Illustration of the Kyusuikei gorge in early summer, a white suspension bridge high over a green river and waterfall, with the Kuju peaks beyond

Oita · about 3 h from Hakata · Onsen towns

Tattoo friendly onsen in Kuju and Nagayu

The Kuju highlands, between Yufuin and Aso, are scattered with small hot spring villages, and their custom is the bath you lock. In Sujiyu, Hanashinobu, Furusato, Yamatsubaki and Shugetsu have no shared bath at all, and Kiyasuya gives every room its own open-air tub. Down at Hosenji and Kabeyu the inns keep private baths by the river, and out on the plateau whole cottages at Flugel, Spa Greenness and Kuoritei come with their own spring. Nagayu, on the far side, is famous for its fizzing carbonated water, and its bathhouses rent it by the hour in family baths.

38 properties

Private onsen and baths in Kuju and Nagayu

Tattoos are fine in a private onsen, whether a bath you reserve or one in your room. The communal baths are restricted, or the policy is unconfirmed. What this means

Nagayu Onsen, on the bank of the Serikawa river in the middle of the bath town Ryokan (15 rooms in two buildings; two family baths, and free entry to its outside bath Ramune Onsenkan) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Daimaru Ryokan

大丸旅館

Daimaru Ryokan publishes no tattoo rule. It keeps two family baths that a party has to itself, so a tattooed guest can bathe without using the shared halls.

Best for: a river-view room and a small cedar-walled family bath of carbonated spring water

Two family baths, one of them Midori-no-yu, a tearoom-sized bath facing the river. The inn does not say how staying guests book them. Day visitors 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.: ¥500 for the large bath, ¥1,500 an hour for a family bath. Staying guests also bathe free at Ramune Onsenkan, the inn’s outside bath about 300 m away, which has three family baths of its own. The inn offers station pickup if booked ahead but does not name the station.

Daimaru Ryokan tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, at the west end of the bath town, just over a bridge from the main road Day-use hot spring (three family baths, first come first served) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Ramune Onsenkan

ラムネ温泉館

Ramune Onsenkan publishes no tattoo rule. It rents three family baths by the hour on the day, each with the same hot and cool carbonated tubs as the main bath, so a tattooed bather can have one alone.

Best for: an hour alone in the 32°C bubbling spring Nagayu is known for

Family baths ¥3,000 an hour per room, no phone bookings, first come first served; on busy days a numbered ticket is left at the entrance from 7:30 a.m. Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed the first Wednesday of the month (the second Wednesday in January and May). Large bath ¥800 for adults. The family baths have a shower and shampoo; the large bath has none. Guests of Daimaru Ryokan bathe free.

Ramune Onsenkan tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Nagayu Onsen, on the Serikawa river in the middle of the bath town Ryokan (6 rooms; all three baths are family baths) ★★☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Marucho Ryokan

丸長旅館

Marucho Ryokan publishes no tattoo rule, and it needs none: every bath in the inn is a family bath taken by one party at a time. There is no shared bath to be turned away from.

Best for: a small inn where every bath is private and every meal is served in a room of your own

Three family baths and no shared bath. The water runs free-flowing; the inn heats it in winter to keep the temperature right. Meals are served in private dining rooms. No pickup service. Check-in 3 to 5:30 p.m., check-out by 10 a.m. The whole inn is non-smoking.

Marucho Ryokan tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, on the main road at the west side of the bath town, beside its own bathhouse Yunohana Inn with a day-use bathhouse (two private baths by the hour; two rooms with a cypress open-air tub, closed in winter) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Nagayu Onsen Kajikaan

長湯温泉かじか庵

Kajikaan publishes no tattoo rule. Its bathhouse rents two private baths by the hour, at half price for staying guests, and two of its rooms have their own cypress open-air tub from April to October, so a tattooed guest can bathe without using the shared halls.

Best for: self-service steam saunas, a private carbonated bath for an hour, and a meal at the restaurant next door

Private baths Uguisu and Momiji, ¥2,000 per room per hour, no phone bookings; staying guests get one private bath or one bedrock-bath session at half price, from check-in to 11 p.m. (last entry 10 p.m.), not the next morning. Rooms Fuji and Tsutsuji have a cypress open-air tub for one or two and close from November 1 to March 31, when the spring runs too cool. The whole place closes on Tuesdays (open on holidays). Day-use hours 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., last entry 10 p.m.

Nagayu Onsen Kajikaan tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, on the Kutami hill above the Nagayu dam lake, north of the bath town Ryokan of detached houses (five private baths free to staying guests; five houses with their own open-air tub) ★★★★☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Shukubo Kawasemi no Sho, The Kingfisher Resort

宿房翡翠之庄

The Kingfisher Resort publishes no tattoo rule. Its five private baths, two open-air and three indoor, are free to staying guests whenever the key is on the board, and five of its houses have their own open-air tub, so a tattooed guest never needs the shared baths.

