18 Soothing Tokyo Hot Springs that Accept Tattoos

by Lucy Dayman | TRAVEL

Visitors to Tokyo will surely want to sample one of Japan’s most luxurious natural treasures, the hot spring. Some international travelers have come up against an unexpected problem however: many hot spring resorts do not allow tattooed patrons to enjoy the baths.

Though it's a bit of a cultural hangover from years gone by, Japan still has a somewhat unsteady relationship with tattoos. Once a signifier of criminal connections, these days the tattoo is much more of a mainstream fashion statement; but that’s not to say that it’s completely accepted across the country. Typically hot spring resorts - onsen and sento – often do not allow patrons with tattoos as to avoid offending other bathers. But that’s changing, largely thanks to welcoming onsens like the ones you’ll fine below.

So if you’re wondering which onsens accept tattoos, here are our suggestions of 18 hot springs and baths near Tokyo that you can feel welcome to visit no matter how inked your skin is.

Our editors independently research and recommend the best products and destinations. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links at no additional cost to you.

1. Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan

If you’re looking for a little break form the manic energy of city life, then hop on a train and head straight to Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan in the lush surroundings of Gunma Prefecture. Here you can enjoy all the hospitality of a traditional ryokan stay (think elegantly crafted kaiseki dishes and classic Japanese style rooms) but with a more contemporary attitude. The ryokan has a number of private baths on offer, so if you’re worried about flashing your tattoos, this is a safe option. Beyond the baths, the hotel offer a number of cultural activities including pottery classes and nature walks.

Address: 3829 Shima, Nakanojo-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma (see map)

Website: kashiwaya.org or booking.com

Price: Depends on stay, check website plan list

Transport: 25 minutes by bus from Nakanjo Station

2. Hottarakashi

An ideal spot for a day trip, this onsen facility is home to incredible views of Mt. Fuji, and the Kofu basin, which you can soak up while soaking in the facility’s many hot spring baths. One of the most unique features of this onsen is that you can actually watch the sun rise over Mt. Fuji while you bathe. It’s a perfect place for the early risers, as most other Japanese onsens don’t open until late. The large open air public baths overlook the Yamanashi area, so if you’re visiting during the evening you’ll be treated to glittering light shows from the houses and cities below.

Address: 1669-18 Yatsubo, Yamanashi (see map)

Website: hottarakashi-onsen.com

Price: Adult ¥800, children ¥400

Transport: 10 minutes by taxi from Yamanashi station

3. Yamato no Yu

This tasteful and modern public bath takes the best elements from the traditional appreciation of onsen bathing and brings them into the contemporary day. Located not far from Narita airport it’s easy to access from basically anywhere in the city. There are indoor and outdoor facilities as well as saunas. It’s the architecture and interior design of this place that makes it so special. With rich wooden panelling, and glowing soft lighting the place makes you feel as though you’ve been whisked off to some peaceful remote Japanese retreat, when in fact you’re sitting in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. When you’re there, sample a fine Japanese wine from the onsen’s 70-strong selection. There are private rooms available as well, and an on-site sushi restaurant.

Address: 1630 Otake, Narita 286-0841, Chiba (see map)

Website: yamatonoyu.com

Price: Weekdays: ¥800, Weekends and holidays: ¥1,000. ¥2,800-8,500 for a private room

Transport: 10 minutes from Ajiki Station by taxi

4. Tenzan

One of Hakone's most highly recommended onsens,Tenzan onsen is just a 10-minute bus ride from Hakone Yumoto station, so it's very accessible for visitors, while still feeling like a secluded retreat. The facilities are surrounded by lush trees and creeping vines, making it feel like a secret hideout, worlds away from the super-charged energy of nearby Tokyo.

Be aware that while Tenzan will accept individual bathers with tattoos, they will not accept groups of inked people!

In terms of bath options, Tenzan is home to several onsen baths, each with its unique appeal. There's a multi-level bath, a bath that flows into a cave, and a cedar bath. But the most notable feature is the largest bath, which is also one of the hottest, so approach with caution!

Address: 208 Yumoto Chaya, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: tenzan.jp

Price: Adult ¥1,300, child ¥650

Transport: 10 minutes by bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station

5. The Ryokan Tokyo Yugawara

Located in the steamy town of Yugawara, not far from the scenic Fudotaki Falls is where you'll find The Ryokan Tokyo Yugawara. It's a stylish ryokan facility that infuses modern-day comforts with classic Japanese design. Think tatami rooms with sliding shoji paper doors and designer furnishings.

The Ryokan Tokyo Yugawara's baths are indoors, and they source their water from Yugawara onsen, which is a hot spring said to have some incredible healing properties. The owners of the baths claim the water can alleviate muscle back pain, gastrointestinal issues, high blood pressure, and sleep disorders, as well as many other ailments. With one foot in the past and another firmly in the future, the team at The Ryokan Tokyo Yugawara know tattoos are these days just a part of everyday life and have no issues accommodating inked folk.

