Ryusen no Yu — Hotel in Narita

This is as local you can get in narita for a public onsen.

You enter and have to store your footwear and big belongings into a locker. Thereafter, you enter another door where you purchase your pass from a vending machine. I had guidance given my Japanese illiteracy and purchased the hot springs day pass combined with a meal for 2000 yen (you could buy a day pass for about 880 yen). I needed a towel too for 200 yen. Based on what I observed, the locals will bring their own wash towels, shampoo, body wash and scrub.

Note: the vending machine only takes cash.

Entering the changing area, there are lockers which require a 100 yen coin to lock it (refunded when you unlock it). Once you're all stripped down, you can head over to the onsen for the experience.

Based on customs, you are to wash yourself before entering the hot springs. The indoor area has 3 pools- one like a jacuzzi, another standard hot springs pool and a cold pool.

The outdoor area has 5 individual bowls filled with hot onsen water, another hot spring pool and a blue carbonated pool. The carbonated pool seemed the most popular as its temperature is about 37-38 deg - comfortable body temperature. The hot spring pools are great outdoors in cooler weather but its 42 to 43 deg C can get unbearable after a while.

There are seats and benches in the outdoor area to cool off before dipping again. In between the indoor and outdoor area is a sauna too.

All in all, a great experience but I would not recommend the post onsen meal. Too much rice and too little meat. Just go for the...

Nice and clean bath house. Here is my experience: remove shoes and put them in a locker. Buy bath ticket with cash from a vending machine. Exchange shoes locker key with a water proof wrist band. Go in locker room. Take off all the clothes and put it in a locker. No bathing suit. Use 100yen coin to lock it. In the bath area, rinse/ wash your self in shower. Go in indoor and outdoor spring pools. The outdoor area is very nice. One hot spring, one very hot spring, and several “big bowls” to immerse into. The outdoor area was decorated with natural elements. Tons of trees and big stones, like a Japanese garden. Inside there is a jet pool, hot pool and a cold pool. There is also a sauna. They drip water onto hot hot charcoals. It’s serious streaming! Plan to spend 10 seconds there.

There is food and resting areas. I had a machine massage in the rest area. It’s pretty good. I didn’t want to move anything afterwards :-)

It’s open until mid night. 10 minutes taxi from...

Overall good experience. There didn't seem to be any other foreigners, and right up front they ask several times about tattoos (not allowed). Basic process: take off your shoes and put them in a locker. Walk around in your socks or bare feet. Go to ticket machine, pay for what you want. Take ticket and shoe locker key to front, get a bag with small towel and big towel (We did the "big towel" rental but honestly you don't need it). Go to changing room and get naked, take a shower. Then go to the hot tubs. There were three inside (two hot, one cold), and then an outside mineral bath, a regular hot bath, and five individual baths. Plus a dry sauna and some areas to sit. Inside (wear your street clothes, or rent a robe up front) is a relaxation area...