Yadoyunosato

湯泉地温泉やど湯の里ゆいずみちおんせんやどゆのさと

Lodging

Tosenji Onsen

Kansai·Nara

0746-63-0020 hitou.or.jp

Day Use

Bathing & Water

Natural onsen water

Uses natural hot spring water

Outdoor BathYes

Open-air outdoor bath

Indoor BathYes

Enclosed indoor bathing area

Capabilities

Room OnsenNo

Private onsen bath in guest rooms, for overnight guests only

Mixed BathingNo

Shared bathing area for all genders

Two indoor and two outdoor tubs implies the standard gender-separated layout; no mixed-bathing (混浴) mention anywhere in site or reviews.

Policies & Services

DiningNo

Restaurant or dining open to visitors (not just hotel meal plans)

Meals are served in private rooms for overnight guests only; no day-use bathing/dining is offered (日帰入浴 ×), so there is no restaurant open to the public.

WashingNo

Shower, wash stations, soap and shampoo provided

Three separate reviews (2025-10, 2025-12, 2026-05) consistently state there is no shower/faucet in the bath, only a bucket and stool; you wash with the flowing spring water. Body soap/shampoo/conditioner ARE provided per the site's own amenity table (ボディソープ〇, シャンプー〇, リンス〇), which is a separate amenity from a washing station.

ParkingYes

On-site or nearby parking available

湯泉地温泉

Tosenji Onsen

Operated by · 小西新一(やど湯の里)

黄

Sulfur

Color: colorless and transparent
Taste: sweet, with a sulfur note
Odor: with a sulfur note

Sodium Bicarbonate spring

pH 6.6Weakly alkalineHot source · 50°C

Composition fingerprint0.4 g/kg dissolved · Hypotonic

Na⁺91

HCO₃⁻43

◀ CationsAnions ▶

Sodium Na⁺: salt's cation — pairs with chloride to make the water salty.
Bicarbonate HCO₃⁻: "soda" — softens skin, leaves it smooth.

Known good for

Skin conditionsatopic skin, eczema
Circulationtired legs
Aches & jointsstiff shoulders

Sensitive-skin cautionbroken or dry skin

Yusenchi Onsen rises in the Totsukawa highlands of Nara as a simple sulfur spring. The source emerges at a hot 50 °C, weakly alkaline in the bath, carrying the characteristic rotten-egg note of hydrogen sulfide along with a faintly sweet, sulfurous taste at the wellhead. Mineralization is light at around 0.4 g/kg, so it reads as gentle on the body — the sulfur signature, not the salt load, defines the soak.

Sampled at wellhead·Analyzed May 15, 2019·有限会社奈良県環境研究所·Cert no. 温-1905034

Explore the water

Views

Forest

River

Mountains

Programs

About

The bath water here is a simple sulfur spring, kept flowing straight from the source with nothing added and nothing recirculated (kakenagashi). It's colorless and clear, with a faint whiff of sulfur, and if you look closely you can sometimes spot small mineral flecks floating in it. There's no shower or tap in the bathroom, just a bucket and a stool: you wash yourself with the same spring water, which regulars mention as part of the charm. Two indoor tubs and two open-air ones look out over the Totsukawa river below, and since the inn only takes three guest groups a night, the baths are rarely shared with strangers. Yadoyunosato is a member inn of the Association for the Preservation of Japan's Secret Hot Springs (日本秘湯を守る会), in Totsukawa village in the mountains at the southern tip of Nara. The onsen itself, Tosenji Onsen (湯泉地温泉), is said to have been a therapeutic bathing spot since the Muromachi era. There's no day-use bathing, no vending machines, no souvenir shop, just an old, quietly kept inn above the river.

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5.0

3 reviews

from 1 reviewer

Sergey M

1 year ago

614. Yadoyunosato, Tosenji Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.1) ★★★ Stayed overnight. No higaeri. Listed among the "secret" Hitou onsen. Managed to book on the 4th attempt: two bookings on the Hitou website got cancelled, no rooms available by phone on the dates I needed, but after a while availability reappeared and the booking was confirmed this time. Atmosphere-wise, really loved it. Great sense of isolation and remoteness, yet relatively civilized. It was a combo of deep countryside, a nice room with windows, a rotenburo with an incredible view, and warm slightly homey service. During my visit there was heavy rain, which amplified the feeling of isolation. Also, the river bank had eroded and the water turned brown, making the location feel even more remote from the world. The building itself is budget - I actually walked past it in the rain without realizing it was the ryokan. There's a hand-washing sink by the room entrance (toilet is in the room). But the room itself is very pleasant and decent-sized, with large windows overlooking the river and forest. The rotenburo is top-notch too. Staff barely speaks English and was worried about it, but we found common ground quickly. They follow service protocols but add personal warmth, creating a homey atmosphere. After dinner I asked for sports drinks, but staff only had lemonades - they drove out and brought me exactly the sports drinks I wanted, free of charge. After checkout they drove me to the next onsen nearby and gave me discount coupons for higaeri onsen in Totsukawa. Booked dinner and breakfast, kaiseki served in a private room. Dinner was generous, enjoyable, but the ingredient lineup was simple. They served a double kaiseki for one without any issues. 14.06.2025 15.06.2025

Sergey M

1 year ago

614. Yadoyunosato, Tosenji Onsen, Totsukawa, Nara (pt.2) ★★★ Baths: 1. Outdoor bath with a gorgeous view of the river and forest. Clear water with occasional small white mineral deposits. 42 degrees during the day/morning and 43 in the evening; there's a shallow zone near the wall. No shower. 2. Indoor bath. Clear water, slightly cloudy. Occasional small white mineral deposits and a subtle sulfurous smell. 43 degrees during the day/evening and 44 in the morning. Breathable inside. No shower. An amazing place by the combination of factors. This ryokan is, to me, a perfect example of hitou: remote with a deep countryside atmosphere, Japanese staff, top-notch onsen, borderline "budget." Highly recommended if the above appeals to you. 14.06.2025 15.06.2025