Address: 742 Miyakami, Yugawara, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: theryokantokyo.com

Transport: 10 minute bus ride from the Yugawara Station Bus Rotary No. 2 bus stop, then a 10 minute walk from Fujikibashi bus stop.

6. Akazawa Higaeri Onsen

With 20-meter long, open-air baths serving up incredible views overlooking the Pacific ocean, Izu’s Akazawa Higaeri Onsen Kan is an onsen experience you surely won’t ever forget. This day-use onsen facility is a popular place for weekend adventurers looking to escape the city for some rest and relaxation by the beach.

The facility has an outdoor bath, as well as a selection of indoor baths that are open to the public. If you want a private bath, they also have a scenic private room with an open-air tub, TV, futon, and closet space big enough for six people. When you’re done, you can also head down to the on-site restaurant and enjoy some of Izu’s incredible fresh seafood.

Address: 163 -1, Akazawa, Ito, Shizuoka (see map)

Website: izuakazawa.jp

Price: ¥1,200 on weekdays, and ¥1,600 on weekends

Transport: 15 minute shuttle bus from Izukogen Station.

7. Takaban-no-Yu

Nestled in the charmingly suburban local of Gakugei-Daigaku, Takaban-no-Yu, aka Pokapoka Land, is a retro-style Tokyo onsen with progressive attitudes to tattoos. The bathrooms are located on the first and second floors of the facility. On the second floor of the facility, you’ll find a salt sauna as well as an outdoor bath that uses medicinal herbs cultivated from around the world.

Address: Takaban 2-2-1, Meguro, Tokyo (see map)

Website: takaban-yu.com

Price: Adult ¥470, child ¥180

Transport: 7 min walk from Gakugei University Station

8. Tsurunoyu Natural Black Hot Spring

Just a five-minute walk from Funabori Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line sits Tsurunoyu Natural Black Hot Spring, a locally loved onsen with soothing, but slightly mysterious black water. They also have clear water baths too, if that’s more your style. There’s also a small open-air bath and a wooden sauna for sweating out all the bad stuff. While it’s not the biggest or most luxurious on the list, if you’re after a relaxing soak in a laid back, welcoming environment, this is the place to go.

Address: Funabori 2-11-16, Edogawa, Tokyo (see map)

Website: tsurunoyu.tokyo

Price: Adult ¥460, child ¥180

Transport: 5 min walk from Funabori Station

9. Miyagiyu

Shinagawa’s Miyagiyu is a cozy onsen facility with easy accessibility and both indoor and outdoor baths. Miyagiyu is overflowing with super local and authentic ambiance, and while it’s more frequented by the regulars who live in Shinagawa, it’s very much open to everyone. On the first floor is where you’ll find the indoor baths, while the outdoor options are on the rooftop. It’s spacious, modern, and dotted with indoor plants but from any unnecessary added frills. If you’re on the hunt for somewhere to unwind close to the center of the city, Miyagiyu is a good choice.

Address: Nishishinagawa 2-2-18-11, Shinagawa, Tokyo (see map)

Website: miyagiyu.co.jp

Price: Adult ¥470, child ¥180

Transport: 5 min walk from Funabori Station

10. Hisamatsuyu

While it’s located in the more old-school neighborhood of Nerima-ku, there’s nothing dated about Hisamatsuyu. This hot spring boasts some incredibly stylish, modern design, with its sleek black wall and bath tiles, geometric projection-mapped rooftop, and minimalistic wood-paneled changing rooms and sauna.

The baths are filled with sodium monochloride-heavy water drawn from 1,500 meters underground. In terms of bath variety, you’ll find long indoor baths occupying a majority of the indoor bathing area, while there are more classic looking outdoor baths, perfect for soaking in on a crisp Tokyo evening.

Address: Sakuradai 4-32-15, Nerima, Tokyo (see map)

Website: hisamatsuyu.jp

Price: Adult ¥460, child ¥180

11. Togoshi Ginza Onsen

Another Shinagawa onsen, Togoshi Ginza, is a slick modern bathhouse, which in a previous life was known as Naka no Yu, a local bathhouse that was in service for 40 years before shutting down in 2006.

It’s modern and stylish, but you can still feel the history of the place, seemingly forever embedded into its art-adorned walls. The facilities include both onsen baths, as well as other tubs you’re more likely to see in traditional sento bathhouses, such as denki-buro, aka electrified baths. The biggest attraction of this place, however, is definitely the artwork by legendary sento artist Morio Nakajima. With ceiling-high murals and hanging pieces, it’s almost as much an art adventure as it is a bathing experience.

