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Shimoyu

蔵王温泉 下湯共同浴場ざおうおんせん しもゆきょうどうよくじょう

A no-frills communal bath on Zao Onsen's main street

Public Bathhouse
Tohoku·Yamagata

Day Use

Yes
06:00–22:00
¥300

There's no attendant: pay by dropping the fee into the honesty box at the entrance, and it helps to have exact change.

Bathing & Water

Natural onsen water

Uses natural hot spring water

Outdoor BathNo

Open-air outdoor bath

Indoor BathYes

Enclosed indoor bathing area

Bathing Arrangements

Mixed BathingNo

Shared bathing area for all genders

Policies & Services

KidsYes

Welcomes children and families

WashingNo

Shower, wash stations, soap and shampoo provided

TowelsNo

Towels to rent or borrow at the desk

蛇荒川折口、インキョ、上の川混合源泉

Jaarakawa Origuchi, Inkyo and Kaminokawa Mixed Spring

Operated by · 蛇荒川湯花採取組合

Mixed source

酸
Acidic
+ 含硫黄泉 · Sulfate · Chloride
Color
colorless and clear
Taste
astringent
Odor
strong hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen Sulfate-Chloride spring

pH 1.7AcidicHot source · 53°CUltra-acidicSulfur-richHigh silica
Composition fingerprint2.8 g/kg dissolved · Hypotonic
H⁺47
Mg²⁺19
Al³⁺16
SO₄²⁻52
Cl⁻29
HSO417
◀ CationsAnions ▶
Hydrogen H⁺
makes the water acidic — sharp and bactericidal.
Sulfate SO₄²⁻
"gypsum / Glauber's salt" — vessels and wound healing.
Known good for
  • Skin conditionsatopic skin, eczema
  • Circulationtired legs
  • Aches & jointsstiff shoulders
  • Sensitive-skin cautionbroken or dry skin

A blended source at Zao Onsen, pooling three free-flowing wells in the Nakamori district and sampled at the wellhead. At pH 1.7 the water is sharply acidic, enough to prickle on contact, and the certificate's sensory test records it as colorless and clear but throwing off a strong hydrogen sulfide note with a distinctly astringent taste. Sulfate and chloride carry a moderate mineral load, and metasilicic acid at 213.6 mg/kg leaves the kind of silica film that smooths skin after such an aggressive soak.

Sampled at wellhead·Analyzed Dec 2, 2019·株式会社丹野·Cert no. O1900007

Explore the water

Programs

About

Shimoyu is one of three small communal bathhouses along Zao Onsen's main street, an unmanned wooden building with a single indoor tub and nothing else: no shower, no tap, no soap or shampoo, just a bucket for rinsing before you get in. The water is classic Zao, strongly acidic and sulfurous, with a real sting on the skin and a good sulfur smell, kept fairly hot and clear rather than milky. Drop your coins in the honesty box at the door; there's no attendant and no towel rental, so bring your own. It's been a plain, everyday bath for locals and toji (湯治) visitors for years, closer to a neighborhood soak than a tourist stop.

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1 review

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Sergey M
9 months ago· edited

758. Shimoyu, Zao Onsen, Yamagata ★★ An old-school onsen for ¥300. The stated hours are 06:00 to 22:00. No staff, no showers. Indoor bath. The water is clear and acidic, with a bluish tint, and there is lime scale on the bottom. Temperature is 44.5. It is easy to breathe inside, and in January it is cold. A strong old-school onsen, cold in winter, acidic water with no showers, hot water. Recommended for those who like a harsh atmosphere. 09.01.2026

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Onsen OniSM@S

Last updated October 7, 2026