Rail passes Plan a trip

秋

Currently in season

AutumnOct–Nov

Private baths · quiet weekdays

Nozawa Onsen Hotel opens its free private open-air bath to the first 8 groups a day, booked at check-in. Eihōkaku in Himi takes private baths by phone from 11:00.

春夏秋冬

Rules checked 13 Oct 2026

Onsen · Hokuriku and Nagano

Private and Tattoo-Friendly Onsen貸切

Each inn sets its own rule on tattoos in the shared bath, and many still refuse. A private bath (kashikiri) or a bath in your room takes the question away. Here is what the official sites say, place by place.

15 places checkedPrivate baths free to ¥3,300Nagano, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui

Checked 13 Oct 20268 min read

In brief

A tattoo is not illegal in a Japanese bath, but every inn and bathhouse sets its own rule, and many still refuse. In a 2015 Japan Tourism Agency survey, about 56% of the 581 hotels and ryokan that replied refused bathers with tattoos, 31% did not and 13% allowed them on conditions such as a cover sticker. A kashikiri (貸切風呂, a private bath you hire) or a room with its own bath avoids the question. The ones we checked are free to ¥3,300 for 40 to 45 minutes. Of the 15 inns and bathhouses below, 3 print a rule that refuses tattoos in the shared bath (or allows a cover sticker), 1 bathhouse says tattoos are fine, and the rest print no rule on their own sites. We say which is which.

Why “tattoo-friendly” lists disagree

Most lists you will find repeat each other, and few link to the inn’s own page. This one is built from the official sites, read on 13 October 2026. Where a site is silent we write “none published”, which is not a promise: policies change, and a bathing rule is often given at the desk, not online. Ask when you book (phrases below). The 2016 Japan Tourism Agency guidance asked inns not to refuse guests whose tattoo is covered by a sticker or is about palm-sized, and to offer a private bath, but it is guidance, not law.

The basics

Three kinds of bath, and what each means for a tattoo

Same hot spring, three ways in. The prices are for the places we checked.

Type	What it is	The tattoo question	Typical cost
Public bath soto-yu 外湯, sentō, day bathhouse	Shared, men and women apart, often a village or town bathhouse.	Set by whoever runs it. Some post a rule, many say nothing.	Free to ¥800 (Nozawa free, Shibu Ōyu ¥800, Bessho Ai-zome-no-yu ¥650)
Private bath kashikiri-buro 貸切風呂, also kazoku-buro 家族風呂	A bath room you hire for your own group, mixed gender, indoor or open-air. Hired by time slot.	No one else is in the room, so the shared-bath rule is not the issue. Confirm if the inn prints a rule.	Free for guests at two inns; ¥2,200 (40 min), ¥2,500 (45 min) or ¥3,300 (45 min) at three
In-room bath rotenburo-tsuki kyakushitsu 露天風呂付き客室	An open-air or semi-open-air bath on your room’s terrace, yours whenever you like.	Private by design. The surest answer for a couple.	In the room rate, which is the dearest tier at every inn below

Inns that offer all three, such as Nozawa Onsen Hotel, still keep the shared baths. A hired bath is a separate room, not a time slot in the big bath.

How to ask

Six lines for the booking message

Ask before you pay. Email or the inn’s form is fine; show the Japanese if the reply comes in Japanese.

01
The tattoo question. Tatū ga arimasu ga, dai-yokujō wa riyō dekimasu ka. タトゥーがありますが、大浴場は利用できますか。 (I have a tattoo; can I use the large bath?)
02
The private bath. Kashikiri-buro wa riyō dekimasu ka. 貸切風呂は利用できますか。 Then Ima aite imasu ka. いま空いていますか。 (Is it free now?)
03
A cover sticker. Kabā-shīru demo daijōbu desu ka. カバーシールでも大丈夫ですか。 Eihōkaku accepts one 8 × 10 cm sticker you bring yourself; Grandia Hōsen’s rules say stickers do not count.
04
A room with a bath. Heya-tsuki no rotenburo wa arimasu ka. 部屋付きの露天風呂はありますか。 Book that room type; do not count on an upgrade.
05
Know how the slot is booked. Midoriya in Bessho is first come, with no booking; Nozawa Onsen Hotel signs up at check-in. Eihōkaku and Tawaraya are by phone. Kinjō Onsen Motoyu takes online bookings for 9 of its 14 rooms.
06
Wash first, and keep the towel out of the water. This holds in a private bath too. Take the small towel; no swimwear.

