Juraku 樹楽 — an onsen inn near Matsuyama, Ehime
Water from rock laid down 200 million years ago.
A whole day with nothing to do but soak in it.
Juraku is a modern onsen inn just outside Matsuyama, with two hot springs of its own, drawn from 1,500 and 2,000 meters underground. Check in, hand over your shoes, and the whole stay runs on a wristband — baths, sauna, dinner, the beer afterwards. You settle everything once, at checkout.
Soak, stretch out in the lounge, soak again. That's the itinerary.
30 min by car from Matsuyama Airport and Dogo OnsenHonest First
What Juraku is — and isn't
It isn't a 150-year-old wooden ryokan in a postcard onsen town. That's Dogo, 30 minutes away — go, it's wonderful, and its official site will even show you the current queue time.
Juraku is where people around Matsuyama actually go to soak: a big, unhurried onsen resort on the edge of town, with a theater and shops next door, free parking for 1,300 cars, eleven kinds of baths and two springs of its own.
Nobody minds how long you stay in your yukata.
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01
Two springs of its own
Drawn from 1,500 and 2,000 meters down. Different ages, different water, different baths.
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Eleven kinds of baths
Indoor baths, a rock bath, a cave bath, pot baths, a walking bath, a reclining bath.
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A 92°C auto-löyly sauna
Steam every five minutes, a cold plunge outdoors, and chairs under the open sky.
Onsen
Two springs, from two ages of the earth
First onsen? The whole ritual, in five lines.
Everyone bathes nude — swimsuits stay in your room. That's every onsen in Japan, not a house rule.
Wash and rinse at the sitting showers before you get in.
The small towel never touches the water — fold it on your head or leave it aside.
Tie long hair up. Ease in slowly; the water is hotter than you expect.
That's it. Nobody is watching, and nobody expects you to know everything. Soap, shampoo, bath towels, lockers, and a lounging robe are all provided.
Bathing hours
6:00–24:00 — that's 6 a.m. to midnight (last entry 23:00)
- The baths close for cleaning 9:00–10:00 every morning and reopen at 10:00.
- After checkout you can keep bathing until 15:00; robes and towel sets can be rented.
- The men's and women's bath areas are separate, and times can shift slightly — notices on site take precedence.
The two springs
The water throughout the inn is a sodium chloride and hydrogen-carbonate hot spring (mildly alkaline), rising at 50°C (122°F). The two sources feed different baths, so you can tell them apart by where you soak.
FIRST SPRING
The soft one
Sodium hydrogen-carbonate water from 1,500 meters down — strata about 75 million years old. The type Japanese bathers nickname a "beauty bath": fine, slippery to the touch, and your skin feels fresh after.
- Depth
- 1,500 m
- Strata
- c. 75 million years old
- Type
- Sodium hydrogen-carbonate
- Baths
- Indoor bath, walking bath, reclining bath
SECOND SPRING
The deep one
Sodium chloride water from 2,000 meters down — strata about 200 million years old, Jurassic rock. It warms you from the inside, and the warmth stays with you long after you're out.
- Depth
- 2,000 m
- Strata
- c. 200 million years old
- Type
- Sodium chloride
- Baths
- Rock bath, cave bath, pot baths
Baths
Eleven kinds of baths
The rock bath, cave bath, and pot baths sit outdoors — together they make up one of the largest open-air bath areas in western Japan. Which spring feeds which bath is part of the fun.
| Spring | Bath | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| First & Second | Indoor bath & jet bath | A roomy indoor bath; the jets reach fingers and toes |
| Second | Rock bath | A warm garden bath set with natural stones, the largest at 10 tons |
| Second | Cave bath | An open-air bath built like a cave — a slow half-body soak under blue light |
| First | Walking bath | Walk against buoyancy and water pressure |
| First | Reclining bath | Shallow and mild — lie back and drift |
| Second | Pot baths | Ceramic pots fired in Tobe kilns, plus a Kiso hinoki cypress tub |
| Second · women's side | Children's pool | A shallow, round pool just for children |
Showers are in private partitions, and the changing rooms have large lockers. On the men's side, a walking-bath channel leads to the cave bath; the women's side adds a children's pool, a steam room, and a dressing area.
