Kinugawa Onsen area guide: Free foot baths, bridges and NIKKO PASS coverage

Find two free Kinugawa foot baths, their hours and access from the station, and check which Tobu railway sections are covered by the NIKKO PASS World Heritage Area ticket.

Last checked:

  • Tochigi
  • Hot springs
  • Free attractions

Kinugawa Onsen () is a hot spring town near Nikko. Even without staying overnight, you can visit two free foot baths. This article uses official information from the Nikko City Tourism Association and Tobu Railway (checked on 2026-10-28). The official pages do not provide hotel check-in times or room prices, so these are not included. Return to the Tochigi travel guide.

Key points

  • Kinuta no Yu: free foot bath in front of Tobu Kinugawa-Onsen Station, open 9:00 to 18:00
  • Kinuko no Yu: free foot bath near Kuroganebashi Bridge, open 9:00 to 17:00; around 19 minutes’ walk from Kinugawa-Onsen Station; no parking
  • Tobu describes Kinugawa as “a hot spring resort in a picturesque valley”, a different area from Nikko
  • The NIKKO PASS World Heritage Area ticket includes Tobu lines serving the Kinugawa-Onsen area

Two free foot baths

Item Kinuta no Yu () Kinuko no Yu ()
Location Square in front of Tobu Kinugawa-Onsen Station, marked by the Kinuta character statue associated with the hot spring town Right bank near Kuroganebashi Bridge () over the Kinugawa River, 1-15 Fujiwara, Nikko City
Fee Free Free
Hours 9:00 to 18:00 9:00 to 17:00; the official site gives special hours of 11:00 to 18:00 on Friday 2 October 2026
Access Immediately outside Kinugawa-Onsen Station About 19 minutes’ walk from Kinugawa-Onsen Station
Parking Not stated on the official page No parking
Closing days Not listed on the official page Not listed on the official page

Passes

Official Tobu information (NIKKO PASS World Heritage Area, 3,000 yen for adults):

  • Coverage: all Tobu Railway lines between Shimo-Imaichi, Tobu-Nikko and Shin-Fujiwara, which includes Kinugawa-Onsen Station
  • Not every attraction has free admission: limited express tickets, Nikko shrine and temple admissions, Tobu World Square and EDO WONDERLAND Nikko Edomura admissions are excluded
  • The “Taiju” steam locomotive requires an additional reserved-seat ticket

Stay overnight or stop for half a day?

Your situation Suggestion
Stay overnight and use the hot springs Kinugawa is an onsen resort; accommodation prices and check-in times are not on the official pages, so ask the hotel
Extend a visit from Nikko Use the area covered by NIKKO PASS to visit the foot baths and onsen town
Just want a walk Visit Kinuta no Yu by the station, then walk to Kuroganebashi Bridge

Kinugawa has changes in elevation. The official pages do not describe whether the route is flat, so this article does not assess how easy the walk is.

Further reading: Tochigi transport guide and Nikko day trip.

Sources