Come here in the evening after visiting Arashiyama bambooforest. Amazing experience though it may be awkward for foreigners. Many pools and sauna rooms to try. Food - go for the seasonal menu.
Amazing onsen! Hot and cold baths, indoor and outdoor. Tatami room with manga, massage area, arcade games and cafeteria. Limited English signage, full of locals. Only 1050 yen to enter. No tattoos.
The staff is super friendly and they are very welcoming to foreigners. Some of the signs are in English so it was easy to see what the rules were. Just a heads up, no tattoos allowed.
The Sagano Hot Springs is a first class operation. Be sure to try the outside hot tub and hot rock slabs with trickling water. Reasonably priced and highly recommendable. Also much closer than the alt