Kamitoku no Yu: Imabari’s Natural Hot Spring, Open 6am to Midnight
South of central Imabari, a short hop inland from the JR line, Kamitoku no Yu is a large natural hot-spring bathhouse built around a genuine mineral spring rather than a heated pool. It suits almost anyone passing through the Shimanami Kaido area — solo cyclists, couples, families with small children — but its real selling point is timing: doors open at 6:00am and stay open until midnight, every single day.
Why go: a source-fed spring open from 6am to midnight
Most bathhouses near Imabari Station keep fairly ordinary hours. Kamitoku no Yu does not. It opens at 6:00am and runs until 24:00 (last entry 23:00), 365 days a year, with only two exceptions: closing at 18:00 on December 31 and opening from noon on January 1. For anyone riding the Shimanami Kaido, that schedule matters — soak before a dawn start, or arrive well after dark and still get in.
What’s inside
This is a large-format sento with around a dozen tubs: a main bath, an electric bath, a bubble bath, a carbonated bath, a reclining “nekorobi” bath, and a shallow walking bath popular with kids. The centrepiece is the outdoor source-fed bath — a single-person tub, more cauldron than pool, filled straight from the spring with nothing added or recirculated. The source itself runs cool rather than hot, so you can stay in for a long soak; the water runs light brown with a faint mineral, sea-like smell, classified as a sodium-calcium chloride spring (high-tonic, weakly alkaline, low-temperature). Treat any traditional talk of its “effects” — the facility lists muscle and joint pain, frozen shoulder, and general fatigue — as customary onsen lore rather than a medical claim. There is also a women-only rock-bed sauna (350 yen, loungewear and a towel included), a regular sauna with a cold plunge, and free recliners and massage chairs in the rest area.
Family baths, if you want privacy
Beyond the shared baths, there are seven private family rooms: five with a small open-air tub, two with a sauna instead. Handy for young children, couples, or anyone who would rather skip a communal bath. Shampoo, conditioner, soap and towels are all supplied. A smaller “duck bath” room with water toys for elementary-school-age children and younger can be booked ahead; the other six rooms cannot be reserved and run strictly first-come, first-served.
Prices and hours (current)
Main bath admission: 700 yen adult, 650 yen senior, 350 yen child (age 3 through 6th grade), 6:00am–24:00 (last entry 23:00). Arrived empty-handed? A hand-free set (towel plus toiletries) is 1,100 yen at the desk.
Family rooms run 6:00am–23:00 (last entry 22:00): 3,200 yen/hour open-air, 3,700 yen/hour with sauna, plus 30-minute extensions (1,100 / 1,300 yen). Parking is free, 163 spaces. A few prices run higher during Golden Week, Obon, and New Year — check kamitokunoyu.jp beforehand.
Getting there from JR Imabari Station
Distance and time: about 3.8km from JR Imabari Station, roughly an 8-minute drive by the facility’s own figures — not a walking-distance stop like some baths right by the station.
Map: Open in Google Maps (711-1 Kamitoku-ko, Imabari City, Ehime)
For cyclists: a taxi or a short pedal covers the 3.8km easily on flat roads — a manageable detour, not a climb. Arriving by train instead of by bike? The local Iyo-Tomita Station is much closer, about 0.45km, roughly a 10-minute walk. Either way, this is a stop you plan into your day rather than one you pass on a ride — which is exactly why the long hours matter: a short detour buys you flexibility no in-town bath offers.
Working it into a Shimanami day
Two situations make the detour worth it. Starting a long ride early to beat summer heat, with no bath at last night’s cyclist lodging? A 6:00am opening means you can shower and soak before you even pedal off. Rolling back into Imabari well after dark? Plenty of nearby baths close by 22:00–23:00 — this one keeps going until midnight. On a rest day, the family rooms suit anyone who would rather skip a shared bath.
Prefer to stay right at the station? Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu is the walk-up option. Pair a soak with picking up or returning a rental bike (see our rental cycling guide), the viewpoint at Itoyama Park, or an afternoon at Imabari Castle.
FAQ
Do I need to book the family bath? No. The open-air and sauna family rooms are first-come, first-served; only the smaller “duck bath” for young children can be reserved ahead.
Are towels and toiletries provided? Not as standard in the main baths — rent the 1,100-yen hand-free set, or bring your own. The private family rooms include shampoo, conditioner, soap, and towels.
Can I bathe with tattoos? No. As posted at the facility, guests with tattoos, along with pets, are not admitted — the standard policy at most public baths in this part of Japan.
Is there an age limit for mixed bathing with a parent? Allowed up to age 6; from age 7, children must use the bath area matching their own gender.
Anything else? Wash before entering the tubs, keep towels out of the water, and expect slightly higher prices during Golden Week, Obon, and New Year.
Original article in Japanese: 「かみとくの湯」源泉の露天風呂が気持ちいい家族風呂もある今治の温泉