Public baths

Soto-yu in Nozawa and Shibu, and one bathhouse that says yes

Neither village prints a tattoo rule on its tourism pages. Treat the shared baths as “ask first”.

Bath	Who can use it	Fee and hours	What is published on tattoos
Nozawa Onsen, 13 soto-yu 外湯	Anyone. Unstaffed; each bath is kept by a neighbourhood association (湯仲間).	Free, with a donation (寸志) asked. 5:00–23:00 (from 6:00 in December to March)	Nothing on the village tourism association’s bath pages (checked 13 Oct 2026). A local ski-holiday firm wrote in 2018 that you are generally OK entering a public onsen in Nozawa with a tattoo. Read the notice at each door. Nozawa Onsen Tourism Association Nozawa Holidays, 2018
Shibu Onsen, 9 soto-yu	Staying guests only, with a key from your inn. Day visitors can use Ōyu only.	Free to guests. Ōyu for day visitors: ¥800, 10:00–17:00	Nothing on the Shibu Onsen Ryokan Association’s site (checked 13 Oct 2026); its etiquette page covers washing, hot water and keys. Ask your inn when you borrow the key. Shibu Onsen
Ai-zome-no-yu あいそめの湯, Bessho Onsen	Anyone. A day bathhouse with indoor and open-air baths.	¥650 adult, ¥300 child. 10:00–22:00 (last entry 21:20), closed 2nd and 4th Monday. Prices from 1 April 2025	Its FAQ answers “Can I bathe with tattoos?” with ご入浴いただけます (you may bathe). This is separate from the three ¥300 soto-yu in the village. Bessho Onsen Tourism Association

See Nozawa Onsen, Yudanaka and Shibu and Bessho Onsen for the baths themselves.

Nagano

Nozawa, Shibu, Bessho and Hakuba

Free private baths exist here, which is the cheapest answer in this guide.

Place	Private bath	Tattoo rule on its own site
Nozawa Onsen Hotel 野沢温泉ホテル, Nozawa	Open-air private bath, free to guests, 45 minutes, first 8 groups, signed up at the front desk at check-in. Closed in winter and bad weather. Some rooms have an open-air bath.	None published. Official: onsen page
Shunran no Yado Sakaeya 春蘭の宿さかえや, Shibu	Private onsen with a Finnish-style sauna, reserved in advance online or by phone.	None published. Official: private onsen
Bessho Onsen Midoriya 別所温泉緑屋, Bessho	Three private baths, each indoor plus open-air, free to guests. First come, no booking; vacancy shows on your phone. About 30 minutes as a guide, longer if the bath is empty. No day visits.	None published. Official: Jinya Group page
Shirouma-so しろうま荘, Hakuba Happo	The bath hall can be hired for 1 hour, 11:00–15:00, booked on its private-onsen site or by phone. Day bathing also by phone.	None published. Official: bath page

Nagano inns with a private bath

Free private bath

Nozawa Onsen Hotel

Hotel · 野沢温泉ホテル

Own source. Free open-air private bath for guests, first come; open-air baths in some rooms.

Check rates ↗

Private sauna bath

Shunran no Yado Sakaeya

Ryokan · 渋温泉

Bookable private onsen with sauna, on the street of the nine soto-yu.

Check rates ↗

Three private baths

Bessho Onsen Midoriya

Ryokan · 別所温泉

Three free private baths, indoor plus open-air, first come. The temples of Bessho are a short walk.

Check rates ↗

Hire the bath

Shirouma-so

Ryokan · 白馬八方温泉

Family ryokan with 18 rooms on the Happo source, with the bath hall hired by the hour from 11:00.

Check rates ↗

Agoda: Nozawa Onsen stays ↗ Rakuten Travel ↗

Toyama

Himi, Takaoka and Unazuki

In Toyama the dependable route is a room with its own bath, plus one inn with a clear sticker rule.

