Kua Garden Rotenburo (Kua Garden Open-Air Bath) is a handy place to enjoy Gero Onsen without staying at an inn. It is a day-use hot spring beside the Hida River, with open-air baths plus a waterfall bath, a box steam bath and more.
This article covers the admission fees, opening hours and types of baths at Kua Garden Rotenburo in Gero Onsen. It also explains the money-saving combo tickets, the walk from Gero Station, parking, and things to know before you go.
I stopped by on April 15, 2023, on my way back from the Takayama Festival. The photos of the exterior and the entrance were taken on that visit.
About the information in this article
- Fees, opening hours, facilities and access were checked on October 13, 2026, on the official Kua Garden Rotenburo page.
- The photos are from April 2023. The fees and hours shown on the signs in the photos are the ones at that time, and they are different now.
- Fees and opening hours may change. Please check the official page for the latest information before you go.
- 1. What Is Kua Garden Rotenburo? A Day-Use Hot Spring in Gero Onsen
- 2. Admission Fees and Opening Hours at Kua Garden Rotenburo
- 3. Types of Baths: Open-Air Bath, Waterfall Bath, Box Steam Bath and More
- 4. Facilities and Amenities
- 5. Access and Parking
- 6. Things to Know Before You Go
- 7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 8. Summary
1. What Is Kua Garden Rotenburo? A Day-Use Hot Spring in Gero Onsen
Kua Garden Rotenburo is a day-use hot spring in the hot spring town of Gero City, Gifu Prefecture. Gero Onsen is counted as one of the three famous hot springs of Japan.
The baths are separated for men and women, and there is no indoor bath. The facility is built around its open-air baths. The official page says you can bathe while listening to the sound of the Hida River.
Admission is 800 yen for adults. You can enjoy the waters of Gero even if you are not staying overnight.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Kua Garden Rotenburo (クアガーデン露天風呂) |
| Address | 894-2 Yunoshima, Gero City, Gifu Prefecture |
| Phone | 0576-24-1182 |
| Hours | 8:00–20:45 (last entry 20:00) |
| Closed | Thursdays |
| Admission | Adults 800 yen, elementary school children 400 yen, infants 200 yen |
| Access | About 12 minutes on foot from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Main Line |
| Parking | Available (first 2 hours free) |
Official page (Japanese): Kua Garden Rotenburo | Gero Onsen
2. Admission Fees and Opening Hours at Kua Garden Rotenburo
Admission fees
| Category | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | 800 yen |
| Elementary school children | 400 yen |
| Infants | 200 yen |
| Towel (for sale) | 250 yen |
| Bath towel (for sale) | 600 yen |
Towels and bath towels are not available for rent. They are only sold, so bringing your own saves money.
Payment is in cash. The official page says cashless payment is not accepted.
Opening hours and closed day
The baths are open 8:00–20:45, and last entry is at 20:00. The facility is closed on Thursdays.
It opens at 8:00 in the morning, so it also works for a morning bath.
Money-saving combo tickets
Combo tickets let you visit Kua Garden Rotenburo together with its sister facilities, Shirasagi-no-Yu (白鷺乃湯) and the Gero Onsen Museum (下呂発温泉博物館).
| Combo | Adults | Elementary school children |
|---|---|---|
| Kua Garden Rotenburo + Shirasagi-no-Yu | 1,000 yen (normally 1,270 yen) | 450 yen (normally 580 yen) |
| Kua Garden Rotenburo + Gero Onsen Museum | 1,000 yen (normally 1,200 yen) | 450 yen (normally 580 yen) |
| All three facilities | 1,300 yen (normally 1,670 yen) | 600 yen (normally 780 yen) |
Combo tickets cannot be used together with other discounts.
*Fees and opening hours were checked on the official page on October 13, 2026.
3. Types of Baths: Open-Air Bath, Waterfall Bath, Box Steam Bath and More
The official page introduces the following baths.
| Bath | Features |
|---|---|
| Rock open-air bath | The men’s side has a roofed pavilion |
| Cave-like bath | A bath shaped like a cave that juts out toward the hillside (men’s side) |
| Utase-yu (waterfall bath) | You stand or sit under hot water falling from above |
| San-on no Yu (three-temperature baths) | Three round tubs: comfortably hot, lukewarm and cold spring water |
| Hako-mushi (box steam bath) | A sauna where you sit inside a box with only your head outside |
| Bubble bath | A tub with bubbles |
The official page describes the box steam bath as a rare type of sauna.
