This translation was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
Tuesday; if Tuesday is a national holiday, open Tuesday and close the following Wednesday. No sauna and no private or family bath.
Koi Botaru Onsen-kan is a public day-use hot spring at River Station Funagoya in Chikugo, south of Fukuoka City. Its brown, mineral-rich water and two styles of open-air bath make it a practical stop near JR Chikugo-Funagoya Station.
This guide was checked on 27 August 2026 against Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture's official tourism site and the Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail. The facility's own website was not safely accessible when checked, so the live public sources below are the references for current details.
Koi Botaru Onsen-kan at a glance
| Item | Current information |
|---|---|
| Public bath | 10:00–21:00; last admission 20:30 |
| Closed | Tuesday; if Tuesday is a national holiday, open Tuesday and close the following Wednesday |
| Adult price | Junior-high-school age and older: ¥700 |
| Other prices | Age 70+: ¥500; age 4 through elementary school: ¥350; age 3 and younger: free |
| Baths | Indoor bath and two open-air-bath styles that rotate weekly between men and women |
| Not available | No sauna and no private or family bath |
| Payment and locker | Cash and QR payment are listed; keyed locker costs ¥10 |
| Address | 298-2 Oshima, Chikugo, Fukuoka |
| Telephone | 0942-52-8866 |
Bath hours, prices and the weekly rotation
Admission is ¥700 for visitors of junior-high-school age and older, ¥500 for people aged 70 or over, ¥350 for children aged four through elementary school, and free for children aged three or younger. Bring a ¥10 coin for the keyed locker. The official tourism listing also shows cash and QR payment, but accepted QR brands can change, so carrying yen is sensible.
The spring rises from about 1,500 metres underground and is classified as a magnesium, sodium and calcium bicarbonate spring. Its naturally brown, cloudy appearance is part of the water's character. The two outdoor-bath areas have different designs and rotate weekly between the men's and women's sides, so the bath available depends on the date of your visit.
There is no sauna and no private or family bath. This is a shared, nude public-bathing facility; visitors who need privacy should choose another onsen before travelling here.
Free footbath, produce market and restaurant
| Facility | Hours and useful notes |
|---|---|
| Natural hot-spring footbath | Free; unavailable when the bathhouse is closed |
| Produce market | 09:00–19:00; local produce, fruit, seafood products, Yame tea, alcohol, sweets and bento |
| Restaurant | 11:00–19:00; last order 18:30; closes earlier than the public bath |
The footbath and market make a short stop possible even when you do not plan a full bath. Check the day carefully around a Tuesday national holiday, because the replacement closure moves to Wednesday.
Important notes for international visitors
- The current primary sources do not state a tattoo policy. Contact the bathhouse before travelling rather than assuming tattoos or cover stickers are accepted.
- Wash before entering the bath, keep towels and hair out of the water, and do not use a phone or camera in the bathing or changing areas.
- Rules for children in diapers, baby baths and mixed-gender bathing by age or height are not confirmed in the current primary sources. Families should telephone in advance.
- The outdoor-bath design rotates weekly, so a photograph online may show the other side from the one assigned on your visit.
- The restaurant and market close before the bathhouse. Do not plan a late meal simply because bathing continues until 21:00.
Access from Hakata and central Fukuoka
- JR: from Chikugo-Funagoya Station, allow about 15 minutes on foot or about five minutes by taxi.
- Bus: the Nishitetsu Bus Funagoya stop is about a five-minute walk away.
- Car: about eight minutes from Yame IC or about ten minutes from Miyama-Yanagawa IC.
- Parking is available on site. Official listings differ between 65 and 70 passenger-car spaces, so follow staff directions on event days instead of relying on an exact capacity.
Check your return train or bus before entering the bath, especially in the evening. Service is less frequent than in central Fukuoka, and the last bath admission does not guarantee a convenient return connection.
A stop on the 2026 Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail
Koi Botaru Onsen-kan is one of the participating Fukuoka baths on the 2026 Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail. If you are collecting stamps, bring the current trail booklet and ask staff where to record the visit.
The April 2026 trail listing also shows a one-time logo-towel benefit per person. Campaign benefits can run out or change, so treat the live trail page and on-site guidance as final.
Is Koi Botaru the right bath for your trip?
| A good match | Choose another facility if you need |
|---|---|
| A distinctive brown bicarbonate spring | A clear-water bath |
| An outdoor bath, free footbath and local market in one stop | A late dinner after bathing |
| A public day bath near Chikugo-Funagoya Station | A private or family bath |
| A Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail stop | A sauna session |
Check the Koi Botaru day-bath plan on Jalan
Check current conditions before departure
Tuesday closures, national-holiday replacement closures and campaign details can change. Use these public sources to recheck the day of your visit.
- Chikugo City facility information
- Fukuoka Prefecture official tourism listing
- Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail listing
Related Fukuoka onsen guides
- Funagoya Onsen travel guide
- Fukuoka baths on the Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail
- Onsen and sento etiquette for first-time visitors
Checked on 27 August 2026 using Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture's official tourism site, the Kyushu 88 Onsen Trail and the matching Jalan day-bath page.