Best for: a thatched compound of timber houses with private open-air baths free all night

Private open-air baths Tsuki and Kaze, each with a steam sauna (3:30 to 11 p.m.), open to staying guests from 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 a.m.; private indoor baths Kangetsu, Kogen and Shogetsu. All five are free and taken by key from a box at the front desk. Of the five houses with an open-air tub, only Kibe-no-mune runs hot spring water; the inn says the others are natural spring water heated, not onsen, and not filtered. Check-in 3:30 p.m., check-out 10:30 a.m.

Shukubo Kawasemi no Sho, The Kingfisher Resort tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, on the upper Serikawa river, about 15 minutes on foot west of Ramune Onsenkan Day-use hot spring with a small inn (8 rooms; three family baths with indoor, cold and open-air tubs) ★☆☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Bansho no Yu, Nagayu Historic Hot Spring Hall

万象の湯長湯歴史温泉伝承館

Bansho no Yu publishes no tattoo rule. It rents three family baths for 50 minutes at a time, each with its own indoor tub, bubbling cold tub and open-air tub, so a tattooed bather can take the whole circuit alone.

Best for: working through the warm, open-air and bubbling cold tubs in a family bath of your own

Family baths from ¥2,400 for 50 minutes per room; the page does not say whether they can be booked ahead. Bath hours 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., last entry 8 p.m. Large bath ¥600 for adults. Eight rooms: six-mat Japanese rooms for two, two single Western rooms, and a 20-mat group room with shared toilets. Bath towels and combs cost extra. No credit cards. Curfew 10 p.m. The restaurant closes on Thursdays.

Bansho no Yu, Nagayu Historic Hot Spring Hall tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, in woods a little outside the bath town, northwest of the center Ryokan (7 rooms; a family bath for staying guests only) ★☆☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Oyado Yukimiso

御宿友喜美荘

Yukimiso publishes no tattoo rule. It keeps a family bath that only staying guests may use, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately instead of in the men’s or women’s bath.

Best for: a quiet garden inn with its own spring, a guests-only family bath and pickup from the Nagayu bus garage

The family bath is for staying guests only; the page does not give hours, a fee or how it is booked, and its text repeats the men’s and women’s bath description. Shared baths 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Day visitors 2 to 8 p.m., ¥600 for adults, shared baths only; the inn closes on irregular days, so call first. The inn picks up at the Nagayu bus garage stop. Check-in from 3 p.m., check-out by 10 a.m.

Oyado Yukimiso tattoo policy → See details and book

Nagayu Onsen, on the Serikawa river in the middle of the bath town Day-use public bathhouse (four family baths) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Nagayu Onsen Gozen-yu

長湯温泉療養文化館御前湯

Gozen-yu publishes no tattoo rule; its bathing manners page asks only for washing first and quiet. It rents four family baths for 50 minutes at a time, so a tattooed bather can use one alone instead of the two large baths.

Best for: a family bath in Nagayu's landmark bathhouse, with water you can drink from every spout

Four family baths, ¥2,400 for 50 minutes, up to four people: a roofed half-open-air bath, two Japanese-style baths (one wheelchair accessible, with handrails) and a Western-style stone bath, each with a shower and soap. The page does not say whether they can be booked ahead. Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., last entry 8 p.m.; closed the third Wednesday of the month. Admission ¥700 for adults from outside Taketa. The family baths reopened on September 19, 2026 after repairs.

Nagayu Onsen Gozen-yu tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Kayagi, Kuju-machi, on the Serikawa river about 3 km upstream of the Nagayu bath town Day-use hot spring (eight private bath rooms, each with an indoor and an outdoor tub) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Yuya Amane

湯屋天音

Yuya Amane publishes no tattoo rule. Eight of its baths are fully private rooms rented by the time slot, each with its own indoor and outdoor tub and parking by the door, so a tattooed bather never passes through the shared bath.

Best for: a private room of rock or cypress tubs you can drive right up to, open until 11 p.m.

Eight private bath rooms: ¥1,500 for 45 minutes, ¥1,800 for 60 or ¥2,500 for 90, per room. No phone bookings. Open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., last entry 10 p.m.; closed Tuesdays and some other days. Shared bath ¥500 for adults. Towels and bath towels ¥200 each.

Yuya Amane tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Tonoue, on the highest ground above the Nagayu bath town, east of the center Day-use private baths (five family bath rooms, no shared bath) with a cafe and campground Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Josei Tenku no Mori, Spa Ku

常聖天空の杜 Spa Kū「空」

Tenku no Mori publishes no tattoo rule. Its Spa Ku has only private family bath rooms, five in all, each with an indoor tub and a tiered open-air tub, so every booking is a bath of your own.

Best for: a timber bath room with a mountain view, booked ahead online or taken at the door

Rooms Suzu and Semi ¥2,500 (indoor tub and tiered open-air tub); Hoshi, Kasumi and Midori ¥3,000 (adding a steam sauna and a cold tub). One hour per room, including about 10 minutes to walk to and from the desk; each extra 20 minutes ¥1,000, ¥500 off the extension on weekdays. Desk in the log house Guild; no phone or email bookings, first come on the day, or book ahead online through Jalan Asobi. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., last entry 4 p.m.; hours change with the season and the source. Towel ¥300, bath towel ¥600; dryer, shampoo, conditioner and soap supplied.

