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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Misasa
三朝町
Half a day for the radium onsen and river footbaths; a full day if you add the Nageiredo temple hike. Not a base — sleep in Kurayoshi or Tottori.
Misasa is a small onsen town in Tottori Prefecture known for its radium-rich hot springs — among the highest radon content in natural waters worldwide. The main draw is soaking in the riverside footbaths and public baths, plus the cliff-hugging Nageiredo hall at Sanbutsu-ji temple. Most visitors come on a day trip from Kurayoshi or Tottori; one night is enough if you want a full onsen stay.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 三朝町
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Dec–Feb (cold, but onsen still pleasant)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ 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 |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥300–500 |
| Bowl of noodles (ramen/soba) | ¥700–1,200 |
| Onsen day-use entry | ¥500–1,000 |
| Bus Kurayoshi → Misasa Onsen | ¥600 (check) |
| Taxi Kurayoshi → Misasa | ¥3,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TTJ · Tottori Airport
- About 1 h by bus/taxi to Misasa; limited flights.
- OKJ · Okayama Airport
- About 2 h by train and bus via Kurayoshi.
Typical fares
- Kurayoshi → Misasa Onsen, bus
- about ¥600, about 15 min (check)
- Misasa Onsen → Mitokusan, bus
- about ¥500, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi Kurayoshi → Misasa
- ¥3,000–4,000
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
On foot within the onsen town. Buses from Kurayoshi Station to Misasa Onsen and to Mitokusan (Sanbutsu-ji). A few direct buses from Osaka/Kobe.
See and do
Known for
- Radium hot springs (high radon content)
- Nageiredo hall (National Treasure, built into a cliff)
- Free riverside footbaths and rotenburo
- Marie Curie statue and festival (July)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kurayoshi | Bus from Misasa Onsen to Kurayoshi Station, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Tottori | Bus to Kurayoshi, then JR to Tottori, about 1 h total | About 1.5 h |
| Yurihama | Bus from Misasa Onsen, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Daisen, Tottori | Bus to Kurayoshi, then bus to Daisen, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Misasa Onsen area
- Ryokan and minshuku near the river; most have private baths. Book ahead.
- Kurayoshi
- 15 min by bus; more hotel choices and train connections.
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arigatou gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kaado de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire 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
- Sanbutsu-ji requires groups of 3 or more to ascend; solo travellers must wait to be paired.
- Nageiredo is closed in winter (check dates).
- Cash only at many onsen and small eateries.
Very safe. The main risks are slipping on wet stones near the river baths and the steep climb to Nageiredo. No crime concerns.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Misasa yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Radium hot springs (high radon content)
- Nageiredo hall (National Treasure, built into a cliff)
- Free riverside footbaths and rotenburo
- Marie Curie statue and festival (July)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Misasa Onsen official tourism site: misasaonsen.jp/en/
- Wikivoyage: Misasa, revision 4862819 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4862819
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Misasa三朝町
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 Osaka covers this region; most other countries have embassies in Tokyo.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/misasa). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.