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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Ikeda
池田町
Half-day trip from Gifu or Ogaki for the onsen and a quiet rural walk; not a base. One night only if you stay at the onsen ryokan.
Ikeda is a small town in southern Gifu, best known for Ikeda Onsen, a sodium-bicarbonate hot spring that leaves skin noticeably smooth. The town itself is a quiet farming community with a few temples and river views. Most visitors come for a few hours of soaking and a meal, then leave. The onsen ryokan makes an overnight stop possible, but there is little else to fill a full day.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 池田町
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–15,000 excl. bed · High ¥15,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Onsen day entry (Honkan or Shinkan) | ¥700–1,000 |
| Ryokan dinner course (local vegetables and meat) | ¥4,000–7,000 |
| Coffee at onsen café | ¥300–500 |
| Tarumi Railway Ikeda → Ogaki, one way | ¥400–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- About 1.5 h by train via Nagoya and Ogaki
- ITM · Osaka Itami
- About 2 h by train via Osaka and Ogaki
Typical fares
- Ikeda Station → Ogaki, Tarumi Railway
- about ¥400–500, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi Ikeda Station → Ikeda Onsen
- ¥1,000–1,500
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable on foot; the onsen and a few shops are within 1 km (0.6 mi) of each other. A bicycle from the station is useful for exploring the countryside.Walkable on foot; the onsen and a few shops are within 0.6 mi (1 km) of each other. A bicycle from the station is useful for exploring the countryside.
See and do
Known for
- Ikeda Onsen (carbonated sodium-bicarbonate spring)
- Rural Gifu countryside and river scenery
- Local vegetables and meat at onsen restaurants
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ogaki | Tarumi Railway from Ikeda Station, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Sekigahara | Train via Ogaki, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Gifu | Train via Ogaki, about 50 min | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Ikeda Onsen Shinkan area
- The only accommodation cluster; the ryokan is on the 3rd floor of the Shinkan building.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is the onsen entry? | 温泉の入場料はいくらですか？onsen no nyūjōryō wa ikura desu ka |
| What time does the onsen close? | 温泉は何時に閉まりますか？onsen wa nanji ni shimarimasu ka |
| Where is the station? | 駅はどこですか？eki wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The onsen closes at 22:00; last entry is earlier — check the official site.
- No convenience stores or late-night dining outside the onsen complex.
- Train services to Ogaki are infrequent; check the timetable before heading back.
Very safe. The main risk is missing the last train: check the timetable at Ikeda Station before you enter the onsen.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ikeda yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ikeda Onsen (carbonated sodium-bicarbonate spring)
- Rural Gifu countryside and river scenery
- Local vegetables and meat at onsen restaurants
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ikeda Onsen Honkan official site: www.ikedaonsen.jp/honkan/
- Ikeda Onsen Ryokan official site: travel.ikedaonsentachikawa.com/
- Wikivoyage: Ikeda (Gifu), revision 5062794 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5062794
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ikeda池田町
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US consulate in Nagoya is the nearest; most other countries have consulates in Osaka or embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ikeda-gifu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.