Sauna
A 92°C sauna with auto-löyly.
A cold plunge under the open sky.
Steam bursts every five minutes. The cold bath is outdoors, and so are the chairs — you cool down looking at the sky, not at a tiled wall. Seating is generous, so lines are rare.
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MEN'S SIDE
92–94°C (198–201°F) · auto-löyly
Water hits the stones automatically every five minutes, twenty seconds at a time. The walls are Jurassic petrified wood. Outdoor cold bath and open-air rest area adjoin.
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WOMEN'S SIDE
82–84°C (180–183°F) · dry sauna with aroma löyly
A dry sauna of its own, with staff-poured löyly and a different essential oil each day, plus a steam room at 42–43°C (108–109°F) and over 95% humidity. Outdoor cold bath and rest area adjoin.
The sauna costs nothing extra — it's yours as often as you like during bathing hours.
Private Onsen
Five private family baths
A bath that belongs to just the two of you, or just your family, for 90 minutes — what Japanese bathers call a kashikiri-buro.
Each of the five rooms is laid out differently. Two are special rooms with an open-air tub, a private sauna, and a cold bath; one is fully step-free from door to water. If your tattoo is too large to cover, or you'd rather ease children in slowly, this is the comfortable way to soak.
| Room | What's inside | Mon–Fri | Sat, Sun & holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room 1 | Standard — rock and stone baths, 2 tubs | ¥4,000 | ¥4,500 |
| Room 2 | Special room — hinoki tub, private sauna, cold bath, open-air deck | ¥5,000 | ¥5,500 |
| Room 3 | Special room — hinoki tub, private sauna, cold bath, open-air deck | ¥5,000 | ¥5,500 |
| Room 5 | Standard — rock and marble baths, 2 tubs | ¥4,000 | ¥4,500 |
| Room 6 | Barrier-free special room — step-free throughout, 2 kinds of tubs | ¥4,000 | ¥4,500 |
There's no Room 4 — the number is skipped in Japan the way some hotels skip a 13th floor.
How to book one
- Open 10:00–24:00 (last session starts by 22:30)
- 90 minutes per session, priced per room
- By phone only, from one week before your check-in date (bookings take priority)
- Phone hours 10:00–24:00
Booking line +81-89-955-1661 (Japanese only)
Phone support is in Japanese. If calling is a hurdle, email us in English and
we'll sort the booking out together.
Day-use Onsen
Not staying the night?
Soak anyway.
The same building holds Riraku, a day-use onsen open to everyone. Staying in central Matsuyama, or passing through on a late flight — you can still have the baths and the sauna.
| Plan | Includes | Mon–Fri | Sat, Sun & holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | Towel set and lounging robe included | ¥2,080 | ¥2,280 |
| Regular | — | ¥1,680 | ¥1,880 |
| Simple | — | ¥1,380 | ¥1,580 |
| Children (age 4 to elementary school) | — | ¥600–1,200 | ¥600–1,200 |
| Age 3 and under | — | Free | Free |
Towel set ¥300 · lounging robe ¥300 (both already included in Premium). Hotel guests don't pay any of this — the baths are part of your stay.
Rooms
Which building, which bath, which bed — in one table
Guests have told us this was hard to work out before arriving, so here it is plainly. Two buildings: the Main Building (shin-kan) and the Annex (bekkan). The big shared baths are open to every guest, whatever the room.