Josei Tenku no Mori, Spa Ku tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Nagano, in rice fields about 2.5 km southwest of the Nagayu bath town Day-use public bathhouse (four family bath buildings) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Hito Nagano-yu

秘湯ながの湯

Nagano-yu publishes no tattoo rule. It has four family bath buildings at ¥1,000 for 50 minutes, so a tattooed bather can take one alone.

Best for: the cheapest private soak around Nagayu, in a farm-country bathhouse open until midnight

Family baths ¥1,000 for 50 minutes; the operator does not say how they are booked. Shared bath ¥200 for adults, ¥100 for children of elementary school age and under. Open 6 a.m. to midnight, closed 9 a.m. to noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for cleaning. A campground shares the site.

Hito Nagano-yu tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Nagayu Onsen, on the main road at the west side of the bath town Spa resort with cottages (twin cottages with their own indoor bath of heated tap water) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Kur Park Nagayu

クアパーク長湯

Kur Park Nagayu publishes no tattoo rule. Its twin cottages each have their own indoor bath behind a screen, so a tattooed guest can bathe in the room; the tub is ordinary heated water with bicarbonate tablets, not the spring.

Best for: a timber cottage by a Shigeru Ban spa, with a big-windowed bath of your own

The cottage bath is not hot spring water: the resort supplies HOTTAB bicarbonate tablets, developed with Taketa city to imitate Nagayu water, and no shampoo or body soap. Twin and loft-twin cottages (28 m2) have the bath; single rooms (14 m2) have a shower only. The swimsuit zone of the spa building is mixed, and swimsuits are lent free to staying guests. Spa hours: swimsuit zone 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., indoor baths 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; day admission ¥800.

Kur Park Nagayu tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, next to the Yakushi-yu public bath in the middle of the village Ryokan (8 rooms; four baths, all private and free) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Shukubo Hanashinobu

宿房花しのぶ

Hanashinobu publishes no tattoo rule, and it has no shared bath of its own: all four of its baths, three indoor family baths and an open-air bath in an old storehouse, are taken privately and free. The village public baths next door are another matter.

Best for: adults who want every bath in the inn to themselves, free, in a village of public baths

Four private baths, all free: three indoor family baths in the bath building and an open-air bath made from a detached storehouse. Hours 3 to 11 p.m. and from 6 a.m. Staying guests also get one free entry to the Utase public bath and free use of the Iwan-yu and Yakushi-yu public baths, which are shared. No children of elementary school age or younger. Check-in 3 to 6 p.m., check-out 10 a.m. Cash or card.

Shukubo Hanashinobu tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, in woodland just off the road above the village Ryokan of detached houses (10 rooms, each with its own open-air spring bath; four private baths free to guests) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Yamaai no Yado Kiyasuya

山あいの宿喜安屋

Kiyasuya publishes no tattoo rule. Every one of its ten detached rooms has its own open-air bath of the spring, and staying guests also have two private open-air baths and two family baths free, so a tattooed guest has no reason to use the shared baths.

Best for: a detached farmhouse-style room with its own open-air tub, in woods at 1,000 meters

All ten rooms are detached and have an open-air bath; the inn does not take requests for a particular room. Private open-air baths Fuku-no-yu and Ko-no-yu across a small road: free, 3 to 10 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Family baths Momiji (cypress) and Tsukushi (stone): free, 3 to 11 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Day bathing is suspended. Paths to the rooms have steps. No pets. Member of the Association of Japanese Secluded Hot Spring Inns.

Yamaai no Yado Kiyasuya tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, a little above the village center, about 10 minutes on foot from the bus stop Ryokan of detached houses (8 rooms, each with its own half-open-air spring bath; three private baths, all free) ★★★★☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Shugetsu

秀月

Shugetsu publishes no tattoo rule. Every one of its eight detached rooms has its own half-open-air bath of spring water, and the inn has turned its former large bath into a private bath too, so there is no shared bath at all.

Best for: a two-room detached suite with its own cypress or stone tub, and staff who keep out of your way

All eight rooms are detached Japanese-Western suites with a half-open-air bath of free-flowing spring water. Two private cut-stone baths, Shu-no-yu and Tsuki-no-yu, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., taken by key; the former large bath is also run as a private bath. All free. Some rooms are closed to children. Dinner at 6 p.m., breakfast at 8 a.m., in private dining rooms. The inn asks guests to bring their own toothbrush.

Shugetsu tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, on the cliff edge at the upper end of the village, by the Hizen-yu bus stop Ryokan in row-house cottages (8 rooms, 7 with their own bath; three baths taken privately) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Sanso Yamanoiro

山荘やまの彩

Yamanoiro publishes no tattoo rule. Seven of its eight rooms have their own bath of spring water, most of them open-air, and its three other baths are run as private family baths for staying guests, so a tattooed guest need not share a bath.