Place	Private bath	Tattoo rule on its own site
Eihōkaku 氷見温泉郷永芳閣, Himi	Two private family baths with a sea view (indoor, not open-air): ¥2,200 (tax incl.), 40 minutes, 14:00–23:00 and 5:00–9:00. Guests only; by phone from 11:00 on the day, first come.	Large baths refuse tattoos in principle (タトゥーなどを入れたお客様の大浴場のご利用は、原則お断り), unless covered by one 8 × 10 cm cover sticker you bring yourself. Official: onsen page
Etchū Goi Hanao Onsen Yamaboushi 越中五位花尾温泉山帽子, Takaoka	All 7 rooms have their own source-fed open-air bath (全室、源泉かけ流し露天風呂付き). Car needed.	None published. Official: home page
Enraku 延楽, Unazuki	No private bath to hire (its FAQ says 貸切風呂、家族風呂 are unavailable). Rooms with open-air baths in cypress, ceramic or stone.	None in its FAQ. Official: FAQ

More inns and the Kurobe side: Unazuki Onsen, Himi and Toyama hotels.

Where to stay

Toyama inns with a private bath

Sticker rule, 2 private baths

Eihōkaku

Ryokan · 氷見温泉郷

Every room faces Toyama Bay. Two private family baths at ¥2,200 and a clear written sticker rule.

Check rates ↗

Bath in every room

Etchū Goi Hanao Onsen Yamaboushi

Ryokan · 高岡

Seven rooms, each with its own source-fed open-air bath, and private dining booths.

Check rates ↗

Rooms with open-air baths

Enraku

Ryokan · 宇奈月温泉

Unazuki’s long-running ryokan by the torokko terminus. Book a room with its own bath.

Check rates ↗

Agoda: Toyama onsen stays ↗ Rakuten Travel ↗

Ishikawa

Kanazawa, Yuwaku, Yamanaka and Wakura

For a tattooed visitor in Kanazawa with no night to spend, the family baths at Kinjō Onsen Motoyu are the practical answer. For a night, Yuwaku is about 50 minutes by bus.

Place	Private bath	Tattoo rule on its own site
Kinjō Onsen Motoyu 金城温泉元湯, Kanazawa	14 family baths (家族風呂): 9 bookable online, 5 walk-in. Open 12:00–24:00 (last entry 23:00), closed Tuesdays. Day use, no stay needed. The price list changed on 1 May 2025: check its page.	None published. Official: family bath page
Yuwaku Onsen Kokarian 湯涌温泉古香里庵, Kanazawa	Every room type has an open-air or semi-open-air bath (4 types, 48–70 m²). Online booking only; phone questions 12:00–14:30.	None published. Official: rooms
Shirasagiyu Tawaraya 白鷺湯たわらや, Yamanaka	One private bath (菊香), ¥3,300 for 45 minutes, bookable ahead by phone, first come. The inn’s web booking gives ¥1,100 off.	None published. Official: FAQ
Hanagoyomi 花ごよみ, Wakura (Noto)	The large bath can be hired on request; the price depends on the date. Families with small children are served first.	None published. Official: plans

Other Kanazawa inns are in Kanazawa hotels; Yamanaka and its neighbours are compared on Kaga Onsen, and the coast is on Noto.

Where to stay

Ishikawa inns with a private bath

Bath in every room

Yuwaku Onsen Kokarian

Onsen inn · 湯涌温泉

A small adult inn in Yuwaku, in Kanazawa city, where all four room types have their own open-air bath.

Check rates ↗

Private bath ¥3,300

Shirasagiyu Tawaraya

Ryokan · 山中温泉

Stream-side open-air baths and one private bath, bookable ahead by phone.

Check rates ↗

Hire the large bath

Hanagoyomi

Ryokan · 和倉温泉

Wakura inn that will hire out its large bath on request. Ask for the date’s price.

Check rates ↗

Agoda: Yuwaku Onsen stays ↗ Rakuten Travel ↗

Fukui

Awara Onsen

Awara has the clearest written rules of anywhere we checked, and two of the three refuse. Choose the room bath, not the large bath.

