Perfect for when you’ve got to fly, but want to soak.
Generally, when it comes to hot springs in Japan, you can pick two of the following three things: convenient location, beautiful view, and not crowded. Someplace with a convenient location and nice scenery? Be prepared to share the tub with a whole lot of other people. Great view and small crowds? Probably going to have to be some small, hidden place way off the beaten path. Centrally located but not crowded? Odds are it’s because the ambiance isn’t that impressive.
But it turns out sometimes you can have it all, like we did on our recent visit to Senshu no Yu.
▼ Natural Hot Spring Senshu no Yu (天然温泉 泉州の湯)
Senshu is the old name for the Osaka region, and yes, Senshu no Yu is located within Osaka Prefecture. As a matter of fact, it’s located very close to Kansai International Airport, central Japan’s largest air travel hub. Kansai International is on an island that’s connected to the mainland by the Sky Gate Bride R, and as soon as you get across it, siting right there is Senshu no Yu.
The bathhouse is about a 10-minute walk from Rinku Town Station on the Nankai Airport Line/JR Kansai Airport Line, which is itself only a six-minute ride from the airport, so this is a very convenient location is you’re looking to enjoy a hot spring bath as soon as possible after arriving in Japan, or maybe to indulge in one more right before you fly home. As for the view, it’s quite beautiful, with both the glass-in indoor and open-air baths giving you expansive lines of sight out across the bay.
OK, so this place has to be packed, right?
Let’s head on in from the first-floor entrance, up to the lobby on the second floor, and…
…huh.
It’s not like the interior is run-down or short on amenities, either. Everything was invitingly clean, from the tatami-floor relaxation space with shelves of manga to read to the cafe. If you want something more substantial to eat, there’s also a restaurant…
…with a nice, chill vibe and more great views.
OK…so is this place super pricey? Nope. Weekday admission is 900 yen (US$5.65), and on weekends and holidays they charge 1,000. If you didn’t bring your own towel, hand towels can be rented for 100 yen, and bath towels for 200.
▼ Entrance to the baths
Senshu no Yu was even chosen among the country’s top 30 scenic-view hot springs by users of Japanese Internet portal Nifty.
So what’s the catch? We’re not entirely sure, but it might have something to do with what most travelers think of when they hear “Osaka.” Osaka City is Japan’s third-largest city by population, and brings to mind the bustling streets of the Dotonbori canal district and its huge selection of shops and restaurants. Senshu no Yu, though located inside Osaka Prefecture, is in the town of Izumisano, which is way on the southern outskirts of Osaka City.
Downtown Osaka is about an hour by train to the northeast of Senshu no Yu, and there’s not much in the way of sightseeing attractions in any other direction once you get across the bridge from the airport. The result is that most people just zoom right past the neighborhood without ever realizing why it’s worth making a special stop in.
It should be noted that there is a hotel next door to Senshu no Yu, and with more and more travelers coming to Japan, it might not have its hidden-in-plain-view status for long. For now, though, it’s a rare chance to enjoy a hot spring soak without having to compromise on convenience, ambiance, or crowdedness.
Hot spring information
Tenshu no Yu / 泉州の湯
Address: Osaka-fu, Izumisano-shi, Rinku Town Orai Kita 1-23
大阪府泉佐野市りんくう往来北1-23
Open 7 a.m.-midnight
Website
Bath image: Tenshu no Yu
All other photos ©SoraNews24
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