Best for: a cliff-edge cottage with an open-air tub of its own and dinner cooked over an irori hearth

Five rooms have an open-air bath, one a half-open-air cypress bath and one a half-open-air stone bath; Tsuwabuki has an indoor bath with a skylight; Kobushi has none. The spring is too hot to use as it comes, so the inn adds water. Shared baths: the large rock open-air bath Yamasowa-no-yu and the cypress half-open-air Saezuri-no-yu, run privately for staying guests until check-out; the small Hogure-yu is a private family bath until 10 a.m. Day visitors may hire a bath as a family bath at ¥800 a person on some days. Oyamarenge (twin) takes no infants.

Sanso Yamanoiro tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, on the stream in the middle of the village Ryokan (10 rooms, 2 with a half-open-air bath; four private family baths, free) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Ryokan Shirataki

旅館白滝

Shirataki publishes no tattoo rule. It keeps four family baths that guests take privately and free, two of them open around the clock, and two rooms with a roofed open-air bath of their own, so a tattooed guest can skip the men’s and women’s baths.

Best for: four free family baths, one with Sujiyu's famous falling-water bath, and a riverside room

Family baths Yasuragi-no-yu, Fureai-no-yu (with a falling-water shower), Miharashi-no-yu and Ikoi-no-yu: free, 5 a.m. to midnight, with Yasuragi and Miharashi open 24 hours. Bring a towel from the room or borrow one free at the desk. Two rooms have a roofed open-air bath over the stream, open 24 hours; the room baths cannot have meals served in the room. Dinner starts for everyone at 6 p.m.; check in by then. No pickup, except from a set spot when snow closes the road. Cards accepted.

Ryokan Shirataki tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, at the entrance to the village Ryokan (6 rooms; five detached baths, all private) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Ryokan Furusato

旅館ふるさと

Ryokan Furusato publishes no tattoo rule. It has no shared bath: all five of its baths, in separate little bath houses around the grounds, are private, so a tattooed guest bathes alone.

Best for: a family-run inn where you can work through five private baths, one cut from a 10-ton boulder

Five private baths in separate buildings, open 3 p.m. to 9:30 a.m.: a view open-air bath up the hill, a stone open-air bath, the cut-stone Kiri-ishi-no-yu, the boulder Maru-ishi-no-yu and the cypress Hinoki-no-yu. The view bath is a short walk from the main house, so take care at night. Meals in private dining rooms, though not always when the inn is full. Run by a family.

Ryokan Furusato tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, at the T-junction at the top of the village street Small inn (two parties a night; four private baths) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Tabi no Yado Yamatsubaki

旅の宿山椿

Yamatsubaki publishes no tattoo rule. It takes only two parties a night, and all four of its baths, two open-air and two indoor family baths, are taken privately and locked from inside, so a tattooed guest never shares one.

Best for: a whole floor to yourselves and four private baths shared with only one other party

Four private baths (two open-air, two indoor family baths), all free-flowing, 3 p.m. to 9:30 a.m.; lock the door from inside. The home page calls them open all night. Only two bookings a night across four rooms; the inn gives each party a floor. The open-air baths have handrails. Lay out your own futon in the second-floor Japanese rooms. No shops nearby. Bathing tax ¥150 a person.

Tabi no Yado Yamatsubaki tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, in a garden on the upper side of the village, about 10 minutes on foot from the Utase bath Ryokan (8 rooms and a detached house; four private baths open 24 hours) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Ryoso Komatsu Besso

旅荘小松別荘

Komatsu Besso publishes no tattoo rule. All four of its baths are private and can be taken at any hour, and one room and the detached house have a bath of their own, so a tattooed guest never shares a tub here.

Best for: a garden inn with four private rock and stone baths you can take at any hour

Four private baths, all free-flowing and open 24 hours: two rock baths and two cut-stone baths. The room Yukiyanagi, on the ground floor of the main building, has a half-open-air stone bath; the detached house Settakean, let to one party a day, has its own stone bath and serves dinner in the house. The hearth room is open to two parties a night. Check-in 3 to 6 p.m., check-out by 10 a.m.

Ryoso Komatsu Besso tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, on the stream in the Komatsu district at the south end of the village Ryokan-style hotel (11 rooms; seven private baths) ★★☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Kokonoe Iyashi no Sato Hotel Daikogen

九重いやしの里ホテル大高原

Hotel Daikogen publishes no tattoo rule. Besides its men’s and women’s baths it has seven private baths, from riverside open-air pools to two cave baths, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately all evening.

Best for: seven different private baths in one stay, including a cave bath with Sujiyu's falling water

Seven private baths: riverside open-air Hotaru-yu and Momiji-yu, half-open-air Hinoki-buro and Waita-no-yu, the indoor barrel bath Taru-buro, and the cave baths Iwakagami (with a falling-water shower) and Yamaboshi (with a lie-down bath). Hours 3 to 11 p.m. and from 6 a.m.; the open-air baths close at 10 p.m. The page does not say whether they cost extra or how they are taken. Cash only. Day bathing on request.

