Day-use bath · Open
Tamatsukuri Onsen Yu-yu
- Day-use bathing
- Yes
- Fee
- ¥600checked 2026-10-09
- Hours
- 10:00–22:00checked 2026-10-09
Photo information
Save to passport
Official classification
Spring type (therapeutic classes)
Official spring-type name (as recorded)Sulfate–chloride spring (sodium–calcium); varies by source
- Source temperature
- 42°C
- pH
- Unconfirmed
- Flow rate
- Unconfirmed
- 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
'Bathe once and your features turn fair; bathe twice and every ailment is gone.' A riverside town that the Izumo Fudoki called 'the hot water of the gods' some 1,300 years ago.
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.
Ryokan (inn) · Open
Matsunoyu inn (day bathing)
- Day-use bathing
- Yes
- Fee
- ¥1,300checked 2026-10-09
- Hours
- 11:30–21:00checked 2026-10-09
Hotel · Open
Tamatsukuri Kokusai Hotel Rivage Choraku (day bathing)
- Day-use bathing
- Yes
- Fee
- ¥700checked 2026-10-09
- Hours
- Unconfirmedchecked 2026-10-09
Getting there
Reachable by public transport
From JR Tamatsukuri-onsen Station on the San'in main line, take an Ichibata bus or taxi into the spa (the association links to the airport-connection bus timetable). A shuttle bus also runs from Izumo airport to the spa. Matsue Station is one stop away. By car, exit at Matsue-Tamatsukuri on the San'in Expressway.
- Getting there
- Tamatsukuri-onsen Station ·
- Checked
- 2026-10-09
About the water
Tamatsukuri's water contains sulfate and chloride; Wikipedia says its balance of sulfate ions and metasilicic acid has been shown in research to moisturise about as well as a skin lotion, and the tourism site likewise calls it 'a lotion-like water rich in moisturising components', long nicknamed the beautifying bath. It is colourless and clear (Matsue city material), feels silky and leaves the skin smooth. Source temperature about 42 °C (Wikipedia). We could not read the inns' notices on dilution, heating or recirculation. The Fudoki's promise that one bath makes you fair and two cure every ailment is a 1,300-year-old text, not a modern medical guarantee.
| Source | Source temperature | pH | Radon | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamatsukuri Onsen (Wikipedia figure) | 42 | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed | no check date |
Three things not to miss
Photo information
Riverside foot baths and bottling the water
Along the Tamayu river (Himegami and Yu-yakushi squares) Inns line both banks of the Tamayu river through the centre of town, and foot baths dot the riverside; works in 2007–2012 added foot and hand baths (Wikipedia). The tourism site lists the squares and the Yu-yakushi as 'beautiful-skin spots'.
You can test the water on your skin without staying the night: the place to check the 'skin lotion' claim with your own hands.[2][1]
The wishing stone at Tamatsukuriyu shrine
At the top of the spa, 508 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho A shrine to the gods of magatama bead-making and of the hot spring. Visitors touch its 'wishing stone' and pray; next door at Seigan-ji temple the 'Oshiroi Jizo' statue is dabbed with face powder on the spot matching one's own skin worry.
The magatama beads that gave the town its name and the belief in beautifying water meet in one place.[3]
Yu-yu day bathhouse
Mid-way along the spa A municipal day bathhouse with its main baths on the fifth floor. Adults 600 yen, children (3 and over) 300; 10:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20), closed Mondays (open if a holiday). Early-morning bathing 6:00–8:00 on certain days.
Cheaper and longer-opening than the inns' day bathing (700–2,150 yen); the base for a solo day visit.[4]
The story
The spring of the Fudoki
Tamatsukuri lies in the valley of the Tamayu river, which flows into Lake Shinji in Matsue, Shimane. The Izumo Fudoki of 733 recorded it as 'the hot water of the gods', promising that one bath makes the features fair and a second cures every ailment, and the Heian-period Pillow Book lists it among three famous springs. The name means 'bead-making', after the agate magatama beads once produced here; Tamatsukuriyu shrine at the top of the spa honours the gods of bead-making and of the spring.[1][3]
Measuring the beautifying bath
The water carries sulfate and chloride; Wikipedia says its balance of sulfate ions and metasilicic acid has been shown to moisturise about as well as a cosmetic lotion, and the association calls it 'lotion-like'. The source is about 42 °C. Along the river are foot and hand baths and stands where you can bottle the water to take home, so testing it on your skin has become the heart of a visit. The day bathhouse Yu-yu, opened in 1996, charges 600 yen, and four of the fifteen inns admit day bathers.[1][2][4][6]
Walking a mythic town
The spa is a single street along the Tamayu river: inns on both banks, foot baths at the water's edge, the shrine and temple at the far end. Touching the wishing stone, powdering the Jizo and browsing the bead shops makes a small pilgrimage you can walk in half a day. Matsue Castle is about 10 minutes away by train and Izumo Taisha is a day trip; in Kamiarizuki, the lunar tenth month when the gods gather at Izumo, many combine the two. Lake Shinji's sunsets and its shijimi clams are close by.[3][2][1]
Going solo
Easy for solo travellersUnconfirmed
Weekend / peak restrictionsUnconfirmed
Where to eat dinnerCafes, eateries and souvenir shops along the street (association's gourmet list)
Private bathUnconfirmed
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.