| Category | Bath in your room | Sleeping |
|---|---|---|
| Main Building — Superior (suite & twins) |
Private onsen bath — semi-open-air or indoor, fed by the springs | 2 Simmons double or semi-double beds |
| Main Building — Standard (twins, triple, single) |
Shower booth only, no tub — you soak downstairs | Simmons beds (2–3 per room) |
| Main Building — Casual Room (budget) |
No bath or toilet in the room — the simple soaking-trip style | 1 single (stacking bed for a 2nd guest) |
| Bunk Room & Four Room (new in 2026) |
Four Room: full bathroom with tub. Both add a kitchenette and two washbasins | 2 bunk beds (sleeps 4) / 4 single beds |
| Annex — Suites (2 special rooms) |
Private open-air onsen bath — 2 tubs plus a washing area | Futon (Special Room) / 2 semi-double beds (Deluxe Twin) |
| Annex — Standard (Japanese-Western rooms, singles, tatami room) |
Every room has its own bathroom with tub | Beds, beds + futon, or futon on tatami |
Futon are traditional mattresses laid out on tatami. If you'd rather not sleep on the floor, most categories here are bed rooms — the futon-only rooms are the Annex Special Room and the tatami room. Exact sizes and occupancy vary by room; the booking screen shows both.
New for 2026: two rooms built for groups and long stays
Both come with a kitchenette — microwave, fridge, sink — and two washbasins, the kind of setup you'd usually find in an apartment hotel, not an onsen inn.
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BUNK ROOM
Bunk Room
Two bunk beds, four berths, each with its own reading light — plus a separate sofa corner, so early bedtimes don't end the adults' evening.
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FOURS ROOM
Four Room
Four single beds in a row, a living corner, a bathroom with a tub, and an IH cooktop in the kitchenette. Built with consecutive nights in mind.
Extra guests & futon
Some room types can take extra guests on added futon. Whether and how many depends on the room — ask when you book.
Long Stay
Stay four nights. Soak every day.
That's normal here.
Solo guests take a single with its own bathroom and build a rhythm: morning bath, breakfast, a walk, a long afternoon in the lounge, evening soak, dinner. The two springs keep it interesting — one is the soft, skin-smoothing kind, the other holds its warmth long after you're out.
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Rooms that suit it
Annex singles with a private bathroom, or the Four Room with its kitchenette for cooking simple meals.
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Nothing runs out
Eleven baths, the sauna, and the lounge cost nothing extra, day after day. The rhythm is the point.
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Town when you want it
A theater and shops next door, a free shuttle to central Matsuyama and Dogo, and trains from Minara Station.
Dining
Dinner and breakfast
Dinner is kaiseki — a procession of small seasonal courses, built around local Ehime ingredients. Book it with your room if you can: on holiday eves and other busy nights, walk-in seats and some dishes may not be available.
Adding breakfast only
- ¥1,800 per adult, tax included
- Ages 4–12: ¥900
- Age 3 and under: free
Barefoot Stay
Shoes off, wristband on
At check-in your shoes go into a locker and your wallet can stay in the room. You pad around the whole building barefoot or in slippers, in your yukata, and everything you order — a beer, a massage chair, another round in the sauna — is tapped onto the wristband. One bill, once, at checkout.
The lounge
Straight from the bath into the lounge, flat on a Yogibo until you feel like soaking again. This room might be the real main character of the inn.
Good to Know
The practical part
Tattoos? Fine — covered.
Cover your tattoo completely with a skin-cover sticker (sold at the front desk) and every shared bath is open to you. Too large to cover? Book a private family bath (kashikiri-buro) instead — five rooms, by phone from one week ahead.
Payment
Besides cash, the front desk takes:
- Credit cards — Visa / Mastercard / JCB / American Express / Diners Club / Discover / UnionPay
- QR payments — Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Japanese services such as PayPay
- Transit IC cards — Suica, ICOCA and the like
- E-money — iD / QUICPay / WAON / nanaco / Rakuten Edy
No deposit — pay at checkout
Booking direct costs nothing up front. Everything, room included, is settled in one bill when you leave.
Cancellation
| When you cancel | Charge |
|---|---|
| 3 days before check-in, or earlier | Free |
| 2 days before | 30% of the room rate |
| The day before | 50% |
| Same day, or no-show | 100% |
Booked through an OTA? Its own policy applies instead.
