道後温泉本館

Dōgo Onsen Honkan is a landmark public bathhouse in Matsuyama, Ehime, drawing on one of Japan's oldest hot springs, said to reach back some 3,000 years and mentioned in ancient chronicles. The water is an alkaline simple hot spring (アルカリ性単純温泉), a smooth, gentle water with a source temperature of about 47.8°C and a pH of roughly 9.1, delivered without added heat or water.

The historic bathhouse

The present three-storey wooden hall was built in 1894 (Meiji 27) and is crowned by the Shinrokaku tower, topped by a white heron that recalls the legend of the spring's discovery. Its warren of staircases, tatami rest rooms and bath halls is widely cited as an inspiration for the bathhouse in the film Spirited Away, and the building is designated an Important Cultural Property.

The baths

• Kami-no-yu (神の湯) — the main baths, entered in the relaxed spirit of a traditional public bathhouse, with separate halls for men and women.
• Tama-no-yu (霊の湯) — a more exclusive Taishō-era bath area finished in fine granite and marble, offered with higher-tier admission.

Restoration

A major preservation and repair project ran from January 2019 to December 2024; the bathhouse stayed partly open during the works and returned to full operation on completion.

Visiting

The Kami-no-yu ground-floor bathing is open 6:00–23:00. Higher-tier tickets include use of tatami rest rooms and a serving of tea with sweets. The bathhouse sits at the heart of the Dōgo Onsen district, reached from central Matsuyama by the historic tram line.