Mar · Apr — Cherry blossom along the Tamayu river; the best season for the riverside foot baths
Jul · Aug — The Tamatsukuri Onsen summer festival on the river (Matsue city material)
Oct · Nov — Kamiarizuki, the month the gods gather at Izumo; many combine the spa with Izumo Taisha's rites
Food, culture & experiences
Tamatsukuriyu shrine and the Oshiroi Jizo at Seigan-ji
The wishing stone, and a Jizo statue dabbed with face powder where one's own skin troubles lie[3]
A few minutes' walk at the top of the spaMagatama beads and Izumo souvenirs
Shops selling the magatama beads that named the town line the street (association's spot list)[2]
Within the spaMatsue Castle and Izumo Taisha
The National Treasure Matsue Castle is reached from Matsue Station, Izumo Taisha by bus from Izumoshi Station; both are day trips from Tamatsukuri[1]
About 10 minutes by train to Matsue, about 1.5 hours to Izumo TaishaEditors' guide
Take the bus from Tamatsukuri-onsen Station into the spa. Walk up the river dipping your feet in the foot baths, then visit the wishing stone and the Oshiroi Jizo. At midday bathe on Yu-yu's fifth floor (600 yen, closed Mondays). If staying, soak before dinner and head to Matsue Castle or Izumo Taisha next morning. Judge the 'beautifying' claim on your own skin, and read the posted indications at your inn.
The "editors' guide" above is written by the editors from sources; it is not a visitor's opinion.
Photo gallery
Visitor reviews
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Overview
Tamatsukuri Onsen (玉造温泉) is an onsen hot spring located in Tamayu, Shimane Prefecture. The closest large city to the onsen is Matsue, which can be accessed by car, bus, or rail. Tamatsukuri is a noted sulfate spring with water temperatures between 50–70 °C (122–158 °F). Tamatsukuri Onsen is an ancient hot spring, dating back to the 8th century where gods are said to bathe once a year since the creation of Japan according to the myth of Izanagi and Izanami. The onsen is mentioned as early as 733 in an entry in the Izumo Fudoki, an ancient record of the culture and geography of Izumo Province. The waters of Tamatsukuri are said to aid in the recovery from several ailments such as rheumatism, skin conditions, etc. The mineral content of the water is said to be beneficial to the skin, and is a popular destination with those interested in the area's ancient history, and its beauty benefits.
This overview is based on the lead section of the English Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0). View original page
Onsen areas nearby
Unconfirmed & notes
- The formal spring name and the 60–70 °C source temperature circulate via travel sites; no official analysis sheet could be read, so Wikipedia's 42 °C is used
- Bus time, fare and frequency from the station, and walking time, are unconfirmed officially
- Water-treatment notices, tattoo policy and solo-stay terms are unconfirmed, as is the date of the summer festival
Sources
- 玉造温泉 - WikipediaWikipedia · 2026-10-09
- 玉造温泉 公式サイト(たまやど)玉造温泉旅館協同組合 · 2026-10-09
- 玉作湯神社・清巌寺 - 玉造温泉公式サイト玉造温泉旅館協同組合 · 2026-10-09
- 日帰り温泉 - 玉造温泉公式サイト玉造温泉旅館協同組合 · 2026-10-09
- アクセス - 玉造温泉公式サイト玉造温泉旅館協同組合 · 2026-10-09
- お宿一覧 - 玉造温泉公式サイト玉造温泉旅館協同組合 · 2026-10-09
Register sources
- 玉造温泉 - Wikipedia(日本語版)Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2026-10-09
- Wikidata Q3514711Wikidata · CC0 · 2026-10-09
Data status
Name & locationPublishedCoordinatesPublishedSpring typePublishedPhotosPublishedFacilitiesPublishedVisiting info (dated)PublishedEditorial articlePublished
Updated 2026-10-09
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