Koujiro Onsen

Koujiro Onsen is a day-use hot spring in the Koujiro district of Himi, Toyama Prefecture, at the end of a narrow country road not far from Himi-minami IC. The spring was drilled to a depth of about 720 meters and began flowing on its own in 1950 (Showa 25), and the bathhouse occupies a building that used to be an inn.

The water is a sodium chloride strong salt spring with a source temperature of 45.4 degrees Celsius. It comes out clear and colorless, but the iron it contains oxidizes on contact with air, so the bath water turns reddish brown. It is a 100 percent free-flowing spring with no added water and no heating, and the salty water leaves the body warm long after the bath.

The admission fee is 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary school children. It is open from 12:00 to 19:30 and closes on irregular days, and parking is available for about 10 cars. Because the brown water hides the bottom of the tub, watch your footing as you get in and out.