Kokonoe Iyashi no Sato Hotel Daikogen tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, in the middle of the village beside the public baths Ryokan (29 rooms; three private baths) ★★☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Meisui no Yado Houjuya

名水の宿宝珠屋

Houjuya publishes no tattoo rule. It has three private baths, of cypress, rock and old storehouse stone, which staying guests take by the hour, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately instead of in the large baths or the mixed open-air bath.

Best for: a big old village inn whose three private baths are free late at night and in the morning

Private baths Hinoki-buro, Iwa-buro and Kuraishi-buro: staying guests pay ¥1,000 per room per hour from 3 to 9 p.m. and nothing at other times; day visitors ¥2,000 an hour from noon to 4 p.m. The inn also has a men’s and a women’s large bath, a mixed open-air bath, Ebisu-buro, and a women-only standing open-air bath. Baths may close for cleaning 10 a.m. to noon. Check in by 7 p.m., the last dinner time. The about page says cards are not taken; the booking-terms page says card or cash.

Meisui no Yado Houjuya tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, in a bamboo grove near the upper end of the village, beside the Hacchobaru View Hotel Ryokan (5 detached-style rooms, every one with its own spring bath) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Ryokan Nanakamado

旅館ななかまど

Nanakamado publishes no tattoo rule. Every one of its five rooms has its own bath of free-flowing spring water, open around the clock, so a tattooed guest bathes in the room.

Best for: five rooms, each with a stone tub of its own built from river stones from a different valley

All five rooms have their own spring bath, free-flowing 24 hours; Maizurugusa, the one Japanese-Western room with twin beds, has a half-open-air bath. You can ask for a particular room when booking. Staying guests may also use the large bath and open-air bath at the Hacchobaru View Hotel free, and get tokens for the village’s Utase bath, Yakushi-yu and Iwan-yu, which are shared.

Ryokan Nanakamado tattoo policy → See details and book

Sujiyu Onsen, Kokonoe, on high ground at the lower end of the village, two minutes on foot from the Utase bath Ryokan (14 rooms; private baths taken when free) ★★☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Asahiya Ryokan

朝日屋旅館

Asahiya publishes no tattoo rule. Some of its baths, among them an iron-pot goemon bath, are private baths that guests take whenever they are free, so a tattooed guest can bathe alone.

Best for: a family-run inn with a cave bath, a single-rock bath and an iron-pot bath to take privately

Baths: a view open-air bath, a cave open-air bath with a steam bath, a single-rock bath, a goemon bath (an iron-pot tub) and indoor baths. The private baths are used whenever they are free, with no booking; the operator labels the goemon bath as private but does not say which others are. Rooms are heated with hot spring heat in winter. Parking is above the inn; the village roads are narrow. Check-in 3 to 6:30 p.m., check-out by 10 a.m.

Asahiya Ryokan tattoo policy → See details and book

Hosenji Onsen, Kokonoe, on the Machida river in the middle of the spa Ryokan hotel (40 rooms, 3 with a half-open-air spring bath; two private open-air baths for staying guests) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Hosenji Kanko Hotel Yumotoya

宝泉寺観光ホテル湯本屋

Yumotoya publishes no tattoo rule. Staying guests can hire one of two private open-air baths for 50 minutes, the large Komakichi-no-yu or a smaller one for two or three, and three special rooms have their own half-open-air bath, so a tattooed guest can avoid the large baths.

Best for: a private open-air bath big enough for ten, or a special room with its own spring tub

Private open-air baths for staying guests only: Komakichi-no-yu, the large one, ¥2,000 for 50 minutes; the small one, ¥1,000 for 50 minutes. Booked at check-in; 3 to 9 p.m., last booking 8 p.m. Three special Japanese-modern rooms (10 to 14 mats plus a bedroom) have a half-open-air bath of free-flowing spring water. Large baths 3 p.m. to midnight and 6 to 9 a.m. Bring towels from the room. Curfew 11 p.m. Cards accepted. Wheelchairs on loan.

Hosenji Kanko Hotel Yumotoya tattoo policy → See details and book

Hosenji Onsen, Kokonoe, near the Ishibitsu-no-yu public bath in the spa village Ryokan (17 rooms; two family baths, one free 30-minute session per stay) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Hannari Oyado Ryusenkaku

はんなりおやど龍泉閣

Ryusenkaku publishes no tattoo rule. It has two family baths, a heart-shaped open-air one and a barrier-free cypress one, and gives each staying party one 30-minute session free by reservation, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately at least once.

Best for: a heart-shaped open-air family bath in the woods, booked free for half an hour

Family baths Kodakara-no-yu (open-air, heart-shaped) and Takara-no-yu (indoor cypress, barrier-free): one 30-minute session in either, free, by reservation. The garden open-air bath with a falling-water shower is men only 3 to 7 p.m. and women only 7 to 10 p.m. Stays are for two adults or more. Dinner in the room. Pickup under conditions; ask the inn. If arriving after 5 p.m., call.

