Ito Onsen public baths: the 'Seven Lucky Gods' sento — prices (¥200–400), hours and a walking order from Ito Station
Ito Onsen (Ito, Shizuoka) has about ten public bathhouses in the town centre where a soak costs ¥200–400, and seven of them are the 'Shichifukujin no Yu' — each with a stone statue of one of the Seven Lucky Gods at the entrance. The nearest to Ito Station, Yugawa Benten-no-Yu, is a 5-minute walk. Baths open in the afternoon (mostly around 14:00) and close about 22:00, with one closing day a week. Below, the three baths whose details appear on the Ito Tourist Association's official pages come first; the rest are listed with the source of each figure.
The seven baths and their gods
| God | Bath | District |
|---|---|---|
| Benzaiten | Yugawa Benten-no-Yu | Yugawa |
| Daikokuten | Matsubara Daikokuten-no-Yu | Matsubara-honcho |
| Jurojin | Wada Jurojin-no-Yu (Wada Yu Kaikan) | Takenouchi |
| Bishamonten | Bishamonten Shiba-no-Yu | Shiba-cho |
| Hotei | Oka Hotei-no-Yu | Sakuragi-cho |
| Fukurokuju | Kamata Fukurokuju-no-Yu | Miyagawa-cho |
| Ebisu | Ebisu Arai-no-Yu | Arai |
The tourist association describes Shiba-no-Yu as the largest of the seven, Wada as the oldest — its water was presented to the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in the Edo period — and Yugawa Benten-no-Yu as the handy one near the station.
Hours, fees and closing days (with source)
Three baths have address, hours, closing day and phone on the tourist association's official model-course page (as of 2026-09-12):
| Bath | Address | Hours | Closed | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ebisu Arai-no-Yu | 1-9-4 Arai | 13:00–22:00 | Mon, plus 4th Tue of odd months | 0557-37-2246 |
| Bishamonten Shiba-no-Yu | 2-3 Shiba-cho | 14:00–22:00 | Tue | 0557-36-3377 |
| Wada Jurojin-no-Yu | 2-7-24 Takenouchi | 14:00–22:00 (changed from 14:30–22:30 on 2025-01-04) | Wed | 0557-37-0633 |
The remaining figures come from the Mapple guide listing (no survey date shown). The notice at the door is authoritative; call ahead if it matters.
| Bath | Address | Hours (listed) | Fee (listed) | Nearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yugawa Benten-no-Yu | 2-9-9 Yugawa | 14:00–22:00 | Adult ¥250, child ¥100 | Ito Stn 5 min walk |
| Matsubara Daikokuten-no-Yu | 13-3 Matsubara-honcho | 15:00–22:00 | Adult ¥400, child ¥200 (private bath ¥800/50 min) | Ito Stn 10 min |
| Oka Hotei-no-Yu | 2-2-16 Sakuragi-cho | 14:00–21:30 | Adult ¥250, under-12s free (private bath from ¥500/hr) | 5 min by taxi |
| Kamata Fukurokuju-no-Yu | 1-2-16 Miyagawa-cho | 14:00–22:00 | Adult ¥300, child ¥190 (private bath ¥900/50 min) | Minami-Ito Stn 5 min |
| Yugawa No.1 (Komochi-yu) | 1-16-10 Yugawa | 14:00–21:30 | Adult ¥250, child ¥100 | next to Ito Stn |
| Yugawa No.3 Shiodome-no-Yu | 4-1-6 Yugawa | 14:00–22:00 | Adult ¥250, child ¥100 | Ito Stn 7 min |
| Ogawa Hotei-no-Yu | 2-17 Suehiro-cho | 14:00–21:00 | Adult ¥250, child ¥130 (private bath ¥660) | Ito Stn 10 min |
Listed fees differ by ¥50–100 between guides, which is why this article says '¥200–400' and asks you to trust the ticket machine on the day.
A walking order from Ito Station (no car, 2–3 hours)
The official model course goes by Tokai Bus to the fish market, then Arai Shrine → Ebisu Arai-no-Yu → Butsugen-ji → Shiba-no-Yu → Wada, about 6 hours including shrines and a tea shop. For baths only, start nearest the station:
- Yugawa Benten-no-Yu (5 min from the station) — arrive for the 14:00 opening
- Yugawa No.1 / Shiodome-no-Yu (0–7 min) — same district, if you have time
- Matsubara Daikokuten-no-Yu (10 min) — opens 15:00, so not first
- Wada Jurojin-no-Yu (10 min from Matsubara) — the oldest; turn back here
- Bishamonten Shiba-no-Yu (10 min from Wada) — the largest, four family baths
- Ebisu Arai-no-Yu (10 min, port side) — return by Tokai Bus from 'Uoichiba'
Oka Hotei-no-Yu and Kamata Fukurokuju-no-Yu are away from the centre (Sakuragi-cho, Minami-Ito Station); take the Izukyu Line one stop or save them for another day.
Before you go in
- Bring your own towel and soap. Unlike hotel baths, nothing is provided, or it costs extra.
- Cash only, at a ticket machine or the front desk.
- Wash before entering the tub. Many baths are 'Ito style' with the tub in the middle of the room and a small washing area.
- The water runs hot; add cold water gradually if there is a tap.
- We do not make claims about mineral content or health effects — read the notice at each bath.
How and when this was checked
Compared on 2026-09-12 against the Ito Tourist Association's official pages (onsen information; shrine-and-bath model course) and the Mapple and Yubito listings. Figures change; call the Ito Station tourist office (0557-37-6105) or the bath before you go.
FAQ
- How much do Ito's public baths cost?
- ¥200–400 for adults (listed values as of 2026-09-12). Few official pages state the fee and guides differ by ¥50–100, so the ticket machine at the door is authoritative.
- Which public bath is nearest Ito Station?
- Yugawa Benten-no-Yu (2-9-9 Yugawa), a 5-minute walk. Yugawa No.1 bath (Komochi-yu) is right by the station.
- What are the 'Seven Lucky Gods baths'?
- Seven of Ito Onsen's neighbourhood bathhouses, each with a statue of one of the Shichifukujin at the entrance: Yugawa Benten, Matsubara Daikokuten, Wada Jurojin, Bishamonten Shiba, Oka Hotei, Kamata Fukurokuju and Ebisu Arai.
- How long does it take to visit all seven?
- The five town-centre baths are within a 10-minute walk of each other; at 20–30 minutes per bath allow 2–3 hours. Add half a day for the two near Minami-Ito Station.
- When are they closed?
- One day a week, different for each bath. Officially: Ebisu Arai-no-Yu Monday (plus the 4th Tuesday of odd months), Shiba-no-Yu Tuesday, Wada Wednesday (as of 2026-09-12). Call to confirm the others.