When people think of Kyoto, temples, shrines, and traditional Japanese cuisine often come to mind. However, Kyoto is also home to local hot springs and sento that sauna lovers frequent. These places are overwhelmingly used by local Japanese residents rather than international tourists and are deeply woven into everyday local life.
No.1: Gokō-yu
Gokō-yu has been used as a filming location for a Japanese drama themed around sauna culture, and it would not be an exaggeration to call it a sacred place for sauna lovers.
Gokō-yu is a tattoo-friendly sento. While there are many bathhouses in Kyoto that offer saunas, tattoo-friendly facilities are surprisingly rare. What makes Gokō-yu especially appealing is that it features two types of saunas—a low-temperature sauna and a high-temperature sauna—allowing visitors to choose based on their personal preference.
For those who have tattoos and often struggle to find places where they can enjoy a sauna, Gokō-yu is an excellent choice.
The cold bath uses natural underground water, making it exceptionally cold and remarkably clean. The bath is also deep, allowing you to cool your entire body thoroughly, which greatly enhances the overall sauna experience.
The admission fee is only 550 yen, an incredibly affordable price compared to other facilities. It’s easy to see why Gokō-yu is considered a sacred destination among sauna enthusiasts.
No.2: Fufu no Yu
The best thing about Fufu no Yu is that if you visit between around 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., you can often enjoy the sauna and cold bath almost as if they were private. This is because there are very few users during the early afternoon. After 3:00 p.m., the facility starts to get busier, so it’s best to finish your visit before then.
The outdoor relaxation area features a small garden and space where you can lie down, allowing you to relax to the fullest between sauna sessions.
Another highly rated point is the well-equipped resting area. You can lie down and take a proper break, then return for another round of sauna or hot spring bathing at your own pace.
However, please note that Fufu no Yu is not tattoo-friendly.
No.3: Tenzan no Yu
This hot spring facility places a strong emphasis on its sauna offerings. The men’s bath features a tower-style löyly sauna, while the women’s bath offers two different types of saunas: a Rocky sauna and a radium salt sauna.
From the daytime onward, Aufguss events are held every two hours.
Aufguss is a sauna ritual that originated in Germany. During the session, water or aromatic oils are poured over heated sauna stones, and the rising steam is fanned throughout the sauna using towels or fans. This process rapidly increases the perceived temperature and promotes intense sweating.
Finally
The bathing facilities introduced in this article were selected from those that are frequently used by international visitors and are easy to access and enjoy. If you are traveling in Kyoto, we hope this guide will be helpful.
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