and jet baths, a sauna and a cold bath. Shampoo, body wash and hair dryers are provided.
There is also an ¥800 adult day ticket for repeat visits. It only makes sense if you expect to leave and return during the day; for one ordinary soak, the single-entry ticket is cheaper. The operator posts monthly closure notices rather than relying on one fixed date. Its September 2026 notice lists the public bath closed on September 28, so check the current calendar before travelling.
Nine private rooms, four layouts
The family baths are in a separate building across the road. Each room has a toilet, air conditioning, table, chairs and television. The operator says all the bathwater is replaced between guests. Reservations are recommended, and the facility specifically asks guests to book weekend visits by the previous day; walk-ins can use a vacant room.
| Room style | Rooms | Weekday, 1 hour | Weekend/holiday, 1 hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard | 3 | ¥1,700 | ¥2,000 |
| Garden | 3 | ¥1,900 | ¥2,200 |
| Outdoor kettle bath | 2 | ¥2,200 | ¥2,500 |
| Accessible room | 1 | ¥1,900 | ¥2,200 |
Rates are per room, not per person. The base capacity is five; up to seven people may use a room, with a ¥300 charge for each person above five. For four adults, the least expensive courtyard room on a weekday works out to ¥425 per person. That can undercut four separate public-bath entries, though the comparison is really about privacy and room use rather than bath admission alone.
Weekday hours begin at 1 p.m.; weekend and holiday hours begin at noon. Both close at 10 p.m., with last reception at 9 p.m. The accessible room is a useful option for guests who need a more practical layout, but contact the property about specific mobility needs rather than assuming every access detail from the room label.
Choose the public bath for its mix of facilities and low entry price. Book a family room when you need privacy, want a particular layout, or can share the hourly room fee. For reservations, call the family-bath desk at 0984-22-1126.
Sources and image credits
- [Bijin-no-Yu public bath](https://bijinnoyu.tokiwa-kai.or.jp/info/s_bijin/) — hours, admission, facilities and tattoo rule. - [Bijin-no-Yu family baths](https://bijinnoyu.tokiwa-kai.or.jp/info/s_kazoku) — room layouts, rates, capacity, hours and the water-change policy. - [Operator’s monthly closure notices](https://bijinnoyu.tokiwa-kai.or.jp/news/820/). - [Kobayashi City: onsen facilities](https://www.city.kobayashi.lg.jp/soshikikarasagasu/keizaibushokankoka/kankojoho/6/1246.html). - Images retained from the original guide: [Nifty Onsen](https://onsen.nifty.com/kk_image/view/onsen/onsen-detail/onsen008799/0000131754.jpg), [Sauna Ikitai](https://img.sauna-ikitai.com/sauna/4147_20200223_114517_q1TLqcmFQ0_large.jpg), and [Bijin-no-Yu](https://bijinnoyu.tokiwa-kai.or.jp/wp-content/themes/bijin/images/subImage_kazoku.jpg).Tags: Miyazaki, Kobayashi, family bath, private onsen, day-use onsen