Hannari Oyado Ryusenkaku tattoo policy → See details and book

Kabeyu Onsen, Kokonoe, on the Machida river below a rock overhang, upstream of Hosenji Ryokan (9 rooms; two private baths taken when free) ★★☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Kabeyu Tennen Dokutsu Onsen Ryokan Fukumotoya

壁湯天然洞窟温泉旅館福元屋

Fukumotoya publishes no tattoo rule. Its famous riverside cave bath is mixed and shared, but it also has two private baths, one of storehouse stone and one of stone the owner cut himself, which guests take whenever they are free.

Best for: a 39-degree river cave bath next door and two private stone baths to retreat to

Private baths Komoriku-no-yu (in the building, from old storehouse stone, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.) and Kiridashi-no-yu (in a separate building a short walk away, of stone the owner cut): no booking, take one when free. The cave bath on the river is mixed bathing, 39°C, open 24 hours; a hand-dug cave bath indoors is for women only. Some rooms share toilets. The owner pours free shochu (a distilled spirit) at night and coffee in the morning.

Kabeyu Tennen Dokutsu Onsen Ryokan Fukumotoya tattoo policy → See details and book

Kushino Onsen, Kokonoe, on the Machida river just upstream of Hosenji Onsen Ryokan of detached cottages (10 cottages, each with its own open-air spring bath; one private rock bath) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Hatago Sakura

旅籠彩くら

Hatago Sakura publishes no tattoo rule for guests and has no shared bath: every one of its ten cottages has its own open-air bath of free-flowing spring water, and its one other bath, a rock open-air bath, is reserved privately and free for staying guests.

Best for: a detached riverside cottage with its own cypress or stone open-air tub, and room for a dog

All ten cottages have an open-air bath of free-flowing spring water, cypress or stone, open 24 hours; Kanzan has a private hot spring pool instead. Five cottages take pets. The rock open-air bath is for staying guests only, booked in 50-minute slots, free, 3 p.m. to 10 a.m. No children aged 10 or under. Cars park beside the cottage. The inn closes on irregular days.

Hatago Sakura tattoo policy → See details and book

Hosenji Onsen, Kokonoe, at the quiet upper end of the spa by the river Ryokan (28 rooms; a reservable family bath) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Kinosato Yamanoyu

季の郷山の湯

Yamanoyu publishes no tattoo rule; its FAQ covers pets, meals and cards but not tattoos. It has a fully private family bath, booked when you reserve or at check-in and opened with your phone, so a tattooed guest can bathe alone.

Best for: a dog-friendly inn whose private family bath you can share with your dog

One family bath, fully private, by reservation: ask when booking or at the desk after check-in; it opens with the same phone key as your room. Dogs may bathe in it with you; they are not allowed in the large baths. The two large baths, a cave bath and a rock bath under paper parasols, swap sexes at 9 p.m. (closed 8:30 to 9 p.m.). All baths open 24 hours. Day bathing has ended. Card accepted.

Kinosato Yamanoyu tattoo policy → See details and book

Kanjigoku Onsen, Iida Highland, Kokonoe, at the foot of the Kuju range near Chojabaru Ryokan (12 rooms; three half-open-air family baths for staying guests) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Yama no Yado Kanjigoku Ryokan

山の宿寒の地獄旅館

Kanjigoku Ryokan publishes no tattoo rule. Its three half-open-air family baths, of cypress, rock and cut stone, are for staying guests and free to use whenever they are open, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately.

Best for: a 13-degree cold spring plunge in a swimsuit, then a private wood-heated bath

Three half-open-air family baths (cypress, rock, cut stone), staying guests only, free; each is sized for two adults. The hot baths are the same cold spring heated with firewood through a heat exchanger. The cold spring bath is mixed and taken in a swimsuit; in the off season it becomes a foot bath. Closed Wednesdays. The inn belongs to the Association of Japanese Secluded Hot Spring Inns.

Yama no Yado Kanjigoku Ryokan tattoo policy → See details and book

Kyusuikei gorge, Tano, Kokonoe, on Route 40 between the Kokonoe interchange and Chojabaru Ryokan with detached cottages (cottages with their own open-air bath; five family baths free to guests) ★☆☆☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Keikoku no Yado Nihiki no Oni

渓谷の宿二匹の鬼

Nihiki no Oni publishes no tattoo rule. Its detached cottages have their own open-air bath, and it has five family baths that staying guests use free around the clock, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately.

Best for: a gorge-side cottage with a rock open-air tub and free pickup from the station

Cottages Hanabessou (with a loft, wooden deck and rock open-air bath) and Yumeshizuka (in a Japanese garden, with its own open-air bath); the Katsura no Hide row rooms have two family baths beside them. Five family baths on site, free for staying guests and open 24 hours; day visitors may hire them until 3 p.m. Free pickup from JR Bungo-Nakamura or the Kokonoe IC highway bus stop if booked by the day before; none for arrivals after 5 p.m. Cards accepted.

Keikoku no Yado Nihiki no Oni tattoo policy → See details and book

Senomoto Highland, Kokonoe, on the Yamanami Highway near the Kumamoto border, three minutes on foot from the Sujiyu Onsen Iriguchi bus stop Inn of detached cottages (9 cottages, each with its own spring bath) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Spa Greenness

スパ・グリネス

Spa Greenness publishes no tattoo rule and has no shared bath: each of its nine detached cottages has its own open-air or half-open-air bath of free-flowing spring water.

