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May 9–10, 2026 / 1 night, 2 days

Kyoto & Osaka Hot Spring Sauna Journey

Photographed May 2026 by the Editor-in-Chief
✦ Visited May 2026

It’s been a while since my last trip. After being utterly undone at Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel Rakan no Yu last month, I found myself in a state of burnout for some time. It was such a profound experience that I felt no need to travel for a while, and I had decided not to move until motivation naturally welled up from within. But the fact that I’m writing this travel journal means the time to act has finally come. During my time off, I thoroughly researched facilities across Japan and drew up a list of places I wanted to visit. Thanks to that, I discovered a number of wonderful facilities I had never known about before. Sometimes it’s important to pause along the way and prepare for the next chapter. This time, I invite you to join me on a journey through Kyoto and Osaka.

Duration
2 days
Baths visited
5 spots
Visited
May 2026

Every stop on this itinerary was visited in person by the Editor-in-Chief.

Itinerary

Read it in the order we travelled.

01May 9 11:00

Sukkama Genji no Yu

Kyoto

A Perfect Morning Sauna at Kyoto’s Urban Retreat

Read this day →See the bath →
02May 9 19:00

Natural Hot Spring Genji-no-Yu in Uji

Kyoto

Supreme Natural Hot Springs and Aroma löyly

Read this day →See the bath →
03May 10 06:00

Taketori Onsen Akari no Yu

Kyoto

A morning awakening your cells in the bamboo grove breeze

Read this day →See the bath →
04May 10 11:00

Saito Natural Hot Spring Sumire no Yu

Osaka

The Finest Free-Flowing Natural Hot Spring

Read this day →See the bath →
05May 10 13:00

Natural Onsen Banpaku Oyuba

Osaka

The Overwhelming Freedom of the Open-Air Rock Bath

Read this day →See the bath →

Baths visited on this journey

  • Sukkama Genji no YuKyoto→
  • Natural Hot Spring Genji-no-Yu in UjiKyoto→
  • Taketori Onsen Akari no YuKyoto→
  • Saito Natural Hot Spring Sumire no YuOsaka→
  • Natural Onsen Banpaku OyubaOsaka→
←See all journeys

Stays worth booking for the onsen and sauna.

Hotels and Inns with Exceptional Onsen and Saunas

163stays

See inside, free