Deyu, Murasugi or Imaita? Choosing a Day Bath in Gozu Onsenkyo

Gozu Onsenkyo sits in Agano, east of Niigata City. Its three small districts—Deyu, Murasugi and Imaita—share a mountain setting, but the day-bathing experience differs. Deyu’s new Kehoji no Yu is a modest public bath. Murasugi’s Yakushi no Yu is the budget communal-bath option. Imaita’s Yumotokan offers a ryokan setting, including an outdoor bath, at a higher admission price.

Prices and opening times can change. Use the linked facility pages and notices to confirm your date.

Pick by the kind of bath you want

Deyu: a newer public bath, without the resort extras

Kehoji no Yu replaced the older communal bath nearby in April 2026. The new building adds washing stations in both bathing areas. The tourism association describes it as a warm-water bath and lists an alkaline simple spring, but does not publish a new exact source or tub temperature. The old bath’s often-repeated 38°C figure should not be treated as a measurement of the replacement.

Choose Deyu if you want a straightforward bath and would rather not deal with the bare facilities of an older local bath. Do not expect a sauna or a full spa lineup.

Murasugi: the budget communal bath

Yakushi no Yu is the lowest-priced option here. Its appeal is its no-frills community-bath feel and its radium-spring identity. Schedules and closures can change, so check the current facility information before travelling.

The bath’s main tourism page still shows its former ¥250 price and an older schedule, so treat it as a description of the facility rather than the final word on current operations. The 2026 admission rose to ¥400 and the operator introduced a weekly closing day. Confirm both the day’s opening and tattoo policy directly before setting out; the available current pages do not make the tattoo rule clear enough to promise entry.

Imaita: pay more for the inn setting

Yumotokan is a ryokan, not a standalone public bath, and its day-use windows are split between daytime and evening. The inn may ask visitors to wait or turn them away when busy; it also closes on some dates. Call ahead if the bath is the point of your trip.

The extra ¥400 over Murasugi is best understood as a different setting, not proof that one spring is inherently “better.” Choose it when you want the inn atmosphere and outdoor bathing, rather than simply the cheapest soak.

Can you visit all three without a car?

Agano City’s Gozu Onsenkyo Line serves Suibara Station and stops at Deyu, Imaita and Murasugi. It also operates on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, but there are not many departures. The latest route page links the timetable; check both directions and the day’s service notes before building a multi-stop itinerary.

If the buses do not line up, pick one district and stay there. A taxi can help bridge the gaps, but do not assume a car will be waiting at each stop. Driving gives you more flexibility, though parking capacity is small at the individual bathhouses.

A quick way to decide

Choose Murasugi for a low-cost public bath if the tattoo rule is not an issue. Pick Deyu if the new washing areas matter and you want a simple, updated facility. Go to Imaita for a ryokan-style bath, but confirm day-use availability first. For all three, solve the return trip before you start soaking.

Sources

- [Agano Tourism Association: Kehoji no Yu](https://agano-spot.com/archives/2563) - [Murasugi Onsen: Yakushi no Yu](https://www.murasugionsen.jp/yakushinoyu/) - [Niigata Onsen News: January 2026 Yakushi no Yu price and closing-day change](https://ngt-onsennews.seesaa.net/index-5.html) - [Agano City: Yakushi no Yu facility information](https://www.city.agano.niigata.jp/soshiki/shobohombu/anzen_anshin/4/1/13/2120.html) - [Yumotokan: current notices, including the 2026 day-bath price change](https://www.gozu-yumotokan.com/news/) - [Yumotokan: day-use details and FAQ](https://www.gozu-yumotokan.com/faq/) - [Agano City: Gozu Onsenkyo bus routes and timetable](https://www.city.agano.niigata.jp/soshiki/somuka/1/2/2708.html)

Checked: September 27, 2026

Tags: Gozu Onsenkyo, Deyu Onsen, Murasugi Onsen, Imaita Onsen, Agano day trip, Niigata onsen comparison