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Kaike Onsen & Yonago ryokan with open-air baths: 5 picks
Approximate, at the rate on 2026-10-02. You pay in yen.
- Five Kaike Onsen ryokan and hotels, each with an open-air bath
- Kaike Yugetsu gives every room its own onsen bath
- Onyado Nono is in Sakaiminato, one minute from the station
The five
| Best for | Where to book | Score | Weeknight (per person) | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Every room has its own onsen open-air bath and sea view — if you can’t decide | Kaike Yugetsu Check price |
80/100 | ¥37,000–44,000 | ¥52,000–64,000 |
| Own hot spring source, Sea of Japan views, meals in your room | Kaike Onsen Kasuitei Check price |
77/100 | ¥20,000–42,000 | ¥24,000–70,000 |
| Four free private open-air baths and a 27 m-high view bath | Kaike Shogetsu Check price |
74/100 | ¥27,000–37,000 | ¥43,000–53,000 |
| One minute from Sakaiminato station, 12th-floor onsen bath | Onyado Nono Sakaiminato Check price |
72/100 | ¥19,000–27,000 | ¥23,000–30,000 |
| Staff handle everyday English; massage chair in every room | Kaike Onsen Ikoitei Kikuman Check price |
72/100 | ¥15,000–23,000 | ¥21,000–32,000 |
Prices are the cheapest per person found on Rakuten Travel for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 2026-11-04 – 2026-12-26, for 2 adults in one room (checked 2026-10-26). They move daily — the link shows live prices.
The booking links go to Agoda, which shows today’s price and lets you pay in your own currency. Its price can differ from the Rakuten Travel figures above.
Every room has its own onsen open-air bath and sea view
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.73/5 (1,677)
- 33 rooms
- Kaike’s swimming beach is in front of the inn
- A large bath and sauna besides the sky bath
Why it made the five
- Every room has a sea view and its own hot-spring open-air bath.
- An infinity-edge ‘sky’ open-air bath, a large bath and a sauna.
- 4.73 across 1,677 reviews; dinner rated 4.81.
- Several staff understand a little English, per Rakuten.
Getting there: About 15 minutes from JR Yonago station by local bus or taxi, 20 minutes from Yonago Airport by taxi, or 10 minutes by car from Yonago IC. There is no pick-up from Yonago station, but the inn will drive you from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre (last run 18:00).
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, NICOS, UFJ Card and Rakuten Card are listed. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book; the bath in your room is yours alone. There are barrier-free rooms and rooms for wheelchair users.
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Right for: Bathing in your own open-air onsen with the sea in front, without meeting other guests.
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Not for: Keeping the cost down — it is the most expensive of the five.
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Worth knowing: The infinity sky bath may be closed in cold or strong wind (the large bath stays open). Drivers in winter (about December to March) need snow tyres or chains.
Score breakdown — 80/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★★ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.77 on Rakuten Travel, and every room has its own open-air bath |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | ¥37,000–44,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 186% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Pick-up from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre (last 18:00); dinner in your room or the restaurant; every room has a sea view and its own hot-spring open-air bath (Japanese-Western rooms); an infinity open-air bath, large bath and sauna; Kaike’s swimming beach right in front; several staff understand a little English; barrier-free rooms and rooms for wheelchair users. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.73 across 1,677 reviews (Rakuten Travel 1,677) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | The only one of the seven on our shortlist that states every room has its own hot-spring open-air bath — and it adds an infinity-edge sky open-air bath. |
Own hot spring source, Sea of Japan views, meals in your room
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.61/5 (969) · Agoda 9.0/10 (912) · 1,881 in total
- 79 rooms
- Dinner is seasonal kaiseki, a multi-course Japanese meal
- Dining hall reopened after renovation on 18 July 2026
- Large bath, open-air bath and sauna
Why it made the five
- Its own hot-spring source, with views of the Sea of Japan.
- Dinner and breakfast in your room or the dining hall.
- A family bath besides the large and open-air baths.
- Free shuttle to and from the Kaike tourist centre at any time.
