Day-Use Onsen in Yunotsu: Motoyu, Yakushiyu and Saichi-no-Yu

Yunotsu has three day-use baths with very different schedules. Motoyu opens earliest, but Monday and Thursday visitors are limited to a short morning session. Yakushiyu is the most straightforward first visit, though it now closes every Tuesday. Saichi-no-Yu does not open until 5 p.m.; it is useful for a late soak and has a warmer-up bath with showers, but the published price is for a towel-and-toiletries set rather than a confirmed adult-only admission.

Motoyu: three temperatures, no shower

The spring-fed Senyakuto Yunotsu Onsen Motoyu is open daily except for its regular November closure on the third Monday. From March through November it opens 6 a.m.–8 p.m., with last entry at 7:30 p.m.; December through February, it closes an hour earlier. Adult entry is ¥500 and children aged one through elementary school pay ¥250.

One scheduling detail can change the whole visit: on Mondays and Thursdays, general admission is only available from 6 to 8 a.m. (last entry 7:30). After 8 a.m. the facility closes for cleaning, then opens for members with advance reservations. If a member cancels, the bathhouse may offer the vacant slot to the public for ¥1,000 including a towel, but that is not a dependable way to plan a visit.

The bath is known for its naturally rising spring water and three temperature ranges: about 38–40°C for first-timers, 43–44°C for the milder pool and 46–48°C for the hottest. Those are the current listed bath temperatures; the source itself is about 49.9–50°C. Start with the cooler pool rather than treating the hotter one as a challenge.

There are no showers and no complimentary toiletries. Bring what you need or buy a towel, soap or shampoo at the counter. Motoyu’s operator says the water flows straight from the source without added water, heating or circulation. If those details matter to you, its current spring information is more useful than an old analysis copied from another Yunotsu bath.

Yakushiyu: the historic bathhouse, closed Tuesdays

Yakushiyu is a compact historic bathhouse that suits a short visit around Yunotsu’s old streets.

Check the latest notice before travelling on a Tuesday.

Its analysis sheet gives more than a general spring label: source temperature 44.4°C, pH 6.3 at the site and 6.4 in the laboratory, and a sample date of December 14, 2021. The source is naturally emerging; its measured flow could not be determined. These are analysis values, not a claim that every point in the bathing pool stays at 44.4°C. For background, see our guides to reading onsen spring records and source versus bathing-water temperatures.

The published facility has a compact bath rather than a large spa layout. It suits a short soak around a walk through Yunotsu’s historic streets. Avoid assuming the old daily-opening information is still valid: Tuesday is now the regular closure.

Saichi-no-Yu: an evening bath close to the station

Kohama Onsen Saichi-no-Yu is an evening bath a short walk from JR Yunotsu Station. The Shimane tourism listing gives a hands-free set rate but no separate adult-only admission.

Saichi-no-Yu reopened in November 2024 after a boiler failure. Its source is from Kohama Onsen, not the same source as Motoyu or Yakushiyu. The spring is about 25.3°C and the bath is heated; the official tourism page also says water is added. It has showers, which makes it easier to wash properly than Motoyu. This is the natural option if you arrive too late for an afternoon bath elsewhere or prefer a less-hot soak, though it is not an early-morning stop.

Fit the bath to the day

If you arrive in the morning, Motoyu gives you the widest window on most days. On Monday or Thursday, reach it by 7:30 a.m. for the last entry; after that, choose another bath rather than assuming the public can use the member-reservation period. Yakushiyu starts at 9 a.m. when open, but a Tuesday visit now needs a different plan. For a late train arrival, Saichi-no-Yu is the only one of these three that opens in the evening.

Motoyu and Yakushiyu are both in the Yunotsu hot-spring area, but their facilities and water are not interchangeable. Saichi-no-Yu is near the station and uses the separate Kohama spring. If you are deciding between another Shimane hot-spring town and Yunotsu, our Tamatsukuri, Matsue and Izumo overnight route offers a different way to build the trip.

Sources

- Senyakuto Yunotsu Onsen Motoyu: [opening hours, fees, facilities and spring information](https://www.iwami.or.jp/syunotsu/index.html) - Yakushiyu: [2026 opening-time change](https://www.yunotsu.com/post-4275/), [Tuesday closing notice from September 8, 2026](https://www.yunotsu.com/post-4380/) and [spring analysis sheet](https://www.yunotsu.com/appeal/analysis.html) - Shimane Tourism Navigation: [Saichi-no-Yu hours, closing dates, listed set price, showers and access](https://www.kankou-shimane.com/destination/74930) and [source temperature and water characteristics](https://www.kankou-shimane.com/spa/detail/63_kohama)

Checked: September 27, 2026. Hours, maintenance and day-use admission can change; confirm with each bathhouse for your date.