Onsen Day Trip in Hakone — Tenzan vs. Matsuzakaya Honten (prices, tattoo policy, booking)

What to expect

You don't need to book an overnight ryokan stay to experience a proper Hakone onsen — a cluster of properties across the town open their baths for day visits, and two very different options cover the budget-to-premium range.

Tenzan Onsen, in the Yumoto area, is a large day-use bathhouse complex with several outdoor baths set among trees, a small sauna, a restaurant, a café and tatami rest areas. Entry is ¥1,450 for adults and ¥700 for children, it's open 9 AM to 11 PM every day, and there's no reservation — just show up (a free shuttle bus runs from Hakone-Yumoto Station, about 10 minutes). It's also one of the few traditional Hakone bathhouses that openly welcomes tattooed guests, though the policy comes with real conditions (see etiquette below).

Matsuzakaya Honten, a Meiji-era inn in Miyanoshita, takes the opposite approach: five private open-air bath rooms, each with its own shower booth and powder room, booked in a fixed 120-minute slot — 60 minutes of bathing plus 60 minutes resting in a lounge with free drinks. It costs ¥17,600 per room for one or two people (additional adults are ¥8,800 each, up to four total), and reservations are by phone only, accepted from seven days before your visit. Hours run 12 PM to 8 PM, with last admission at 6 PM.

Tenzan vs. Matsuzakaya Honten — which to choose

If you want something spontaneous and inexpensive — the kind of stop you can decide on the same afternoon — Tenzan is the clear pick: no booking, a full day's opening window, and a genuinely large complex of baths to explore. It suits solo travelers, budget-conscious visitors, and anyone breaking up a sightseeing day with a soak before heading back to Tokyo.

Matsuzakaya Honten suits couples or anyone who wants complete privacy without paying for an overnight stay — the per-room pricing means two people split ¥17,600 rather than paying a high per-person rate, and the free drinks and lounge time make the 120 minutes feel like a proper occasion rather than a quick dip. It requires planning a week ahead by phone, so it's not a same-day decision the way Tenzan is.

Etiquette in brief

Wash thoroughly at the shower stations before getting into any bath — non-negotiable at both properties. Tenzan's tattoo policy is real, but specific: only one tattooed person is admitted per group (a second tattooed companion means neither of you is admitted, even entering separately), and tattoos must be covered outside the water. For the complete picture on onsen etiquette and tattoo policies across Japan, see our onsen etiquette and tattoo guide — it's the natural next stop if this is your first onsen.

Getting there

Tenzan sits in the Yumoto area, reachable by a free shuttle from Hakone-Yumoto Station in about 10 minutes. Matsuzakaya Honten is in Miyanoshita, a short walk from Miyanoshita Station on the Hakone Tozan Line, a few stops further into the mountains. If you're spending the day in Hakone, our yosegi-zaiku workshop in nearby Hatajuku pairs naturally with either bath — craft in the morning, onsen before the train back. For more of Japan's cultural experiences, see our best cultural experiences in Japan guide.