Best for: a cottage with its own spring bath and a view of the five peaks of Aso, reachable by the Kyushu Odan bus

All nine cottages are detached and have a free-flowing spring bath: open-air with an indoor bath in the larger ones, half-open-air in the smaller Western rooms facing the Aso peaks. Two cottages, Ai and Akane, now also have a tent sauna. Dinner is taken at partner restaurants in the same small resort village, an Italian or a Japanese kaiseki (a multi-course Japanese meal). Day plans with lunch are offered except at peak times. The Kyushu Odan bus stop Sujiyu Onsen Iriguchi is three minutes on foot.

Spa Greenness tattoo policy → See details and book

Kyusuikei gorge, Tano, Kokonoe, beside its sister inn Nihiki no Oni Room-only inn (9 rooms, each with its own spring bath; family baths with rest rooms by the hour) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Hotaru to Zekkei no Yado Tsurezure

ホタルと絶景の宿つれづれ

Tsurezure publishes no tattoo rule. Every one of its nine rooms has its own bath of free-flowing spring water, four of them half-open-air, and day visitors can hire a family bath with a rest room by the hour, so a tattooed guest never needs the shared bath.

Best for: a cheap, room-only base in the gorge with a barrel tub of spring water on your own balcony

Nine rooms, all with a spring bath open at any hour: four six-mat rooms with a half-open-air bath (and an indoor bath), and five four-and-a-half-mat rooms with an indoor bath. Room only; bring food, as there are no shops or restaurants nearby; a microwave and coin laundry are at the desk. Rooms sleep two adults. Day visitors: family baths with a six-mat rest room ¥1,800 for 60 minutes or ¥2,500 for 90; with a four-and-a-half-mat rest room ¥1,500 or ¥2,100. Bath towels on loan at the desk. Room choice is not possible. Cards accepted.

Hotaru to Zekkei no Yado Tsurezure tattoo policy → See details and book

Chojabaru, Iida Highland, Kokonoe, beside the Tadewara wetland at about 1,000 meters Ryokan of detached cottages (8 cottages and an annex, each with its own spring bath) ★★★★☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Oita Kokonoe Kuoritei

大分九重久織亭

Kuoritei publishes no tattoo rule. Every cottage has its own half-open-air bath of free-flowing spring water, open 24 hours, so a tattooed guest can bathe in the room. Kuoritei guests may also use the baths at its sister lodge Toranoyu, but Toranoyu’s own page turns away tattooed bathers, so keep to the room bath.

Best for: a detached cottage with a spring bath on the Chojabaru wetland, with free pickup from Yufuin or Bungo-Nakamura

Eight detached cottages of 55 to 81 m2, all with a half-open-air bath of free-flowing spring water open 24 hours, and a 164 m2 annex with its own open-air bath. Guests may use the large baths and five family baths at the sister Lodge Toranoyu free, 3 p.m. to 10 a.m.; Toranoyu’s day-use page says people with tattoos may not use its baths. Free pickup from JR Yufuin or Bungo-Nakamura by phone reservation. Nearest convenience store about 40 minutes by car. Check-in 3 p.m., check-out 11 a.m.

Oita Kokonoe Kuoritei tattoo policy → See details and book

Kuju Highland, Kuju-machi, Taketa, in the Tsuno district east of Kuju Flower Park Resort of detached cottages (10 cottages, each with an open-air and an indoor spring bath) ★★★★☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Flugel Kuju

フリューゲル久住

Flugel Kuju publishes no tattoo rule and has no shared bath: every one of its ten detached cottages has its own open-air bath and indoor bath of free-flowing spring water, open 24 hours.

Best for: a family-sized cottage with two spring baths of its own on a 40,000 square meter highland estate

Ten detached cottages of 60 m2 for one to four, each with an open-air bath on the terrace and a big stone indoor bath, both free-flowing spring water, 24 hours; each bath is built differently. Starlight rooms stand farther apart for stargazing and have a record player. Step-light layout, a ramp at the door and parking by each cottage. Free drinks in the room fridge. Check-in 3 to 6 p.m., check-out 11 a.m. Snow tires needed in winter.

Flugel Kuju tattoo policy → See details and book

Kuju Highland, Ariuji, Kuju-machi, Taketa, at about 865 meters below the Kuju range Resort hotel (rooms with a hot spring open-air bath; a private open-air bath) ★★★★☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Resonate Club Kuju

レゾネイトクラブくじゅう

Resonate Club Kuju publishes no tattoo rule. It has Japanese-Western rooms with their own hot spring open-air bath and a private open-air bath, so a tattooed guest can bathe without using the large bath.

Best for: a highland resort with its own spring open-air tub in the room and a shuttle from Yufuin

Room types with a bath: Japanese-Western rooms with their own hot spring open-air bath, and Western and Japanese-Western rooms with a view bath indoors (the operator does not say whether that one is spring water). A private open-air bath is listed on the hot spring page; its fee, hours and booking are not published there. Six dog-friendly rooms. Day bathing ¥800 for adults. Shuttle bus from JR Yufuin. Check-in is from 3 p.m. and check-out by 11 a.m.

