Reservable private bathTattoo-friendly area
Sennennoyu Koman
Two free private baths in the annex, filled with source water (room baths are not onsen by local ordinance)
from ~$173 / nightView stay →
Most shared baths in Japan still say no. These three towns say yes — officially.
The standard rule at a Japanese public bath is blunt: tattoos stay out. A few towns have formally dropped that rule for their public baths. We list three — the three where an official source says so in words we can link to, rather than the longer list that circulates in roundups. If a town is missing here, it means we could not find the official source, not that we know it refuses anyone. Each town below links its source; check it before you travel, because policies do change.
Kinosaki Onsen — the whole town, all seven baths
All seven of Kinosaki Onsen's public baths welcome tattooed guests — any size of tattoo, no cover-up required. Kinosaki is the clear case: the town is built around strolling between its seven public baths, and the welcome covers every one of them — decorative tattoos included, per the town's own FAQ. The Kinosaki tattoo guide →
Source: Visit Kinosaki — official tourism guide. Policies can change; if a shared bath matters to your trip, check the source before you go.
Private-bath stays in Kinosaki Onsen
See all private-onsen properties in Kinosaki Onsen →
Kusatsu Onsen — the three town baths
Kusatsu Onsen's three public baths (Gozanoyu, Otakinoyu and Sainokawara) do not refuse entry to tattooed guests, according to the official Gozanoyu FAQ. The three baths are Gozanoyu and Otakinoyu by the Yubatake field, and the open-air Sainokawara in the park above town. The Kusatsu tattoo guide →
Source: Kusatsu Onsen — Gozanoyu official FAQ. Policies can change; if a shared bath matters to your trip, check the source before you go.
Private-bath stays in Kusatsu Onsen
Private open-air bath in your roomTattoo-friendly area
Yuyado Tokino Niwa
Rooms with open-air bath
from ~$411 / nightView stay →
In-room bath + reservable private bathTattoo-friendly area
Urakusatsu Tou
Half open-air bath rooms; hourly fee-based private outdoor bath
from ~$233 / nightView stay →
Private open-air bath in your roomTattoo-friendly area
Rakuten STAY VILLA Kusatsu Onsen
Every unit has a private hot spring bath (open-air not specified)
from ~$211 / nightView stay →
See all private-onsen properties in Kusatsu Onsen →
Beppu — a city map of 100 springs
The City of Beppu's official Enjoy Onsen guide maps 100 tattoo-friendly hot springs across the city. Beppu does it by map rather than by blanket rule: the city's guide marks around a hundred springs across its districts, noting which welcome tattooed guests in the shared bath, which offer a private bath instead, and where the foot baths are. The Beppu tattoo guide →
Source: City of Beppu — Enjoy Onsen official guide. Policies can change; if a shared bath matters to your trip, check the source before you go.
Private-bath stays in Beppu
Private open-air bath in your roomTattoo-friendly area
ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa
Rooms with private onsen
from ~$440 / nightView stay →
Private open-air bath in your roomTattoo-friendly area
Sekiya Resort Galleria Midobaru
Rooms with semi open-air bath
from ~$319 / nightView stay →
Private open-air bath in your roomTattoo-friendly area
Ishinoya Beppu
Rooms with open-air bath
from ~$255 / nightView stay →
And everywhere else on this site, it never comes up. Every property listed here has a private bath — a reservable private bath or an open-air bath in your own room — so tattoos are a non-issue, and so is privacy. A private bath has no shared-bath rulebook — the tattoo question simply disappears.
Prices are a guide from rates checked on Klook in November 2026 and change by date and room type — always confirm the live price on the booking page.