Japan Onsen Atlas温泉アトラス
Aerial view of Sakakibara Onsen
Photo information
国土地理院 CC BY 4.0 View original page

Tokai · Onsen area

Sakakibara Onsen

さかきばらおんせん · 榊原温泉

Mie · 津市

Open100 Onsen to Know Japan — No. 61
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Official classification

Spring type (therapeutic classes)

Simple hot spring

Official spring-type name (as recorded)Alkaline simple hot spring (hypotonic, alkaline, low temperature)

Source temperature
25°C
pH
9.5
Flow rate
500 L/min
Radon
Unconfirmed

Appearance & feel

Water colour · Feel

ClearSilky / slippery

Colour and feel are listed only where a source states them. They vary by day and by bath.

What makes it special

The spring Sei Shonagon praised a thousand years ago as 'Nanakuri' still rises at a cool 31°C, and you can bathe in it as it comes.
Why?

The official site quotes the Pillow Book line naming Nanakuri alongside Arima and Tamatsukuri, and explains Nanakuri was the old name of Sakakibara. Yumoto Sakakibara-kan lists its source-fed bath at 31.2°C.[2][5]

Facilities in this area

Facilities come from the register (Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, official sites). Those marked "natural spring unconfirmed" are listed on the basis of their name only.

Day-use bath · Open

Yunosho (day-use bath of Yumoto Sakakibara-kan)

Day-use bathing
Yes
Fee
¥1,500checked 2026-10-09
Hours
9:00–20:00checked 2026-10-09
Official site
Baths4
TypeGenderSourceBath temperatureFree-flowingAdded waterHeatedRecirculatedDisinfected
Indoor bathSeparateHouse source31.2°CYes[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]No[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]
Indoor bathSeparateHouse sourceUnconfirmedYes[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]Yes[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]Unconfirmed[4][5]
Open-air bathSeparateHouse sourceUnconfirmedUnconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]
Private bathUnconfirmedHouse sourceUnconfirmedUnconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]Unconfirmed[4]
Hotel · Open

Yunose (Lamb-chan Park)

Day-use bathing
Unconfirmed
Fee
Unconfirmedno check date
Hours
Unconfirmedchecked 2026-10-09
Official site
Baths1
TypeGenderSourceBath temperatureFree-flowingAdded waterHeatedRecirculatedDisinfected
Indoor bathSeparateUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmed[7]Unconfirmed[7]Unconfirmed[7]Unconfirmed[7]Unconfirmed[7]
Ryokan (inn) · Open

Miraku

Day-use bathing
Unconfirmed
Fee
Unconfirmedno check date
Hours
Unconfirmedchecked 2026-10-09
Baths1
TypeGenderSourceBath temperatureFree-flowingAdded waterHeatedRecirculatedDisinfected
Indoor bathUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmedUnconfirmed[3]Unconfirmed[3]Unconfirmed[3]Unconfirmed[3]Unconfirmed[3]

Getting there

Reachable by public transport

From Kintetsu Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station (Osaka Line), inns run shuttles of about 10 minutes (book ahead). By public bus, Mie Kotsu runs from Kintetsu Hisai Station in about 30 minutes, roughly hourly.

Getting there
Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station · 10
Getting there
Buses from Hisai Station roughly once an hour
Checked
2026-10-09
Show on mapOpen in Google MapsOfficial site

About the water

This is a 'simple' spring with few dissolved minerals, but its high alkalinity (pH around 9) makes the skin feel slippery, which is why it is called a 'beauty bath'; the official site describes it as colourless and clear. The source is cool, 25–31°C, so inns keep one tub at source temperature and heat another. Yumoto Sakakibara-kan says even its taps and showers run spring water. No medical claims here, just a notably gentle water.

Indications (as posted on the analysis)

Skin care, rheumatism, skin conditions, women's complaints, diabetes (as posted by Yumoto Sakakibara-kan)

Indications are an official statement based on the water analysis, not a guarantee of treatment. They are kept separate from opinions.

SourceSource temperaturepHRadonChecked
Yumoto Sakakibara-kan house source31.2UnconfirmedUnconfirmedno check date
Sakakibara Onsen (reference values)259.5Unconfirmedno check date

Three things not to miss

01

The 31°C source-fed bath

Yumoto Sakakibara-kan / Yunosho A bath of untouched 31°C source water sits beside a heated one. The water is an alkaline simple spring around pH 9.5 and feels slippery on the skin.

You can compare temperature and feel using the same source. Day visitors are received at Yunosho.[4][5][8]

02

Iyama Shrine and the purification bath

Middle of the village Iyama Shrine enshrines the deity of the hot spring. In the Edo period pilgrims bathed here to purify themselves before going on to Ise.

