Miyakoyu-ZEZE: A Sunday-Morning Sento Near Zeze Station

On a Sunday in Otsu, Miyakoyu-ZEZE can fit neatly before the day’s sightseeing. Its early opening is the main scheduling advantage; the walk from JR Zeze Station is short, and sauna access costs extra. Saturdays and public holidays start in the afternoon.

The small bathhouse has four main bathing features: a jet bath, an electric bath, a sauna and a cold bath. Its signature water story belongs to the cold bath alone: the operator says it pumps groundwater from around 60 metres underground and uses it on a 100% flow-through basis. That does not make the hot baths a natural hot spring, and it is not a reason to label the whole facility “kakenagashi onsen.”

Opening hours: Sunday starts at 8 a.m.; other holidays do not

These are the regular hours listed for the Zeze bathhouse. A public holiday that falls on another day does not automatically mean an 8 a.m. opening; the early session is listed for Sundays. Special holiday periods can bring separate announcements, so check the latest notice if visiting around New Year, Golden Week or another busy period.

The Sunday opening is useful if you are staying in Kyoto or Otsu and want to bathe before sightseeing. On Saturdays, the doors do not open until 2 p.m. The nearest station is JR Zeze, and the short walk makes rail the straightforward option.

The current page lists eight parking spaces. The lot is small, so a space is not guaranteed at peak times.

Prices: keep the bath and sauna charges separate

The bathhouse lists shampoo, body wash and cotton swabs as complimentary. Its towel rental is a face towel; the listing does not specify a full bath-and-face-towel set, so bring your own if you need particular sizes. Currency equivalents use approximate September 2026 rates; your card or exchange-counter rate will differ.

The October 1 legal ceiling is not the bathhouse’s posted price

Shiga Prefecture’s regulated maximum changes on October 1, 2026. These are ceilings, not a confirmed new tariff for Miyakoyu-ZEZE. The operator’s current page does not clearly list child fares, so families should confirm them directly.

What the sauna and cold bath are actually like

The operator describes the dry sauna as 120°C and designed with the cold bath in mind. That is an unusually high set temperature for a small sento; it is best suited to people already comfortable with very hot sauna sessions. A posted setting is not a promise that every bench or moment will feel identical. If that heat is not for you, the regular bath admission still gives you the hot baths and cold bath without the sauna surcharge.

The cold bath is the more distinctive detail. Miyakoyu-ZEZE says its water comes from roughly 60 metres underground and continuously overflows. The source does not publish a fixed water temperature, so there is no reliable number to quote. Nor does the available information establish that this is a legally defined natural hot spring: groundwater describes where the water comes from, while “hot spring” has a separate meaning under Japan’s Hot Springs Act.

The bathing area also has an electric bath whose current alternates between pushing, kneading and tapping patterns about once a minute, plus a jet bath. The hot water is heated in a wood-fired boiler; the operator says it adds firewood roughly every 30 minutes to an hour while open. These details give the place a distinct working sento character, but the core offer remains small and practical rather than spa-like. There is no large relaxation lounge or broad menu of leisure facilities described on the official page.

Getting there, and who should choose another bath

Address: 3-12-21 Baba, Otsu, Shiga 520-0802. From JR Zeze Station, allow about three minutes on foot. The bathhouse lists eight parking spaces; if you are arriving on a weekend specifically for the sauna, a full lot could make the train the less stressful choice.

Miyakoyu-ZEZE makes sense for a low-cost local bath, a Sunday morning soak, or a sauna stop close to the Kyoto–Otsu rail corridor. It is a poor match if your priority is bathing in a verified natural hot spring, spending several hours at a large spa, or relying on a clearly stated tattoo policy. The current bathhouse page does not spell out tattoo admission rules; anyone for whom that affects the visit should contact the operator before travelling rather than assume either way.

For a wider look at the city’s bathhouses, compare the six Otsu sento and their differences or browse the Shiga sento overview. If a natural hot spring is essential, use the Shiga day-use onsen comparison instead.

Quick answers

Is Miyakoyu-ZEZE a natural hot spring?

The available information does not establish that it is. The operator describes groundwater for the cold bath and a wood-fired boiler for the hot water, but groundwater alone does not qualify a bath as a natural hot spring under Japan’s Hot Springs Act.

Does it open early on public holidays?

Its regular 8 a.m. opening is listed for Sundays. Saturdays and public holidays start at 2 p.m.; Thursday is the weekly closing day. Check notices for special holiday schedules.

How much is the sauna?

The sauna is a ¥110 add-on to adult admission. See the price table above for the combined total; confirm current rates with the bathhouse after the October 1, 2026 ceiling change.

Is there a published temperature for the cold bath?

No fixed temperature appears in the current page’s text. It describes the water source and flow-through setup instead.

Are tattoos allowed?

The current page does not give a clear tattoo policy. Contact the bathhouse directly if you need a definite answer.

Sources and verification

- [Miyakoyu-ZEZE official Zeze bathhouse page](https://miyakoyu.jp/pages/zeze) - [Miyakoyu-ZEZE official homepage](https://miyakoyu.jp/) - [Miyakoyu-ZEZE news and updates](https://miyakoyu.jp/blogs/news) - [Shiga Prefecture: regulated admission ceilings for public bathhouses](https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/ippan/kurashi/eiseiaigo/310832.html) - [Otsu City: public bathhouses in the city](https://www.city.otsu.lg.jp/b/i/ki/see/bs/7827.html) - [Approximate JPY/HKD exchange-rate history](https://www.valutafx.com/history/jpy-hkd-2026) - [Approximate JPY/TWD exchange-rate history](https://www.investing.com/currencies/jpy-twd-historical-data)

Verification date: September 30, 2026

Related guides

• Compare six active sento in Otsu
• Shiga sento and public bath guide
• Shiga day-use natural hot springs
• Tattoo policies at Shiga hot springs