This page contains promotions (affiliate links) (Editorial & ad policy)
Misasa Onsen ryokan with an open-air bath: 5 picked from 33
Approximate, at the rate on 2026-10-02. You pay in yen.
- Misasa onsen ryokan with open-air baths: four in Misasa, one on a lake
- Misasakan has the most reviews (2,322); Saiki Bekkan has a kids’ park
- Ohashi is a listed heritage inn; Hashizuya serves both meals in private rooms
The five
| Best for | Where to book | Score | Weeknight (per person) | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An open-air bath over the lake, and the top review score — if you can’t decide | Hawai Onsen Bokoro Check price |
82/100 | ¥17,000–21,000 | ¥22,000–30,000 |
| The most-reviewed inn here, with many baths and a sauna | Misasa Onsen Misasakan Check price |
72/100 | ¥18,000–74,000 | ¥30,000–61,000 |
| Ten rooms, free-flowing spring water, meals in private rooms | Misasa Onsen Kizukuri no Yado Hashizuya Check price |
68/100 | ¥19,000–22,000 | ¥31,000 |
| A kids’ park and a private open-air bath for families | Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Saiki Bekkan Check price |
58/100 | ¥16,000–25,000 | ¥25,000–67,000 |
| A listed heritage inn with its own bubbling cave bath | Misasa Onsen Ryokan Ohashi Check price |
57/100 | ¥32,000–67,000 | ¥36,000–70,000 |
Prices are the cheapest per person found on Rakuten Travel for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 2026-10-31 – 2026-12-23, for 2 adults in one room (checked 2026-10-24). 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.
An open-air bath over the lake, and the top review score
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.60/5 (1,675) · Agoda 9.0/10 (347) · 2,022 in total
- On the lake in the same Kurayoshi district, at Hawai Onsen in Yurihama
- Won a 2025 Rakuten Travel Award
Why it made the five
- An open-air bath over the lake, which the listing bills for its view.
- 4.60 across 1,675 reviews, bath rated 4.66 — both the best of the five.
- Several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean.
- About ¥17,000–21,000 per person on a weeknight and ¥22,000–30,000 on a Saturday with two meals — the lowest Saturday rate of the five.
Getting there: About ten minutes from Kurayoshi station on the JR San’in line, per Rakuten; the nearest station is Matsuzaki. A shuttle bus is listed among the facilities without times, so ask when you book. By car, about 80 minutes from Innosho IC on the Chugoku Expressway via Route 179; parking for 100 cars is free.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UC, DC, UFJ and JTB cards. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Breakfast is a buffet; dinner is in a banquet room or the dining room.
-
Right for: Watching the lake from an open-air bath, at the inn with the surest reviews here.
-
Not for: Strolling the Misasa onsen town after dinner — this inn is at Hawai Onsen, a different town.
-
Worth knowing: It is at Hawai Onsen in Yurihama, not in Misasa. Last check-in is 18:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per adult is extra.
Score breakdown — 82/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.61 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥17,000–21,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 92% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | About ten minutes from Kurayoshi station on the San’in line, nearest station Matsuzaki; an open-air bath over the lake and a communal bath; a shuttle bus is listed, with no times given; several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean; buffet breakfast, dinner in a banquet room or the dining room; Visa, Mastercard, JCB and other cards accepted. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.6 across 1,675 reviews (Rakuten Travel 1,675) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | Rakuten’s listing bills its open-air bath over the lake and the lakeside view, and the inn won a 2025 Rakuten Travel Award. |
The most-reviewed inn here, with many baths and a sauna
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.48/5 (2,322) · Agoda 8.7/10 (390) · 2,712 in total
- A 74-room inn, billed in its listing on its many bathing spots
- A radium spring feeds the communal bath
Why it made the five
- A radium hot spring with a communal bath, open-air bath, sauna and cold plunge; bath rated 4.60.
- 2,322 reviews — the most of the five — averaging 4.48.
- Non-smoking throughout, terraces included.
- From about ¥18,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight.