Resonate Club Kuju tattoo policy → See details and book

Kuju Highland, Shirani, Kuju-machi, Taketa, on the grassland south of the Kuju range Highland hotel and campground (a family bath with an open-air and an indoor tub) ★★★☆☆ Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Kuju Kogen Cottage

久住高原コテージ

Kuju Kogen Cottage publishes no tattoo rule. It rents a family bath, with its own open-air tub looking toward the Aso peaks and an indoor tub, for 50 minutes at a time, booked at the front desk, so a tattooed guest can bathe privately.

Best for: a family bath facing the five peaks of Aso, on a grassland plateau at a modest price

Family bath ¥2,000 for 50 minutes (¥1,600 for staying guests), with an open-air tub and an indoor tub; book at the front desk on arrival, no phone bookings. The large bath, Mantenbo Onsen, is open to day visitors 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (¥800) and to staying guests until midnight. The indoor tubs are free-flowing; the open-air tub runs partly recirculated, and chlorine is used as required. Rooms have showers, not tubs. Two accessible rooms near the baths.

Kuju Kogen Cottage tattoo policy → See details and book

Kuju Highland, Ariuji, Kuju-machi, Taketa, at the Pal Club farm complex Day-use hot spring (five family baths, first come first served) Bath layout confirmed, tattoo policy not published

Pal Club Daichi no Yu

パルクラブ大地乃湯

Daichi no Yu publishes no tattoo rule. Besides its men’s and women’s baths it has five family baths, one built for disabled bathers, taken on the day without booking, so a tattooed bather can use one alone.

Best for: a family bath of green-brown spring water on a farm, with Bungo beef udon noodles in the rest room

Five family baths, one for disabled bathers; no reservations, first come. The operator publishes its fees on Instagram, not on its page. Open March to November 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry 6 p.m.), December to February 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry 5 p.m.); closed Tuesdays except in August. Run by the social welfare corporation Hakuaikai.

Pal Club Daichi no Yu tattoo policy → See details and nearby hotels

Traveler’s note

Two hotels near Chojabaru refuse tattoos in writing and are not listed: Lodge Toranoyu, whose rule covers its family baths too, and Kuju Hossho Hotel. Kuoritei’s guests may use Toranoyu’s baths, so keep to your cottage tub there. Kur Park Nagayu’s cottage tubs and most room tubs at the Kingfisher Resort are heated water, not the spring; their private baths are the spring. The buses are few, so book the inn’s pickup where it offers one.

Getting there

Tickets for the ride in

Shinkansen tickets Seats between any two stations, booked by date.
JR Kyushu Rail Pass from ¥12,000 · 3, 5 or 7 consecutive days Worth it if Kuju is part of a longer Kyushu trip by train. It covers the Yufuin no Mori to Bungo-Mori and the local on to Bungo-Nakamura, or the Sakura and the Kyushu Odan limited express to Bungo-Taketa for Nagayu; the Kokonoe and Taketa buses and taxis are paid separately.
Japan Rail Pass from ¥53,000 · 7, 14 or 21 days For a trip that takes in several regions by Shinkansen and JR lines.

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Common questions

Kuju and Nagayu questions

Can I use a shared bath in Kuju or Nagayu with a tattoo?

No place here publishes a rule that lets a tattoo into a shared bath, and two hotels near Chojabaru refuse in writing. Every listing on this page is for a bath you have to yourself: a family bath, a private bath, or a room or cottage with its own tub.

Which inns have no shared bath at all?

In Sujiyu, Hanashinobu, Furusato and Yamatsubaki run every bath privately, and Shugetsu turned its large bath into a private one. Marucho in Nagayu does the same. Flugel Kuju, Spa Greenness, Kuoritei and Hatago Sakura give each cottage its own spring-fed open-air bath, and Tenku no Mori’s Spa Ku is private bath rooms only.

Where can I rent a family bath without staying?

In Nagayu, Gozen-yu rents four family baths, Ramune Onsenkan three, Bansho no Yu three with an indoor, cold and open-air tub each, and Nagano-yu four buildings at ¥1,000 for 50 minutes; Yuya Amane, 3 km upstream, rents eight private bath rooms. On the Kuju highland road, Daichi no Yu has five family baths taken on the day.

How do I get there from Hakata?

For Sujiyu, take the Yufuin no Mori to Bungo-Mori, about 1 hour 50 minutes, a local train to Bungo-Nakamura, and the Kokonoe community bus, about 50 minutes; Hosenji is an hourly bus of about 20 minutes from Bungo-Mori. For Nagayu, take the Sakura to Kumamoto and the Kyushu Odan limited express to Bungo-Taketa, then the Taketa city bus, about 45 minutes. The Kuju Kogen cottages are a taxi of about 30 minutes from Bungo-Taketa.

More places to bathe

Other guides

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