Getting here
- Matsuyama Airport — about 30 min by car or taxi
- Dogo Onsen — about 30 min by car
- Minara Station (Iyotetsu Yokogawara Line) — about an 8-minute walk
- Free parking, about 1,300 cars, first come first served
There are no direct international flights into Matsuyama from Europe or the Americas — connect through Tokyo Haneda or Osaka Itami, or come by rail: Shinkansen to Okayama, then the Shiokaze limited express. Cycling the Shimanami Kaido? Matsuyama is the natural place to land afterwards, and we're 30 minutes from the center.
| Run | Juraku | Matsuyama City Sta. | Okaido | Dogo Onsen | Juraku |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run 1 | 8:00 | 8:50 | 9:00 | 9:10 | 9:50 |
| Run 2 | 10:00 | 10:35 | 10:40 | 10:55 | 11:35 |
| Run | Juraku | Dogo Onsen | Okaido | Matsuyama City Sta. | Juraku |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run 3 | 16:00 | 16:40 | 16:45 | 16:55 | 17:35 |
- To the inn — from Matsuyama City Station 8:50 / 10:35 / 16:55, from Dogo Onsen 9:10 / 10:55 / 16:40
- Into town — leaves Juraku 8:00 / 10:00 / 16:00
Routes and times can change — call before you ride, and notices on site take precedence.
FAQ
Common questions
[Baths]Do I need a swimsuit?
No — swimsuits aren't allowed. Everyone bathes nude, in separate men's and women's areas; that's how every onsen in Japan works. No swim cap either. Soap, shampoo, and bath towels are all provided.
[Tattoos]I have a tattoo. Can I use the baths?
Yes — cover it completely with a skin-cover sticker, sold at the front desk, and every shared bath is open to you. If it's too large to cover, book a private family bath instead (five rooms, 90 minutes, by phone from one week ahead).
[Rates]Roughly how much is a night?
As a guide, dinner-and-breakfast plans start around ¥15,300 per person when two share a room — very roughly US$100, though rates move with the room, the date, and the exchange rate. Solo travelers: singles with dinner and breakfast start around ¥13,700. The booking screen shows live prices.
[Rooms]What's the difference between the buildings and rooms?
Two buildings. Main Building: Superior rooms have a private onsen bath, Standard rooms have a shower booth only, and the budget Casual Room has no bath or toilet in the room. Annex: every room has its own bathroom with a tub, and the two Suites add a private open-air onsen bath. The full table is in the Rooms section.
[Dogo]How is this different from staying in Dogo?
Dogo is Japan's oldest onsen town — historic, beautiful, busy. Juraku is the opposite: suburban, spacious, unhurried, with more kinds of baths and free parking. The honest answer: see Dogo on a day trip, then come back here to soak. Plenty of guests do both in one stay.
[Day visits]Can I come without staying overnight?
Yes. The day-use onsen Riraku shares the building, from ¥1,380 (Mon–Fri, tax included), age 3 and under free. Hotel guests use the baths at no extra charge.
[Payment]Can I pay by card? Does Apple Pay work?
Cards are fine — Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, UnionPay — plus transit IC cards and QR payments. Apple Pay doesn't work here; Google Pay does. iPhone travelers should carry a physical card.
[English]Can I get by in English?
Email us in English — we'll translate it and reply. Phone support is Japanese-only, and signs and the booking screen are in Japanese, so keep a translation app handy for the details. Guests manage fine.
[Check-in]When can I check in, and is there a curfew?
Check-in from 15:00, checkout by 10:00. Arriving early? You can use the baths and lounge before your room is ready — just tell the front desk. Check-in is possible until 24:00, but stick to the arrival time you gave when booking, and call if you'll be more than two hours late.
The doors close at 24:00 — heading out for the evening, leave your key at the front desk and let them know.
Late checkout, subject to availability: until 13:00 for 30% of the room rate, 13:00–15:00 for 50%.
[Cancellation]Do I pay a deposit? What if I cancel?
No deposit — you pay at checkout. Cancellation is free until 3 days before check-in, then 30% (2 days before), 50% (the day before), 100% (same day or no-show). Booked through an OTA? Its policy applies instead.