Getting there: About 20 minutes by the Misasa Onsen bus from Kurayoshi station, or about 15 minutes by taxi. A shuttle bus is listed among the facilities without times, so ask when you book. By car, about 70 minutes from Innosho IC on the Chugoku Expressway via Route 179.
Language and payment: English support is not published, so ask when you book. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, DC, UFJ and Rakuten cards. People with tattoos may not use the communal baths. Breakfast is a buffet; dinner is in a banquet room or the dining room.
-
Right for: Trying several baths in one stay, at an inn with thousands of reviews behind it.
-
Not for: Having a tattoo — the communal baths are closed to you — or wanting a small, quiet inn.
-
Worth knowing: The communal baths are closed to anyone with a tattoo. Phone if you will arrive after 18:00; the last dinner sitting starts at 19:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per adult is extra.
Score breakdown — 72/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.51 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥18,000–74,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 100% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | About 20 minutes by the Misasa Onsen bus from Kurayoshi station, or 15 by taxi; a radium hot spring with a communal bath, open-air bath, sauna and cold plunge; non-smoking throughout, terraces included; a shuttle bus is listed, with no times given; buffet breakfast, dinner in a banquet room or the dining room; Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and other cards accepted. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.48 across 2,322 reviews (Rakuten Travel 2,322) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | A 74-room inn that bills itself on its many bathing spots, and its 2,322 reviews are the most of the five. |
Ten rooms, free-flowing spring water, meals in private rooms
Misasa Onsen Kizukuri no Yado Hashizuya
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.42/5 (579) · Agoda 8.8/10 (136) · 715 in total
- A ten-room inn built of wood
- The listing promises seasonal food
Why it made the five
- Ten rooms; both meals served in a private room.
- Dinner rated 4.68 — the best of the five; matsuba crab in winter, per the listing.
- Free-flowing natural hot spring in the communal and open-air baths, plus a family bath.
- Three minutes on foot from the Misasa Onsen bus stop.
Getting there: Take the Hinomaru bus from JR Kurayoshi station to Misasa Onsen, then walk three minutes. The inn does not run a pick-up from Kurayoshi station. Parking for 20 cars is free.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard and JCB cards. The family bath appears in Rakuten’s list of bath types without booking details, so ask how to use it.
-
Right for: A small inn where you eat both meals away from other guests.
-
Not for: Wanting a pick-up from the station, or arriving late.
-
Worth knowing: No pick-up from Kurayoshi station. Dinner starts between 18:00 and 19:00, breakfast between 7:30 and 8:30. Phone if you will check in after 18:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per person is extra.
Score breakdown — 68/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★☆☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.47 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥19,000–22,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 101% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Both meals in a private room; the Hinomaru bus from Kurayoshi station to Misasa Onsen, then three minutes on foot; free-flowing natural hot spring in a communal bath and an open-air bath; a family bath; ten rooms in all; Visa, Mastercard and JCB accepted. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.42 across 579 reviews (Rakuten Travel 579) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | A ten-room wooden inn with a free-flowing open-air bath and both meals in a private room; its 4.68 dinner score is the best of the five. |
A kids’ park and a private open-air bath for families
Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Saiki Bekkan
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.03/5 (1,408) · Agoda 7.8/10 (37) · 1,445 in total
- The listing bills it as a hot-spring inn the whole family can enjoy
- A ganbanyoku is a heated stone bed you lie on
- The communal bath has an open-air section besides the paid private one
Why it made the five
- From about ¥16,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight — the cheapest of the five.
- A kids’ park, a premium lounge and a lit-up Japanese garden.
- A paid private open-air bath, a sauna and a ganbanyoku.
- Check-out 11:00 and last check-in 19:00 — the latest of the five on both.
Getting there: About 20 minutes by the Misasa Onsen bus from JR Kurayoshi station, or about 15 minutes by car. A shuttle bus is listed among the facilities without times, so ask when you book. About 55 minutes by car from Innosho IC on the Chugoku Expressway; parking for 100 cars is free.
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 and JTB cards, among others. Wi-Fi works throughout the building, wheelchairs are accepted and one can be borrowed.
-
Right for: A family with children who want an open-air bath to themselves.
