Some weekends a city sento isn't enough. You want mountains outside the window, real spring water, and a train ride home where you fall asleep. Here are five day-use onsen within reach of Shinjuku or Ikebukuro, checked for the two things foreign residents ask about most: whether tattoos are allowed, and what you need to sort out before you leave.
Budget¥1,100–2,200 entry (as of Oct 2026), plus train
TimeHalf a day (Takao) to a full day (Hakone, Chichibu)
Best forAutumn weekends, visiting friends, a reset after a big week
StartShinjuku (Odakyu, Keio, JR) or Ikebukuro (Seibu)
Sort out the tattoo question first
It decides where you can go, so check it before you choose a train. Here's what each facility says on its own website:
- Allowed: Hakone Yuryo.
- Allowed with conditions: Tenzan in Hakone (one tattooed person at a time, covered up in the lounges).
- Not allowed: Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu and Seibu Chichibu's Matsuri no Yu (which also bans tattoo stickers and paint).
- Not stated: Okutama's Moegi no Yu. Call before you go (0428-82-7770).
If you have ink and you're travelling with friends who don't, Hakone Yuryo is the easy answer. Everyone can use the big baths together, or you can book a private one.
Hakone: the classic, done properly
The Odakyu Line runs from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, and both of these baths are a few minutes from there. Autumn weekends are Hakone's busy season, so an early train from Shinjuku makes the whole day easier.
1 Hakone Yuryo (Tonosawa)
One of the easiest baths in Hakone if you don't speak Japanese: it has an English website, and Odakyu's travel site lists English as a language spoken there. Tattoos are allowed. Besides the big open-air baths, there are 19 private open-air baths called Kaden, from ¥10,400 to ¥15,400 for 120 minutes. Book those ahead on weekends. Children under elementary school age can't use the main baths, so families with small kids need a private one anyway.
2 Tenzan Tohji-kyo (Okuyumoto)
The opposite of Yuryo in spirit, with house rules that favour quiet, independent visitors. It doesn't take reservations, groups larger than six adults, or tour groups, so come as a pair or a small group. It's cash only for most things and there's no ATM nearby, so get money at the station. A tattooed guest is welcome alone; if two or more people with tattoos are inside at the same time, they're asked to leave. Bring your own small towel or buy one at the desk for ¥200.
West Tokyo: no planning required
Both of these are inside Tokyo and reachable with your IC card. No pass and no reserved seats needed.
3 Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu
The bath at the bottom of Mt. Takao, a few steps from the ticket gates. Hike up in the morning, soak in the afternoon, and you're back in Shinjuku in under an hour on the Keio Line. The site has an English version with a clear manners guide. Tattoos are refused. Mid to late November is peak autumn-leaf season on Takao, so a weekday visit is the calmer choice.
4 Okutama Onsen Moegi no Yu
A hot spring in the Okutama valley, at the far end of the JR Ome Line. The trip out is long, so make it a day with a walk along the Tama River. Watch two things: winter hours start in December and cut an hour from closing time, and evening trains back are sparse. Check the last train before you get in the water.
Chichibu: the easy one from Ikebukuro
5 Seibu Chichibu Ekimae Onsen Matsuri no Yu
Step off Seibu's limited express from Ikebukuro and the bath is right there. The open-air area looks out at Mt. Buko, and there are private saunas you can reserve. It's also the easiest place on this list to pay: cards, Suica/PASMO and PayPay all work. Entry can't be reserved, even when it's busy. Tattoos aren't allowed, including stickers and paint. Prices go up on "special days," which include the Chichibu Night Festival period in early December.
Book these before you go
- Private baths at Hakone Yuryo if you want one on a weekend. Hakone Freepass holders get ¥600 off a 120-minute Kaden booking.
- Odakyu's EMot app sells a Hakone Yuryo ticket that includes a face and bath towel set at the normal entry price. Buy it before you arrive.
- Limited express seats on the Romancecar (Hakone) or Seibu's limited express (Chichibu) if you're going on a Saturday morning. They cost extra on top of any pass.
- Nothing for Takao, Okutama or Tenzan. Just turn up, with cash for Tenzan.
Stay safe
- Drink water before and after. Long hot soaks after a hike dehydrate you faster than you think.
- Skip the bath after drinking. Gokurakuyu bans alcohol in the bath and asks visibly drunk guests to leave.
- Check your last train home before you relax. Okutama and Chichibu have few late services.
Words that work
- 貸切風呂を予約できますか？ (kashikiri-buro o yoyaku dekimasu ka?) — Can I book a private bath?
- タトゥーが小さいですが、入れますか？ (tatuu ga chiisai desu ga, hairemasu ka?) — My tattoo is small. Can I go in?
- 帰りの最終電車は何時ですか？ (kaeri no saishuu densha wa nanji desu ka?) — What time is the last train back?
The best part of an onsen day trip is the train home: warm, quiet and half asleep. Pick the bath that fits your skin and your budget, and leave the hard planning to the people who book private baths.
— John Nanjo
Keep reading
- Day-Trip Onsen in Tokyo That Foreigners Can Easily Use (onsen inside the city)
- Cheap Day Trips From Tokyo by Train
- More bath guides: Sento & Onsen · All resident guides: Live in Tokyo
Sources: Odakyu – Hakone Yuryo, Hakone Navi – Hakone Yuryo, Hakone Navi – EMot onsen ticket, Hakone Navi – Tenzan, Tenzan Tohji-kyo, Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu, Okutama Onsen Moegi no Yu, Seibu Chichibu Matsuri no Yu
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