Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu: A Natural Hot Spring by Imabari Station, Perfect After a Ride
After a long day on the Shimanami Kaido, few things beat soaking tired legs in a hot spring. Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu is a natural hot-spring “super sento” right by JR Imabari Station — the Shikoku-side gateway of the cycling route — so it is an easy, welcome stop whether you arrive by bike, train, or car. Best of all, you can turn up empty-handed.
A hot spring right by the station
Kisuke no Yu (formerly known simply as “Kisuke no Yu” and now branded Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu) is a large bathhouse-style complex packed with many kinds of baths under one roof. It sits close to JR Imabari Station, which makes it unusually convenient for travellers — you can finish a ride, check in your bike, and be soaking within minutes. Because it is a “super sento,” it is casual and easy to use, not a formal ryokan-style bath.
Come empty-handed — ideal for cyclists
This is the point that matters most on a cycling trip: you do not need to bring anything. Shampoo and body soap are stocked in the bathing area, and towels are available to rent, so you can walk in with nothing but yourself. After hours in the saddle or a long train journey, that convenience is hard to overstate.
The water and the baths
The spring is described as a high-tonic, weakly alkaline, low-temperature hot spring. The water carries a faint saltiness and a whiff of the sea (it is not for drinking), and it is said to warm the body well, with the warmth lingering after you get out. Please treat any traditional descriptions of “benefits” as folklore rather than medical claims.
Inside there are around ten different baths for each of the men’s and women’s areas. Highlights include a high-concentration carbonated open-air bath — step in and tiny bubbles cling to your skin like soda — as well as jet baths, a standing jet bath, a walking bath, and a large main bath. There are saunas too, including a gentler low-temperature sauna, plus a cold-water plunge to finish, so you can put together your own hot-and-cold circuit. The facility takes pride in its water, drawing on a generous flow and refreshing the tubs regularly.
Relax after your bath
The complex is genuinely well equipped for lingering. There is a lounge area with manga and magazines, free massage chairs, and an in-house hand-massage relaxation service if you want to be properly kneaded back to life. In other words, it is a great place to lose an hour or two and reset before the next leg of your trip.
Good to know before you go
How much does it cost? Admission for an adult is roughly 850–900 yen depending on the day (weekday or weekend/holiday), with cheaper member rates. Please check the latest prices on arrival.
What are the hours? It opens early for morning bathing and runs through to around midnight, with last entry roughly 45 minutes before closing. Hours can change, so check the official information before a late visit.
Parking: There is free parking (up to a few hours), so it works well if you are touring by car.
Tattoos and etiquette: As with any Japanese public bath, wash before entering the tubs and keep towels out of the water. If you have tattoos, it is worth checking the facility’s policy in advance.
Fit it into your Shimanami trip
Because it is right by the station, Kisuke no Yu makes a perfect bookend to a cycling day: soak away the fatigue as soon as you roll into Imabari, or freshen up before catching a train onward. It is also an easy call on a rest day or a rainy day, when you would rather relax indoors than push on across the bridges. Pair it with a bowl of Imabari’s famous yakibuta tamago meshi for lunch, or a visit to Imabari Castle, and you have a relaxed, satisfying day around the Shikoku end of the route.
Getting there from JR Imabari Station
On foot: Kisuke no Yu is right in front of JR Imabari Station — about a 1–2 minute walk. Come out of the station and you are practically there, so it is easy to find even with tired legs and a loaded bike.
Map: Open in Google Maps (1-2-30 Nakahiyoshi-cho, Imabari)
For cyclists: Because it sits at the station itself, this is the natural first stop after you roll into Imabari at the end of the Shimanami Kaido — soak first, then catch your train — or a place to freshen up before you start the ride the other way.
Facility information
Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu (しまなみ温泉 喜助の湯) — Imabari Station branch
Address: 1-2-30 Nakahiyoshi-cho, Imabari City, Ehime
Tel: 0898-22-0026
Hours: morning bath from early morning; main hours until around midnight (last entry roughly 45 minutes before closing)
Open year-round
Please check the latest hours and prices before visiting, as they may change.
Original article in Japanese: 「しまなみ温泉 喜助の湯」今治で天然温泉！
