If you’ve been following this blog for a while now, you’ll know that I’m a complete sucker for themed experiences. Whether it’s a Marie Antoinette-themed speakeasy or a Doctor Who-themed restaurant, I tend to seek out the quirkiest, wackiest themed experiences I can when traveling.

So it should come as no surprise that, when we discovered a magical place in Japan where it was totally acceptable — nay, encouraged — to bathe in wine, it was the first thing I booked when we were planning our stay.

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, also called Yunessun Spa Resort or simply Yunessun for short, is a wine-loving, coffee-guzzling tourist’s dream come true. Here’s the real deal about what to expect when you visit this hot springs theme park in Hakone, Japan.

So What is Yunessun, Anyway?

Think of Yunessun Spa Resort as a hot springs theme park, with baths of various liquids in place of rides. (Well, there’s one spot that might count as a “ride,” but more on that later.) You’ll be soaking up the health benefits of red wine and coffee here instead of waiting in long lines for ferris wheels. The best part? Absolutely zero chances of vomiting up your lunch after reckoning with a rickety wooden roller coaster.

Make no mistake, these themed baths aren’t just water with some dye in it. If the sign says you’re bathing in wine, you’re bathing in bonafide wine — but with chlorinated water too so you don’t totally ruin your bathing suit.

It’s also important to note that there are two areas of Yunessun where you can bathe. The first, called the “YUNESSUN area,” is where we went. It’s where all of the fun themed baths are, and all patrons wear bathing suits.

The second is the Mori no Yu (“No Clothes”) area, where you can bathe in your birthday suit if you’re feeling up to it. Though we didn’t visit it this time (no surprise given my previous American prudishness at showering nude at the Blue Lagoon), we may next time, as bathing sans clothes is actually part of the traditional Japanese onsen experience.

How to Get to Yunessun from Tokyo

Yunessun is located in the city of Hakone in Japan’s Kanagawa Prefecture. It takes roughly 110 minutes to get there from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo (assuming you don’t get lost on the way).

Theoretically, you could do this as a day trip from Tokyo, but we stayed overnight to really get a feel for the Hakone area. There are four official hotels nearby, so it’s just a quick walk home when your skin starts pruning.

We traveled from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo up to Hakone. Because we had the JR Rail Pass, here’s the route we took:

• Take the JR Chuo line from Shinjuku station to Tokyo Station.
• Take the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Odawara station.
• Catch the Hakone Tozan Bus at Odawara and take it to the Kowakien bus stop.

Alternative routes can be found on the Yunessun Spa Resort’s website, including ones from Narita and Haneda airports.

As a side note, I highly recommend downloading the HyperDia app on your phone or visiting their website for real-time public transit updates in Japan. This app was a lifesaver when we were planning our train and bus travel around the country, and saved our butts when figuring out directions to Hakone and Yunessun. It even tells you what the arrival and departure tracks are for your trains for maximum efficiency!

Preparing to Enter the Baths

Like many things in Japan, there’s an orderly process to go through before you enter the baths — you can’t just go inside willy nilly like a dumb gaijin. Most importantly: once you’ve paid here at the entrance and pass through these turnstiles, for the love of all that is holy, TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES so you won’t have staff awkwardly asking you to do so.

Forgot to bring a towel? Or perhaps in your excitement to bathe in some merlot, you didn’t pack the right swimsuit? Never fear: you can rent towels and swimsuits at Yunessun if needed. Simply pick up these items just past the main entrance (and before the locker rooms). Yunessun’s website has the most up-to-date prices for rentals.

Next, head to the separate men and women’s locker rooms. Each person entering Yunessun’s baths is given a waterproof bracelet, which locks and unlocks your storage locker. (It’s kind of similar to how they handle things in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, only the Yunessun bracelets don’t let you purchase beer at a swim up bar. Wah wah.)

After you’ve changed and gotten ready, you’ll enter step through this aquatic pathway before entering the YUNESSUN (bathing suit) area.

And It’s Pool Time! Where Should You Go?

Indoors

The YUNESSUN, or bathing suit, area has baths both indoors and outdoors. Here are the current baths you can choose from that are inside the complex.