Address: Togoshi 2-1-6, Shinagawa, Tokyo (see map)

Website: togoshiginzaonsen.com

Price: Adult ¥460, child ¥180

12. Yudonburi Sakae-yu

The recently renovated Yudonburi Sakae-yu is another great example of a classic onsen bath re-purposed for the modern user. Positioned north of Sensoji, in a charming local area called Oku-Asakusa, Yudonburi Sakae-yu is a cute, all-purpose bathing facility with indoor and outdoor baths, a neburo (lie-down bath), and denki-buro (electric bath).

If you’re nervous about being the only foreigner in there, don’t be, a Yudonburi Sakae-yu is very popular with international guests, thanks to its position right in the heart of one of Tokyo’s most touristy areas, and its open tattoo-friendly policy.

Address: Nihonzutsumi 1-4-5, Taito, Tokyo (see map)

Website: sakaeyu.com

Price: Adult ¥460, child ¥180

13. Ofuro Cafe Utane

Ofuro Cafe Utane is the onsen, reinvented. This Saitama retreat combines cute modern cafe design and cozy bookshop ambiance with onsen facilities; there’s also accommodation available here too. Ofuro Cafe Utane has indoor and outdoor baths, as well as a whirlpool bath, which is said to promote blood circulation and cold water bath that’ll kick start the body! What makes this place such an attraction is the additional extras the facility offers, like massage treatments, nap rooms, and a cafe with a very impressive menu.

Address: Onaricho 4-179-3, Kita, Saitama (see map)

Website: ofurocafe-utatane.com

14. Yuryo, Hakone

The perfect spot for a Tokyo day escape, Yuryo is an onsen facility nestled in the lush surrounds of hot-spring-haven Hakone. Unlike many of the other options in the area, this place is strictly bath only, with no accommodation. So you don’t have to feel obliged to stay the night if you want to spend the day soaking.

In terms of public facilities, Yuryo has indoor baths, open-air baths, pottery baths, and saunas. While there are four different types of private baths to rent too, meaning that if you want to stay private, or you want to bathe with your opposite-sex partner, you have the option to do so.

Unfortunately, they no longer allow tattoos in public areas, so you’ll have to get a private room if necessary.

Address: 4 Tonosawa, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: hakoneyuryo.jp

Price: Adult ¥1,500, children ¥750

15. Gora Kadan Hakone

For the ultimate in relaxation, book a visit to Gora Kadan in Hakone. This elegant, modern but authentic ryokan, tucked right in the heart of Hakone National Park was the former retreat of the Imperial Family. It’s now public accommodation, with day visit facilities. If you’re mainly going just for the baths, consider booking a day trip experience, which includes a meal at the onsite kaiseki restaurant Kaiseki Kaidan, as well as access to the stunning private baths.

Address: 1300 Gora, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: gorakadan.com or booking.com

The next three baths are all part of the same company. They all have private facilities which are available to book on the weekdays. During weekends, the private facilities are first-come-first-serve.

Tattooed guests can’t use the public baths in these three places, but if you nab a private one, there’s no issue.

16. Manyo Machida

The Manyo in Machida is one of a larger group of onsen facilities. If you’re looking for a failsafe onsen accommodation combo, don’t look past Manyo. In terms of baths, there are plenty to choose from here, including a large main bath, open-air roten-buro, a slick stone bath, a hydrogen bath, and high-temperature sauna. It’s open to both staying and non-staying guests.

Tattoos are not allowed in public areas here, so you’ll have to keep them under wraps until you’re in the private bath. If you can cover your tattoo with a maximum of two stickers that they sell, they will permit you to use the public areas too.

Address: Tsuruma 7-3-1, Machida, Tokyo (see map)

Website: manyo.co.jp/machida

17. Manyo-Club Yokohama

Another in the Manyo family is Manyo-Club Yokohama, an ideal option for those looking to make a seaside weekend trip away, or just make the most of Tokyo’s neighboring city, Yokohama.

Manyo-Club Yokohama has open-air baths, a hinoki cypress bath, stone bath, and nano mist sauna as well as private bath rental too. The highlight, however, of this facility is the rooftop ashiyu footbath garden, where you can admire the scenic, open-air views of the glittering Minato Mirai skyline while you soak your feet.

As with the other Manyo Club, tattoos are for private baths only here.

Address: Shinko 2-7-1, Naka, Yokohama, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: manyo.co.jp/mm21

18. Tenseien

Tenseien is a hot spring resort which boasts a history that goes back 70 years, and some of the best onsen water around the Tokyo area. The baths you’ll find here take their water from the mineral-rich springs of Yumoto Onsen, which they pump into their 12 impressive fully-equipped private baths. It’s the only place in Hakone where facilities are open to visitors 23 hours a day, so you’re welcome to come and enjoy the soothing power any time of day in private luxury. Tattoos are not allowed in public areas, so you’ll need to get a private bath.

Address: 682 Yumoto, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, Kanagawa (see map)

Website: tenseien.co.jp

Which Tokyo hot spring have you enjoyed the most? Let us know in the comments below!