Getting there: About 15 minutes by car from JR Yonago station, 20 minutes from Yonago Airport, 10 minutes from Yonago IC. A free shuttle runs at any time between the Yonago city tourist centre in Kaike and the inn.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, DC, NICOS, UFJ Card and debit cards. There is free Wi-Fi throughout, and every room is non-smoking. Assisted bathing is possible in the large bath.
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Right for: Eating in your room and watching the sea, in a well-reviewed inn with its own spring.
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Not for: Wanting an open-air bath in your own room.
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Worth knowing: Whether meals come to your room or the dining hall depends on the plan, so check when you book.
Score breakdown — 77/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.61 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥20,000–42,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 100% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | A free shuttle at any time between the Kaike tourist centre and the inn; dinner and breakfast in your room or the dining hall; Sea of Japan views and seasonal kaiseki, from its own spring; a large bath, open-air bath, sauna and family bath; free Wi-Fi and non-smoking rooms; assisted bathing in the large bath. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.61 across 969 reviews (Rakuten Travel 969) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | Its own hot-spring source and both meals in your room; its location score of 4.72 is second only to Yugetsu among the seven. |
Four free private open-air baths and a 27 m-high view bath
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.71/5 (4,434)
- 19 rooms; sister inn to Yugetsu next door
- The four private baths are in a separate building, each different
- Rakuten lists 4,434 reviews, averaging 4.71
Why it made the five
- Four private open-air baths, free to use.
- A view bath 27 m above the ground.
- 4.71 across 4,434 reviews — the most reviews of the seven.
- Some rooms have their own open-air bath.
Getting there: About 15 minutes from JR Yonago station by local bus or taxi, 20 minutes from Yonago Airport by taxi, or 10 minutes by car from Yonago IC. There is no pick-up from Yonago station, but the inn will drive you from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre (last run 18:00). The beach is right outside.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, NICOS, UFJ Card, Saison, AEON and JTB cards. The four private baths are used by your own party alone.
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Right for: Couples and families who want an open-air bath to themselves without paying for a room with one.
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Not for: Anyone who wants a private room for dinner — the restaurant has none.
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Worth knowing: Only some rooms have their own open-air bath, so pick that room type if you want one. Drivers in winter (about December to March) need snow tyres or chains.
Score breakdown — 74/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.70 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | ¥27,000–37,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 134% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Pick-up from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre (last 18:00); dinner in your room or the restaurant; four free private open-air baths in a separate building; a view bath 27 m above the ground; some rooms with their own open-air bath; Kaike’s swimming beach a step away; only 19 rooms. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.71 across 4,434 reviews (Rakuten Travel 4,434) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | Four private open-air baths you can use free with your own party, and 4,434 reviews — the most of the seven. |
One minute from Sakaiminato station, 12th-floor onsen bath
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.50/5 (2,690) · Agoda 9.2/10 (6,776) · 9,466 in total
- A Japanese-style hotel of the Dormy Inn group
- The only one of the five within walking distance of a train station
Why it made the five
- One minute’s walk from Sakaiminato station.
- Natural hot-spring bath, open-air bath and sauna on the 12th floor.
- Free washing machines in the bath’s changing room; dryers are paid.
- Check-out 11:00, the latest of the five.
Getting there: One minute’s walk from Sakaiminato station, at the end of the JR Sakai line from Yonago. By car, from Yonago IC on the Yonago Expressway, take Route 431 or Prefectural Road 47 towards Sakaiminato.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, DC, NICOS, UFJ Card and Rakuten Card are listed. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Every room is non-smoking, and bicycles can be borrowed.
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Right for: Travelling by train without a car, and doing a load of washing mid-trip.
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Not for: Wanting a seaside ryokan in Kaike Onsen itself — this is a station hotel in Sakaiminato.
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Worth knowing: It is in Sakaiminato, not Kaike Onsen. Dinner seats can fill up, so the hotel suggests booking dinner ahead. Parking is paid.
