Shuzenji Onsen Public Foot Bath (Tokko-no-Yu)

The Tokko-no-Yu foot bath sits directly beside the Katsura River in the center of Shuzenji Onsen, Izu City, Shizuoka, on the spot traditionally identified as the original source of the town's hot spring, said to have been struck by the monk Kobo Daishi over a thousand years ago. Unlike the ryokan bathhouses nearby, Tokko-no-Yu is a free, open-air public foot bath rather than a full-body bathing facility, and it sits at river level rather than inside a building, making it a natural stopping point along the riverside promenade that winds through Shuzenji Onsen. Visitors remove their shoes and socks and sit on the surrounding stone edge to soak their feet in the naturally heated spring water, which flows continuously rather than being recirculated. Because it is open access with no operator on site, there is no booking process and no entry fee; visitors come and go freely at any hour. The site's historical significance as Shuzenji's founding spring makes it a common stop for visitors touring the town's temples and traditional bathhouses, and its riverside setting, framed by the wooded slopes on either side of the Katsura River, gives it a scenic quality distinct from indoor bathing facilities. A small towel is useful for drying feet afterward, since none is provided on site. The foot bath can become busy during peak tourist hours in the afternoon, particularly on weekends, but tends to be quiet in the early morning or evening.