Funaoka Onsen

Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

Contact Details

Category

Facilities

Warm bath:

Cold bath:

Herb bath:

Mineral bath:

Outside bath:

Sauna:

Steam sauna:

Electric bath:

Experience Reviews

A bit of a walk away from Kuramaguchi subway station on the Karasuma line lies the old Funaoka Onsen. By some it's classified as one of the most unique public baths in Japan, others say it's the best bath in Kyoto. One of its supporters is the Lonely Planet, listing it in its Japan Guide Book. So I decided to check it out.

The entrance is marked with a big stone and the traditional noren hanging in the door opening. A small entrance hall houses the shoe lockers and the counter. After paying I enter the changing area. At first glance it looks just like any other bath house, but when I look up I notice the ceiling is covered with woodcarvings. The wood Japanese cedar, or so I've been told. The changing area is seperated from the bathing area by a small bridge over a pond set in a small garden. The bathing area is fairly standard, with faucets lining one wall and a bigger than usual hot bath lining the other. At the back is a small sauna and a cold water bath fed with water running from a lion's mouth. The small outside bathing area is incorporated in the small garden-with-pond mentioned earlier and is home to only one bath. It's quite a nice bath though. The bath tub is made of wood and the scent of the wood fills the air around the bath, which is quite relaxing.

The closest subway station is Kuramaguchi on the Karasuma line, a good 15 minutes walk. Buses to other parts of Kyoto, including the station depart from several different bus stops on the bigger roads surrounding the city block of Funaoka Onsen. The entrance fee is ¥380. I really enjoyed my visit to this sento.

Map