Each June the Kento-sai festival carries Sakakibara water to the Ise shrines, keeping the link alive.[1][2][8]

Aerial view of Sakakibara Onsen
Photo information
国土地理院 CC BY 4.0 View original page
03

A quiet resort valley

Along the Sakakibara River Seven inns, no nightlife; a valley of river and rice fields given over to rest.

Mie's first hot-spring hospital opened here in 1982; the place has long been used for rest cures rather than sightseeing.[3][8]

The story

The Nanakuri bath

In the Pillow Book's line 'Of hot springs: Nanakuri, Arima, Tamatsukuri', the first name is said to be the old name of Sakakibara. The official site tells how, some 1,500 years ago, an imperial princess serving at Ise offered sakaki branches from this valley to the shrine, and 'sakaki field' became the place name. Iyama Shrine was founded in 927 and the water came to be called the 'divine bath'.[2][8]

Purifying before Ise

When pilgrimages to Ise boomed in the Edo period, bathing at Sakakibara to purify oneself beforehand, called yugori, became customary and made the spring famous. The tie survives: every June the Kento-sai festival carries Sakakibara water to the Ise shrines.[2][8]

Two tubs, one cool source

The source is cool, 25–31°C, too cool to soak in for long in winter. So inns set a tub of untouched source water next to a heated one, and guests move between a long cool soak and a short hot one. The slippery feel that earned the name 'beauty bath' comes from alkalinity around pH 9.5; the water itself is a low-mineral simple spring.[4][5][8]

A valley for rest cures

Seven inns and no entertainment district. Mie's first hot-spring hospital opened here in 1982, and the valley remains a place to rest rather than to be entertained. Day visitors use Yunosho; there is also a sand-bath house and an accessible inn with camping and barbecue grounds.[3][8]

Going solo

Solo stay unconfirmedYes
Weekend / peak restrictionsUnconfirmed
Where to eat dinnerFew restaurants in the village; eat at your inn
Private bathYes

checked 2026-10-09

Through the year

Recommended months

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Months open

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

"Recommended" and "open" are recorded separately. Check the season for seasonal springs.

Jun — Kento-sai: Sakakibara water is offered to the Ise shrines

Oct — Hisai-Sakakibara Onsen Marathon and Hisai Festival (3 Oct in 2026)

Jul · Aug — The 31°C source bath suits the hot months

Food, culture & experiences

Available / bookable

Iyama Shrine

Shrine of the hot-spring deity; co-hosts the Kento-sai[2]

In the village
Available / bookable

Ise Grand Shrine

Where the water is offered; Kintetsu to Iseshi Station[2]

About 1 hour by train from Sakakibara-Onsenguchi

Editors' guide

Start at Yunosho and alternate between the 31°C source tub and the heated one to feel the water. Visit Iyama Shrine, then, if time allows, take Kintetsu on to Ise. Transport from Sakakibara-Onsenguchi Station is mainly inn shuttles, so tell your inn your arrival time in advance.

The "editors' guide" above is written by the editors from sources; it is not a visitor's opinion.

Photo gallery

Visitor reviews

No reviews yet. While the review platform is being prepared, we do not display fictional reviews or ratings.

Review posting is in preparation, with visit date, facility, comments on water, scenery and access, photos, language and reporting.

Onsen areas nearby

Unconfirmed & notes

  • Yunosho's closing days and private-bath fees not confirmed
  • Current Mie Kotsu bus times from Hisai not confirmed (based on Wikipedia)
  • Yunose day-use fee and hours not confirmed

Sources

  1. 榊原温泉 公式サイト(榊原温泉振興協会)榊原温泉振興協会 · 2026-10-09
  2. 榊原のこと(歴史)榊原温泉振興協会 · 2026-10-09
  3. 温泉宿/外湯 一覧榊原温泉振興協会 · 2026-10-09
  4. 湯の庄(湯元榊原舘 日帰り施設)湯元榊原舘 · 2026-10-09
  5. 湯元榊原舘 温泉湯元榊原舘 · 2026-10-09
  6. 湯元榊原舘 アクセス湯元榊原舘 · 2026-10-09
  7. 榊原温泉 湯の瀬(ラムちゃんパーク)湯の瀬 · 2026-10-09
  8. 榊原温泉 - WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-10-09

Register sources

Data status

Name & locationPublishedCoordinatesPublishedSpring typePublishedPhotosPublishedFacilitiesPublishedVisiting info (dated)PublishedEditorial articlePublished

Updated 2026-10-09

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