-
Not for: Choosing by review score, or wanting a small, quiet inn.
-
Worth knowing: The private open-air bath costs extra. Its 4.03 average is the lowest of the five. Phone without fail if you will arrive after 19:00.
Score breakdown — 58/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★☆☆☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.04 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥16,000–25,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 85% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00, last check-in 19:00; about 20 minutes by the Misasa Onsen bus from JR Kurayoshi station, or 15 by car; a paid private open-air bath, an open-air communal bath, a sauna and a ganbanyoku; a kids’ park, a premium lounge and a lit-up Japanese garden; Wi-Fi throughout; wheelchair-accessible, with wheelchairs to borrow; Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and other cards accepted. |
| Trust | ★☆☆☆☆ | 4.03 across 1,408 reviews (Rakuten Travel 1,408) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | A kids’ park, a paid private open-air bath and a ganbanyoku, at an inn its listing bills as one the whole family can enjoy. |
A listed heritage inn with its own bubbling cave bath
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.38/5 (282)
- The building itself is the Registered Tangible Cultural Property
- Gankutsu no Yu means the cave bath
Why it made the five
- A Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan; 20 rooms.
- Five private sources, three of them bubbling up naturally, and the Gankutsu no Yu cave bath; an open-air bath too.
- Several staff understand a little English; Wi-Fi in the rooms.
- Bath rated 4.56, dinner 4.58.
Getting there: About 20 minutes by bus from Kurayoshi station on the JR San’in line. A shuttle bus is listed among the facilities without times, so ask when you book. By car, about 50 minutes from Innosho IC on the Chugoku Expressway via Route 179; parking for 30 cars is free. The inn also suggests flying ANA from Haneda to Tottori and taking the bus on to Kurayoshi.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English. Rakuten lists Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, DC, NICOS, Saison and AEON cards — Mastercard is not among them. Wi-Fi works in the rooms. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book.
-
Right for: Sleeping in a historic building and bathing in water that wells up on its own.
-
Not for: Wanting meals in your room — both are in the dining room, at a place the inn chooses — or keeping costs down.
-
Worth knowing: The inn decides where you eat. Phone if you will check in after 18:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per person is extra.
Score breakdown — 57/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★☆☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.48 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | ¥32,000–67,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 173% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | About 20 minutes by bus from JR Kurayoshi station; five private sources, three bubbling up naturally, with the Gankutsu no Yu and an open-air bath; several staff understand a little English; Wi-Fi in the rooms; both meals in the dining room; Visa, JCB, American Express and other cards accepted. |
| Trust | ★★☆☆☆ | 4.38 across 282 reviews (Rakuten Travel 282) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | The building is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property, and its signature Gankutsu no Yu draws on its own sources, three of the five bubbling up naturally. |
Know before you book
- Kurayoshi station on the JR San’in line is the gateway. From the Shinkansen, change at Himeji for the Super Hakuto limited express to Kurayoshi; by air, ANA flies from Haneda to Tottori, with a bus on to Kurayoshi.
- The onsen town is not at the station. The inns put Misasa about 20 minutes from Kurayoshi station by the Misasa Onsen bus, or about 15 by taxi. Four of the five list a shuttle bus among their facilities but publish no times, so ask when you book; Hashizuya says it runs no pick-up.
- Misasa’s water is a radium spring, carrying traces of radon — four of the five list it that way. The baths are used like any Japanese communal bath: wash at the taps first, then soak, no swimwear.
- Hawai Onsen is a separate hot-spring town on the shore of Lake Togo, in Yurihama, in the same Kurayoshi district. One of the five, Bokoro, is there rather than in Misasa — about ten minutes from Kurayoshi station, per Rakuten.
- Ryokan dinners are served at set times, so arrival matters. Last check-in at these five runs from 18:00 to 19:00; Misasakan, Hashizuya and Ohashi ask you to phone if you will arrive after 18:00, and Saiki Bekkan after 19:00.
- Prices here are per person with dinner and breakfast, for two sharing. Bokoro, Misasakan, Hashizuya and Ohashi add a ¥150 bathing tax per adult on top.
