Minatoyama Onsen

Minatoyama Onsen is a day-use bathhouse in Minatoyama-cho, Hyogo Ward, Kobe. Its spring is said to have flowed for more than 800 years, and the warrior Taira no Kiyomori is traditionally said to have come here to take the waters. The present bathhouse has operated since 1889, on a quiet hillside corner of the city.

The water is a sodium-calcium bicarbonate-chloride spring (hypotonic, neutral, low-temperature). The analysis report records pH 6.3 and a source temperature of 27.2 C at the spring, with about 564 mg/kg of free carbon dioxide. It is colorless and clear at the source and turns faintly yellowish-brown over time. Because the source is cool, the water is heated with firewood. It is a kakenagashi (free-flowing) bath with no recirculation; the tubs are drained and cleaned every night and refilled and heated every morning.

There are five baths, all using 100 percent source water: a cold plunge (26-29 C), a lukewarm bath (36-38 C), a jacuzzi (38-41 C), the main bath (41-43 C) and a hot bath (45-46 C). There is no open-air bath and no sauna. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap are provided and towels can be rented. The upstairs lounge Kissen (separate fee) has books and manga. Admission is 800 yen for adults (600 yen from 5:00 to 8:00), open 5:00-23:30 (last entry 23:00), closed on Wednesdays.