Kurokawa Onsen guide: Bathing pass, prices and day-trip planning

Learn about Kurokawa Onsen's wooden Nyuto Tegata pass for three outdoor baths, why an officially listed 1,300 yen price may be outdated, and what to check before planning a day at the hot springs.

Last checked:

  • Kumamoto
  • Hot springs
  • Day trips

Kurokawa Onsen () is a hot spring town in Minamioguni, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture. Its best-known feature is the Nyuto Tegata bathing pass (): a wooden token that lets visitors choose open-air baths at participating inns. This article summarizes official information. Reliable official information about the current pass price was not available for this article; the reason is explained below. For other Kumamoto destinations, see the Aso volcano guide.

Key points

  • Location: Kurokawa, Manganji, Minamioguni ()
  • The Nyuto Tegata allows bathing in 3 open-air baths.
  • The Minamioguni Town Office page gives a price of 1,300 yen, but this may be outdated; see below.
  • The official introduction says the pass has been sold for more than 30 years, with cumulative sales of over 3 million by 2019.
  • The town has 30 inns, according to the official page.

About the price of the Nyuto Tegata

Source Information
Minamioguni Town Office page (checked 2026-10-28) 1,300 yen, valid for 3 outdoor baths; no validity period stated
Kurokawa Onsen Ryokan Association (kurokawaonsen.or.jp) Returned a 403 error when accessed, so the current price and validity period could not be verified

Therefore, 1,300 yen may not be the current price. Before buying, confirm the price, validity period and participating inns on the association’s official website or at the visitor information office. This article does not treat the quoted amount as confirmed current information.

Planning a day of bathing

The official information does not state each inn’s opening hours. Check these matters before departure:

  1. Current Nyuto Tegata price and validity period
  2. Participating inns and their opening hours, which vary by inn
  3. Admission hours on the day (times reserved for staying guests can affect availability)
  4. Transport to Kurokawa: the official page does not give bus routes, so refer to Minamioguni’s transport guide

Winter event

Minamioguni’s official page mentions the winter Yuakari event, when bamboo lanterns are illuminated along the hot spring town’s streets. See the official website for details and dates.

Checks before departure

  1. Price: confirm with the inn association rather than treating 1,300 yen as final.
  2. Hours: check when each inn admits visitors.
  3. Transport: check Minamioguni’s transport guide.

For other Kumamoto information, see Transport from Fukuoka to Kumamoto and the Kyushu travel guide.

Sources