How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring
How we chose
- Candidates: every property in Misasa Onsen listed on Rakuten Travel — 33
- Passed the review filter (counts and averages on Rakuten Travel, the one site that lists every property in the area): 22
- Met every condition below: 5
- 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 Kurayoshi and Misasa Onsen district of Tottori, with a hot spring
- At least 30 reviews on Rakuten Travel, averaging 4.0 or better
- The cheapest rate falls between ¥10,000 and ¥40,000 per person per night
- An open-air hot-spring bath — the communal one counts; private and in-room open-air baths are mentioned as a bonus
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.
- Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest rate with dinner and breakfast against the median of the inns we compared.
- Easy to stay30 pts
- Access from the station, the baths, where meals are served, and check-in and check-out times.
- Trust20 pts
- Review counts and averages published by Rakuten Travel.
- Only here5 pts
- What this inn has that the other four do not.
What we dropped
| Property | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Kiya Ryokan | Outside the theme | 4.40 across 247 reviews at a 14-room wooden inn founded in 1868 and listed as a cultural property, but its listing gives an indoor bath, a steam bath and a family bath — no open-air bath. |
| Misasa Onsen Kakure Wayado Iwayu | Outside the theme | 4.27 across 409 reviews at a seven-room inn, but its listing shows only a communal bath, so we could not confirm an open-air bath. |
| Misasa Onsen Izanro Iwasaki | Outside the theme | 4.43 across 2,224 reviews and founded in 1920, with a large garden bath, but its cheapest rate falls below our ¥10,000 floor. |
| Misasa Onsen Chikuma Ryokan | Outside the theme | 4.69 across 43 reviews at an eight-room inn run by three generations of women, but its cheapest rate falls below our ¥10,000 floor. |
Questions visitors ask
Which one would you book?
Hawai Onsen Bokoro, the top score of the five at 82/100. It has an open-air bath over the lake and the best reviews here, 4.60 across 1,675, with a bath score of 4.66; several staff understand a little English. It runs about ¥17,000–21,000 per person on a weeknight and ¥22,000–30,000 on a Saturday with two meals. It is at Hawai Onsen, though — if you want to be in Misasa itself, Misasakan is next at 72/100.
Which is the cheapest?
On a weeknight, Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Saiki Bekkan, from about ¥16,000 per person with two meals. On a Saturday, Hawai Onsen Bokoro is the lowest of the five, from about ¥22,000. Ryokan Ohashi is the dearest on both, from about ¥32,000 on a weeknight.
How do I get to Misasa from Kurayoshi station?
By the Misasa Onsen bus from Kurayoshi station, about 20 minutes, or about 15 minutes by taxi, per the inns. Hashizuya is three minutes on foot from the Misasa Onsen bus stop and runs no pick-up. Bokoro, Misasakan, Saiki Bekkan and Ohashi list a shuttle bus but publish no times, so ask when you book. Bokoro, at Hawai Onsen, is about ten minutes from Kurayoshi station.
What is a radium hot spring?
Water that carries traces of radon, a gas given off by radium in the rock. It is what Misasa is known for, and Misasakan, Hashizuya, Saiki Bekkan and Ohashi all list their water as a radium spring. You bathe in it like any other onsen. Bokoro, at Hawai Onsen, lists a different kind of water.
Can I use the baths with a tattoo, or bathe privately?
Only Misasakan publishes a rule: people with tattoos may not use its communal baths. The other four publish nothing, so ask when you book. For a bath without strangers, Saiki Bekkan has a private open-air bath you pay extra for, and Hashizuya lists a family bath — ask how to book it. Japanese communal baths are used nude: wash at the taps first, then soak.
When were these prices checked?
We searched Rakuten Travel availability for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 31 October and 23 December 2026, taking the cheapest plan with dinner and breakfast for two adults and showing it per person (checked 24 October 2026). Bokoro, Misasakan, Hashizuya and Ohashi add a ¥150 bathing tax on top. Prices move daily — the link on each inn shows today’s.
Changes
- 2026-10-29 First published. Scored from 33 candidates.