Funaoka Onsen

"Open since 1923, this is one of Kyoto 's oldest bathhouses. The late hours (3 p.m.–1 a.m.) make it a great stop after a long day of walking (Fushimi Inari Shrine, anyone?). At ¥430 (around $3.75) per visit, this onsen won't break the bank any time soon, either. These are public baths strictly divided by gender, and in the Japanese tradition, all bathing and soaking is done in the nude. Visitors can choose from eight or so pools, most inside but a couple also in an open-air courtyard. Funaoka has bragging rights as the first onsen to install an electric pool, but it's not for the faint of heart—literally. Tiny shocks pulse through the water—therapeutically or painfully, you decide—and a sign clearly instructs visitors with heart problems to avoid that particular pool. Everything else is safe and pleasant for soakers ranging from their early 20s to late 80s."