Saya-no-Yudokoro in Itabashi: A Tokyo Spring Bath Worth Giving Two Hours

Saya-no-Yudokoro works best when you have time to settle in. It is not a station-front bath for a quick wash: Shimura-sakaue Station is about an eight-minute walk away, and the garden, different baths and optional bedrock sauna reward a longer visit. For a focused soak, the ordinary ticket already covers the main spring bath and dry sauna; the bedrock area is an add-on for people staying several hours.

The source bath is different from the other outdoor pools

The bath called Gensen-buro uses the Itabashi Maeno spring. The facility describes it as natural hot-spring water, continuously source-fed, with no dilution or chemical treatment. It is heated to maintain a bathing temperature. The source temperature is 32.7°C, the listed flow rate is 27 litres per minute, and the spring is a high-salinity sodium-chloride type.

Other outdoor baths also use the natural spring, but are diluted to protect the resource and circulated through filters with chlorine-based disinfection. The indoor baths mainly use softened well water, including a high-concentration carbonated bath, jets, reclining and seated baths, and a cold plunge. The carbonated pool is a functional bath, not the natural spring.

This distinction matters more than calling the whole facility “flowing spring water.” If source flow is your priority, spend time in the Gensen-buro; the other pools offer variety rather than the same water treatment.

What the ordinary ticket includes

On busy dates, weekday visits may be charged at the weekend rate. The facility opens 9 a.m.–midnight, with last admission at 11 p.m.; occasional maintenance closures are possible.

The regular ticket covers the baths and dry sauna. Shampoo, conditioner and body wash are supplied. If you arrive without towels, a face-and-bath-towel set costs ¥380. The optional bedrock sauna costs ¥760 for guests aged 13 and over, with facility wear and a dedicated towel included. It is a separate area for a longer stay, not required for using the baths.

The herbal salt-steam sauna is currently on the women’s side only. The former men’s steam-sauna equipment has been permanently discontinued, so visitors should not expect two sauna types on both sides.

Private bath “Akari” is not a mixed-bathing shortcut

The garden’s reservable semi-open-air bath, Akari, costs ¥2,100 per hour. Reservations require a credit card on file. Despite being private, it does not override Itabashi’s mixed-bathing age rule: people aged seven and over of different sexes cannot bathe together, even if they are spouses or family members. The venue lists Akari as an exception for people who still use diapers, but check directly if that affects your booking.

Entry conditions to know before you travel

The tattoo exception is narrow: no more than two of the venue’s own 11 × 20 cm cover stickers, at ¥310 each, must fully cover the tattoo. Personal stickers are not a replacement. If coverage is uncertain, ask before travelling.

People wearing diapers or training pants cannot use the public changing area or baths; the reserved Akari bath is the stated exception. Children below elementary-school age need an adult with them, and the saunas and bedrock area are for guests aged 13 and over. Wheelchairs and canes cannot be taken into the bathing area for safety; assistance is needed between the changing area and baths.

Getting there and choosing how long to stay

From Exit A2 at Shimura-sakaue Station on the Toei Mita Line, walk about eight minutes. There is no free shuttle. Buses on route Aka 53 from Tokiwadai or Akabane can shorten the walk; the stop at Maenocho 4-chome is about a minute away. The facility has 74 parking spaces. Parking is free on weekdays; on weekends and holidays, the first five hours are free, then ¥100 per hour. Spaces can fill during busy periods.

An hour and a half is enough for washing, the source bath and one or two other pools, but leaves little room for the garden or a long break. Around two and a half to three hours is a more comfortable bath-and-sauna visit. Consider the bedrock sauna only if you plan to stay at least three hours and want to alternate heat, rest and bathing.

For ticket and location trade-offs against other large Tokyo facilities, see the Tokyo day-onsen comparison. Tattoo rules at other venues differ; the Tokyo tattoo guide compares four policies.

Sources

- [Saya-no-Yudokoro: English visitor information, admission and hours](https://www.sayanoyudokoro.co.jp/english-3/) - [Saya-no-Yudokoro: spring water, baths and Akari private bath](https://www.sayanoyudokoro.co.jp/hotspring/) - [Saya-no-Yudokoro: official tattoo-cover policy](https://www.sayanoyudokoro.co.jp/information/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%88%E3%82%A5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E5%88%BA%E9%9D%92%E3%81%8C%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B%E6%96%B9%E3%81%AE%E3%81%94%E5%85%A5%E9%A4%A8%E3%81%AB%E9%96%A2%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6/) - [Saya-no-Yudokoro: current access and parking](https://www.sayanoyudokoro.co.jp/access/) - [Saya-no-Yudokoro: 2026 service and facility notices](https://www.sayanoyudokoro.co.jp/information/?y=2026) Checked: 2026-09-27

Tags: Saya-no-Yudokoro, Itabashi onsen, Tokyo day-use hot spring, source-fed bath, Tokyo bedrock sauna