Place	Private bath	Tattoo rule on its own site
Seifūsō あわら温泉清風荘, Awara	Two private baths (Shirasagi, Sekirei): ¥2,500 tax incl., 45 minutes, booked by phone ahead or at the front desk on arrival. 13 rooms with their own open-air or semi-open-air bath.	None published. Official: onsen page
Kōfū Yuho Beniya 光風湯圃べにや, Awara	All 17 rooms have a source-fed semi-open-air bath (源泉かけ流しの半露天風呂).	Refuses tattoos in the large bath. Its lodging terms (Article 5) list 入れ墨（刺青）、タトゥー、ボディペイント under the large bath. Official: lodging terms
Grandia Hōsen あわら温泉グランディア芳泉, Awara	Its history page lists villa rooms with open-air baths and a private open-air bath. Whether a guest with a tattoo may use them is not stated: ask first.	Refuses tattoos, stickers included (入れ墨・刺青・タトゥー（シールを含む。）をされた方の入浴は固くお断り), and asks that they not be visible elsewhere in the building outside your room. Official: terms of use

More about the town: Awara Onsen and Fukui hotels.

Where to stay

Awara inns with a private bath

Two private baths

Seifūsō

Ryokan · あわら温泉

Classic Awara ryokan with a large garden bath, two private baths at ¥2,500 and rooms with open-air baths.

Check rates ↗

Bath in every room

Beniya Kofuyuden

Ryokan · あわら温泉

Seventeen rooms, each with its own source-fed bath. The large bath asks tattooed guests to stay out.

Check rates ↗

Agoda: Awara Onsen stays ↗ Rakuten Travel ↗

FAQ

Private and tattoo-friendly onsen, answered

Can I use an onsen in Japan with a tattoo?

Sometimes. There is no national rule: each inn and bathhouse decides. In a 2015 Japan Tourism Agency survey of 581 hotels and ryokan, about 56% refused bathers with tattoos, 31% did not and 13% allowed them on conditions such as a cover sticker. The safe routes are a private bath (貸切風呂) or a room with its own bath. Ask in writing before you book.

What is a kashikiri onsen and how much does it cost?

A kashikiri (貸切風呂) is a bath room you hire for your own group, usually 40 to 60 minutes. At the inns we checked it is free for guests at Nozawa Onsen Hotel and Midoriya (Bessho), and ¥2,200 for 40 minutes at Eihōkaku (Himi), ¥2,500 for 45 minutes at Seifūsō (Awara) and ¥3,300 for 45 minutes at Tawaraya (Yamanaka). Some are open to day visitors, such as the family baths at Kinjō Onsen Motoyu in Kanazawa.

Which ryokan have a private onsen for couples?

Inns where every room has its own bath include Yamaboushi in Takaoka (all 7 rooms), Beniya Kofuyuden in Awara (all 17) and Kokarian in Yuwaku (all 4 room types). Seifūsō, Enraku and Nozawa Onsen Hotel have rooms with open-air baths. For a free private bath on a standard room, Midoriya in Bessho has three. A hired bath is mixed gender, so a couple can bathe together.

Which onsen near Kanazawa or Toyama have private baths?

Near Kanazawa: the family baths at Kinjō Onsen Motoyu (open 12:00–24:00, closed Tuesdays, no stay needed), and the in-room baths at Kokarian in Yuwaku. Near Toyama: Eihōkaku in Himi (two private baths at ¥2,200, plus a written sticker rule), Yamaboushi in Takaoka and Enraku in Unazuki (rooms with their own baths). None of these publishes a tattoo rule for its private baths.

Can I use the public baths in Nozawa Onsen or Shibu Onsen with a tattoo?

Neither village’s tourism site prints a tattoo rule (checked 13 October 2026). Nozawa’s 13 soto-yu are free, unstaffed and run by neighbourhood groups, so read the notice at the door. Shibu’s nine are for staying guests with a key from the inn, so ask the inn when you collect it. Bessho’s Ai-zome-no-yu bathhouse (¥650) answers yes in its FAQ.

Does a cover sticker work?

It depends on the inn. Eihōkaku lets a tattooed guest into the large bath with one 8 × 10 cm cover sticker that you bring. Grandia Hōsen’s rules refuse tattoos “including stickers”. Beniya Kofuyuden’s terms refuse tattoos in the large bath without mentioning stickers. A private bath avoids the question.

Continue exploring