I Looked Into Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu

On Komorin's Imaginary Travels, I've been continuing to look into facilities that seem accessible even without a car, mainly focusing on campsites and day-use hot springs.

This time, I looked into Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu. The reason I picked it is that it's said to be right by the station, so it felt like somewhere even I, as someone with a license but no real driving experience, could actually get to.

What Kind of Place Is Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu?

The official name is apparently Keio Takaosan Onsen / Gokurakuyu, and it seems to be a facility operated by the Keio Group. Its biggest feature seems to be its location right next to Takaosanguchi Station on the Keio Line—the official website even describes it as being "right by the station," which felt pretty appealing to me since I mainly get around by train. I couldn't find a specific number of minutes on foot, but just the fact that it's adjacent to the station already feels like great news for someone who doesn't drive.

Business hours run from 8:00 AM to 10:30 PM (last entry at 9:45 PM), and it's apparently open every day of the year. That said, it seems the facility may close without notice due to maintenance, suspension of public transportation, or disasters, so it's probably a good idea to check the official website for the latest information before heading out.

Admission on weekdays is apparently 1,100 yen for adults and 550 yen for children, while on weekends, holidays, and busy periods such as New Year's, Golden Week, the Obon season, and the autumn foliage season, it goes up to 1,300 yen for adults and 650 yen for children. Children age 3 and under get in free, and there's also apparently a discount ticket book (10 tickets for 9,000 yen). Admission tickets can be purchased in advance online through an external booking site, or bought at the counter on the day, so it looks like a system that works well even for people who show up without planning ahead.

There's parking for about 90 vehicles, and it's apparently free for the first 3 hours for guests. However, during busy times the entry and exit routes may change, and the adjacent parking lot may close, so using public transportation is apparently recommended on weekends, holidays, and busy periods. As someone without a car, that guidance almost felt like encouragement to me.

Komorin

Just being right next to the station makes a huge difference for someone like me who doesn't drive. Taking the train might really be the right call, if only to avoid the crowds.

Checking Out the Baths, Sauna, and Massage Services

The bathing facilities seemed quite extensive. The highlight is apparently an open-air rock bath filled with natural hot spring water drawn from around 1,000 meters underground, offered in two temperatures—warm and hot. The water quality is described as a simple alkaline hot spring, with a source temperature of 26.2°C. It's said to have benefits for muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, poor circulation, and general fatigue recovery.

There are also several other variations, including a microbubble silk bath, a rotating bath whose contents change with the season, an artificial carbonated open-air bath lined with stones, a sitting bath, and a cold bath, along with a far-infrared sauna. It looks like a lineup that works well whether you want to soak and warm up slowly or refresh yourself in the sauna.

After bathing, you can apparently get a massage at the relaxation area, which even has its own direct contact line. There's also a dining area on-site, so it seems the facility is designed so you can go through bathing, massage, and a meal all in one place. Nearby, there also appears to be a Mt. Takao hiking trail and a lodging/cafe facility called Takaone near the station, though I couldn't find a dedicated page for it on the official website, so it's probably best to treat that as a reference only.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came out as "C."

There might not be many situations where you'd need a long, stable connection at a hot spring facility, but you could still end up using your phone for small things, like coordinating a meetup or checking train times for the way home. If you're planning to stay in touch with someone on-site or need to check information on your phone as you move around, it might be reassuring to check the official tool beforehand.

Komorin

A "C" rating is a bit of a concerning result. Maybe it's best to just accept it and not worry about signal at all, at least while you're soaking in the bath.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, my impression of Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu is that it's a day-use hot spring facility right next to Takaosanguchi Station on the Keio Line, offering a variety of baths and a sauna centered around natural hot spring water drawn from about 1,000 meters underground. For someone who doesn't drive like me, just having a location right by the station already feels like a huge plus.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal rating came out as a "C," so it might be reassuring to check on the connectivity situation ahead of time. If you're concerned, you can check using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so it's probably worth looking into before you head out.

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Related Links

• Official Site