Score breakdown — 72/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★☆☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.45 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥19,000–27,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 94% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00; one minute’s walk from Sakaiminato station; a natural hot-spring bath, open-air bath and sauna on the 12th floor; free washing machines in the bath’s laundry (dryers paid); several staff understand a little English; all rooms non-smoking, bicycles to borrow. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.5 across 2,690 reviews (Rakuten Travel 2,690) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | The only one of the seven you can walk to from a station — one minute from Sakaiminato station, so no car is needed. |
Staff handle everyday English; massage chair in every room
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.36/5 (1,239) · Agoda 8.7/10 (65) · 1,304 in total
- Dinner rated 4.49
- Kaike’s beach is a two-minute walk
Why it made the five
- Several staff handle everyday English; some understand a little Chinese and Korean.
- A massage chair in every room; 30 yukata to choose from, children’s sizes too.
- A large bath, open-air bath and family bath; the beach is two minutes’ walk.
- From about ¥15,000 per person with two meals — the cheapest of the five.
Getting there: About 15 minutes by car from JR Yonago station on the San’in line, or 15 minutes from Yonago IC at the end of the Yonago Expressway.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff have no trouble with everyday English, and some understand a little Chinese and Korean. Only Visa, JCB, Diners Club and debit cards are listed — no Mastercard or American Express. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book.
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Right for: Anyone unsure of their Japanese who wants an inn where English gets you through.
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Not for: Wanting a sea view from your room — the inn does not face the shore.
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Worth knowing: The inn does not face the beach. Call if you will arrive after 19:00. Cards are limited to Visa, JCB, Diners Club and debit.
Score breakdown — 72/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★☆☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.38 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★★ | ¥15,000–23,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 75% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Several staff handle everyday English, and some understand a little Chinese and Korean; a massage chair in every room; Kaike beach two minutes’ walk; 30 yukata to choose from, children’s sizes too; a large bath, open-air bath and family bath. |
| Trust | ★★☆☆☆ | 4.36 across 1,239 reviews (Rakuten Travel 1,239) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | The only one of the seven whose listing says staff can handle everyday English, with a little Chinese and Korean too. |
Know before you book
- Yonago is on the JR San’in line. From the Shinkansen, change at Okayama for the limited express Yakumo, which runs north over the mountains to Yonago. Yonago Airport has flights from Tokyo Haneda.
- Kaike Onsen is not at the station. The Kaike inns in this guide are about 15 minutes from JR Yonago station by bus or taxi, and about 20 minutes from Yonago Airport by taxi.
- Several Kaike inns run a free shuttle from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre rather than from Yonago station, because a bus line already links the two. Check the last shuttle time — at two of these inns it is 18:00.
- Sakaiminato, at the end of the JR Sakai line from Yonago, is a fishing port known for its Mizuki Shigeru Road. The one hotel here that you can walk to from a station is there, not in Kaike.
- Japanese shared baths are nude, and you wash at the taps before getting in. None of these five publishes a tattoo rule, so ask when you book. A room with its own bath, or a private bath for your party, avoids the question.
- Prices here are per person with dinner and breakfast, for two sharing. The Kaike inns charge a bathing tax of ¥150 per adult on top, per their listings. In winter (about December to March) the inns ask drivers to have snow tyres or chains.
How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring
How we chose
- Candidates: every property in Kaike Onsen and Yonago listed on Rakuten Travel — 24
- Passed the review filter (counts and averages on Rakuten Travel, the one site that lists every property in the area): 18
- Met every condition below: 8
- Kept: five, each the best at something different
Where the facts come from
- Facts: Rakuten Travel property information (in some articles, each hotel’s own site too)
- Prices: Rakuten Travel live availability, Wednesdays and Saturdays over eight weeks
- Reviews: the count and average on Rakuten Travel, as given in each hotel’s Trust row. Agoda’s reviews are shown under each hotel name for reference only and do not count towards the score
Conditions (all of them, not most of them)
- In Rakuten Travel’s Yonago, Kaike Onsen and Daisen district
- At least 30 reviews on Rakuten Travel, averaging 4.0 or better
- The cheapest rate falls between ¥8,000 and ¥40,000 per person per night
- An open-air hot spring bath (the open-air part of a large bath counts; private and in-room open-air baths are noted in the text)
Scoring
Five criteria, one to five stars each, weighted to one hundred points. Every star says where the number came from.