Is there a roof? How the men’s and women’s baths differ
Not everything is open to the sky. According to the official page, about two-thirds of the women’s bath is covered by a ceiling. The men’s bath has a roofed pavilion.
The washing area is also roofed and has showers.
The water is an alkaline simple hot spring
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Spring type | Alkaline simple hot spring (pH 9.1) |
| Temperature at the source | 55.6°C |
| Temperature in use | 42.2°C |
In Gero Onsen, hot water drawn out of 12 sources is mixed, adjusted to a suitable temperature and sent to each facility. This system is called centralized management.
4. Facilities and Amenities
The building has three floors.
| Floor | What is there |
|---|---|
| 3F | Rest area (lounge, massage chairs, vending machines) |
| 2F | Reception |
| 1F | Open-air baths, changing rooms |
The floors are connected by stairs only. Please take care if you have trouble with your legs or back.
| Amenity | Details |
|---|---|
| Shampoo, conditioner, body soap | Provided in the washing area |
| Lockers | Free (no coin needed) |
| Hair dryers | In the changing rooms (free) |
| Towels | For sale only (no rental) |
You cannot use only the rest area. Even if you do not bathe, the regular admission fee applies.
You may bring your own food and drinks. However, eating and drinking are not allowed in the changing rooms or the bathing area. An original cider is also sold at the front desk.
My impressions
What I liked was being able to soak in an open-air bath at an affordable price. After the bath, I relaxed in the rest area.
On that visit, bottles of coffee milk were sold next to the reception. That bottle after the bath was delicious.
5. Access and Parking
On foot from Gero Station
It is about 12 minutes on foot from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Main Line.
By car: parking is free for the first 2 hours
| Time | Fee |
|---|---|
| First 2 hours | Free |
| After that (8:00–22:00) | 100 yen per 20 minutes |
| 22:00–8:00 | 50 yen per 20 minutes |
You need your parking ticket to get the 2 free hours. Do not leave it in the car; take it with you to the reception.
6. Things to Know Before You Go
- Closed on Thursdays. If your trip falls on a Thursday, consider another day-use hot spring
- Last entry is at 20:00. The facility closes at 20:45. If you go in the evening, enter early
- Cash only. Cashless payment is not accepted
- No towel rental. Bring your own or buy one at the reception
- No indoor bath. On rainy, snowy or cold days, take care not to get chilled
- Stairs only. Reception is on 2F, the baths on 1F and the rest area on 3F
- Take your parking ticket to the reception. Without it, the 2 free hours do not apply
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. How much is admission to Kua Garden Rotenburo?
A. Adults 800 yen, elementary school children 400 yen, infants 200 yen (checked on the official page on October 13, 2026).
Q. What are the opening hours and the closed day?
A. It is open 8:00–20:45, with last entry at 20:00. It is closed on Thursdays.
Q. Can I rent a towel?
A. No, there is no rental. Towels are sold for 250 yen and bath towels for 600 yen.
Q. Are shampoo and hair dryers available?
A. Yes. Shampoo, conditioner and body soap are provided in the washing area. Hair dryers are in the changing rooms and are free to use.
Q. Can I bathe on a rainy day?
A. Part of the bathing area is roofed. According to the official page, about two-thirds of the women’s bath has a ceiling, and the men’s bath has a roofed pavilion. There is no indoor bath.
Q. Can I pay by card or e-money?
A. No. The official page says cashless payment is not accepted. Please bring cash.
Q. Can I walk there from Gero Station?
A. Yes. It is about 12 minutes on foot from Gero Station on the JR Takayama Main Line.
Q. Is there parking?
A. Yes. The first 2 hours are free. After that, it costs 100 yen per 20 minutes from 8:00 to 22:00. Take your parking ticket to the reception.
8. Summary
Kua Garden Rotenburo is an easy, casual day-use hot spring in Gero Onsen.
- Admission is 800 yen for adults, 400 yen for elementary school children and 200 yen for infants
- Open 8:00–20:45 (last entry 20:00), closed on Thursdays
- Baths include a rock open-air bath, a waterfall bath, three-temperature baths, a box steam bath and a bubble bath
- The water is an alkaline simple hot spring (pH 9.1). There is no indoor bath
- Combo tickets are available with Shirasagi-no-Yu and the Gero Onsen Museum
- About 12 minutes on foot from Gero Station. Parking is free for the first 2 hours
- Cash only. There is no towel rental, so bring your own
Along with Gero Onsen, a side trip to Takayama is also a good idea. I wrote about it in my spring Takayama Festival travel diary and my guide to sightseeing spots in Takayama City (both in Japanese).
Official information checked for this article (as of October 13, 2026)
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