The Gods’ Aegean Sea

Upon entry, you’ll be greeted by something called the Gods’ Aegean Sea. A lot of kiddos tended to cluster here — plus, I needed to #livethedream and get my booty over to the wine bath — so we skipped this pool.

Wine Bath

As evidenced by this picture, I can definitively say that the wine bath was everything I hoped it would be.

There are helpful signs outside the baths — er, if you can read and speak Japanese. Apparently the most important thing for the rest of the world to know is, don’t drink the wine bath water. (Even if people were floating around in 100% actual wine, I wouldn’t want to accidentally drink in a mixture of unidentifiable fluids. *Shudder*)

As you can see above, something special happens three times a day.

This is what I’d call the “wine show,” where you get wine dumped on you (ostensibly to improve your skin). Basically a charming gentleman comes in, gives a speech about the wine — which most people ignored because they wanted to be covered in said wine — and then all hell breaks loose as wine sprays everywhere.

Coffee Bath

Next up, you’ll find the coffee bath. Though I usually avoid stepping in water that’s the color of doodoo back home in NYC, you won’t find any gross smells here. In fact, the coffee bath had the most pleasant aroma of all the themed baths. Not to be outdone, the coffee bath has its own “show” three times a day as well.

Sake and Green Tea Baths

I lumped these two together because they are smaller in size compared to the other baths. They didn’t smell quite as pungent as the wine or coffee baths, but apparently have good benefits for your skin nonetheless.

The green tea bath is smaller–more like a green tea jacuzzi. You may have to wait to get in if it’s crowded. We suggest going when the coffee or wine performances are occurring so you’ll probably have the spa to yourself!

And Now, Let’s Head Outdoors…

There’s a couple of exciting aquatic spots outside, too.

Getting Wet and Wild at Rodeo Mountain

When you enter the outdoor portion of the bathing suit area, you’ll land smack dab into some crazy waterslides that reminded me of childhood days at Raging Waters. Called “Rodeo Mountain,” the area features three waterslides with flowing warm water, meaning you can plunge down the mountain at full speed at any time of year.

The closest thing to a “ride” at this park, Yunessun’s waterslides aren’t scary. They’re just fast enough, however, that you need to inhale and hold your breath before the end or you’ll get water up your nose. (Not speaking from experience or anything…)

There’s also a kiddie playground, which we (obviously) did not spend any time in. The kiddos who were here seemed to be having fun.

Open Air Scenic Bath

Venture out a little further and you’ll find the pièce de résistance, Yunessun’s open air scenic bath. It’s 40 meters long and totally gorgeous.

Here’s a view of the Yunessun indoor complex from the open air scenic bath:

Back Inside….

Seasonal Bath

Yunessun offers a section of baths that change seasonally. Past seasonal baths have featured maple syrup, chocolate, and ramen broth. To be honest, I don’t really remember what this one was — only that it had pool noodles to mimic real noodles. Genius!

Aroma Room

If you need a second to just chill out, we recommend stopping by the Aroma Room. You can dry off, relax, and (maybe) gain some health benefits from inhaling calming aromas.

But Wait, I’m Hungry!

I don’t know about you, but all this running around between different themed baths had me working up quite the appetite. If you get hungry, just head back to the Gods’ Aegean Sea area and you’ll find a cafe. It’s the perfect way to wrap up a fun afternoon at Yunessun!

Yunessun: Practical Info

• Address: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa-ken
• Hours:
  • Yunessun (bathing suit area): 9 AM to 7 PM
  • Mori no Yu (no clothes area): 11 AM to 8 PM
• Entrance fees:
  • Combined admission (bathing suit area and Mori no Yu): 4100 yen for adults; 2100 yen for children
  • Bathing suit area only: 2900 yen for adults; 1600 yen for children
  • Mori no Yu only: 1900 yen for adults; 1200 yen for children

Please check the Yunessun website to verify the most up-to-date information.

Pro tip ⇒ Like many onsens in Japan, Yunessun has a strict “no visible tattoos” policy in both the YUNESSUN and Mori no Yu areas.

Essential Info:
Where should you stay in Hakone? Check out options here.
Where did I personally stay in Hakone? This hotel in Hakone.
Want a guidebook for Japan? I use Lonely Planet and Fodor’s.
What else have I written about Japan? Check out these posts!
Have questions for me? Hit me up on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest!

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