- Quality25 pts
- The average of the scores Rakuten Travel publishes for the room, the bath and the food, plus a star if every room has its own open-air bath.
- Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest rate with dinner and breakfast against the median of the inns we compared.
- Easy to stay30 pts
- A shuttle or pick-up, meals in your room or a private room, check-out time, private baths and other practical help listed by the inn.
- Trust20 pts
- Review counts and averages published by Rakuten Travel.
- Only here5 pts
- What this inn has that the other six on our shortlist do not.
What we dropped
| Property | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Kaike Fuga | Runner-up (58/100) | 58/100. It has a shuttle and in-room dinners, but its room, bath and dinner scores average 4.21 and its reviews 4.17 — the lowest of the shortlist bar Fuyo Bekkan — so quality and trust held it well below the five. |
| Kaike Onsen Fuyo Bekkan | Runner-up (54/100) | 54/100. The only inn stating free-flowing spring water, with dinner in private, but its room, bath and dinner scores average 4.16 and its reviews 4.16 — the lowest of the seven — so it finished last. |
| Kaike Onsen Shotoen (an inn for staying with your dog) | Left out | 4.38 across 996 reviews and met every condition, but every room is set up for guests bringing their dog, which is a different trip from a first onsen ryokan stay. |
| Kaike Seaside Hotel Umi no Shiki | Outside the theme | 5,112 reviews averaging 4.43, the most in the district, but its lowest listed rate is below our ¥8,000 floor. |
| Mercure Tottori Daisen Resort & Spa | Outside the theme | A 219-room resort in Hoki town with a hot spring and 4.09 across 2,848 reviews, but its lowest listed rate is below our ¥8,000 floor. |
| Oedo Onsen Monogatari Kaike | Below the floor | 1,350 reviews, but they average 3.76 — under our 4.0 floor. |
Questions visitors ask
Which one would you book?
Kaike Yugetsu, top of the five at 80/100. Every room has its own open-air bath of hot spring water and a sea view, and it scores 4.73 across 1,677 reviews. It is the most expensive, at about ¥37,000–44,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight. If cost matters more, Ikoitei Kikuman is about ¥15,000–23,000 per person on a weeknight, and its staff handle everyday English.
How do I get to Kaike Onsen without a car?
From JR Yonago station, Kaike is about 15 minutes by local bus or taxi. Yugetsu and Shogetsu do not collect from the station but will drive you from the Kaike Onsen tourist centre (last run 18:00); Kasuitei runs a free shuttle from the tourist centre at any time, and Kaike Fuga a free shuttle booked ahead by phone. If you would rather not use a bus or taxi at all, Onyado Nono Sakaiminato is one minute’s walk from Sakaiminato station.
I don’t want to bathe with strangers. Which should I choose?
Kaike Yugetsu, where every room has its own hot-spring open-air bath. Kaike Shogetsu has four private open-air baths, free to use with your own party, and some rooms with their own open-air bath. Kasuitei and Ikoitei Kikuman list a family bath, but give no booking details or charge, so ask how to reserve it.
Which inn is easiest if I don’t speak Japanese?
Ikoitei Kikuman: its listing says several staff have no trouble with everyday English, and some understand a little Chinese and Korean. Yugetsu and Nono Sakaiminato say several staff understand a little English. Kasuitei and Shogetsu publish nothing on languages, so ask when you book.
Can I use the baths with a tattoo?
None of the five publishes a tattoo rule, so ask the inn before you book. A bath in your own room at Yugetsu, or a private open-air bath at Shogetsu, is used by your party alone.
When were these prices checked?
We searched Rakuten Travel availability for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 4 November and 26 December 2026, taking the cheapest room with dinner and breakfast for two adults and showing it per person (checked 26 October 2026). The ¥150 bathing tax per adult at the Kaike inns is charged on top. Prices move daily — the link on each inn shows today’s.
Changes
- 2026-10-29 First published. Scored from 24 candidates.