Smoking Areas in Atami: 2026 Guide (Atami Station, Atami Ginza and the hot-spring town street-smoking rules)
Table of contents
- 1.About this guide and disclaimer
- 2.The Atami City ordinance on preventing smoking on streets etc. (in force since 1 April 2005)
- 3.The no-smoking zones are the city beaches and surrounding promenades
- 4.About smoking areas around Atami Station, Atami Ginza and Nakamise shopping street
- 5.Hot-spring ryokan and hotels, and the revised Health Promotion Act
- 6.Heated tobacco and e-cigarettes
- 7.Notes for international visitors and people under 20
- 8.Find smoking areas around Atami with MottoSuitai
- 9.Before you go: always check official information
About this guide and disclaimer
This is a third-party guide compiled from the Atami City official website (https://www.city.atami.lg.jp/) — its page explaining the "Atami City Ordinance on the Prevention of Smoking on Streets etc." — and facility official guidance, reflecting the situation as of July 2026. The extent of no-smoking zones and the locations, counts and operating hours of designated smoking spots may change without notice. When you actually go, always confirm the latest information on Atami City and each facility's official guidance. This article does not encourage smoking; it assumes smoking only in designated places and observance of good manners.
The Atami City ordinance on preventing smoking on streets etc. (in force since 1 April 2005)
Atami City has enforced the "Atami City Ordinance on the Prevention of Smoking on Streets etc." since 1 April 2005 (Heisei 17). According to the city's official page, the ordinance aims to prevent smoking on streets etc. so that residents and visitors can spend their time healthily, safely and with peace of mind. "Streets etc." is defined as roads, parks, beaches and other public places (excluding indoor spaces or environments equivalent to them). For the whole city, the official page calls on people to "make an effort not to smoke," which is positioned as a duty of effort.
- Ordinance: Atami City Ordinance on the Prevention of Smoking on Streets etc.
- In force since: 1 April 2005 (Heisei 17)
- Definition of "streets etc.": roads, parks, beaches and other public places (excluding indoor spaces or equivalent environments)
- City-wide: make an effort not to smoke on streets etc. (duty of effort)
- City beaches and surrounding promenades: designated no-smoking zones (smoking prohibited in principle)
- The city official page states no administrative fine; measures are guidance, recommendation and orders, plus publication of names of malicious violators
Atami City also has an "Atami City Council for the Promotion of Prevention of Smoking on Streets etc.," made up of residents and various organisations, which is said to plan and carry out awareness-raising and clean-up activities centred on Atami Sun Beach and the promenades around it. Regardless of whether penalties exist, please smoke only in designated places, out of consideration for the scenery of this tourist town and for the prevention of second-hand smoke.
The no-smoking zones are the city beaches and surrounding promenades
According to Atami City's official page, the city's beaches and their surrounding promenades are designated no-smoking zones. Specifically named are Atami Sun Beach, Nagahama Beach and Ajiro Onsen Beach, plus the promenades around them. Smoking is in principle prohibited in these zones, but the city states that smoking is possible at designated smoking spots, and asks for cooperation with separated smoking.
- Atami Sun Beach and the promenade around it
- Nagahama Beach and the promenade around it
- Ajiro Onsen Beach and the promenade around it
- Even inside the zones, smoking is possible at "designated smoking spots" (Atami City official)
The seaside promenades are one of Atami's signature walking routes, used by many families and visitors. The locations of designated smoking spots can change with the season and with operational decisions, so always check on-site signage, and refrain from smoking if you cannot find any sign. Littering butts not only goes against the spirit of the ordinance but also damages the coastal environment. Whether portable ashtrays are accepted in a given place is also something to confirm from on-site signage.
About smoking areas around Atami Station, Atami Ginza and Nakamise shopping street
For individual smoking areas in the central district — in front of Atami Station, Atami Ginza, the Nakamise shopping street and the Heiwa-dori shopping street — we could not confirm locations or operating hours in primary sources from Atami City or the facilities themselves. This article does not assert the location of smoking areas we cannot confirm. If you want to smoke in these areas, check station and commercial-facility signage, shop notices, or on-site signs for whether a smoking place exists. As noted above, outdoor public places are subject to the "make an effort not to smoke" rule, and beaches and their promenades are no-smoking zones.
As for railway stations, indoor areas are in principle non-smoking under the revised Health Promotion Act. Atami Station is served by both JR East and JR Central, but whether smoking areas exist inside the station or on the platforms depends on each railway operator's policy, so this article does not assert it. Regarding the Shinkansen, the onboard smoking rooms on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen were abolished on 16 March 2024, and all Shinkansen are now completely non-smoking on board. Keep this in mind when planning smoking breaks around your journey.
Hot-spring ryokan and hotels, and the revised Health Promotion Act
The revised Health Promotion Act, fully in force since 1 April 2020, made indoor spaces non-smoking in principle. Restaurants and hotel lobbies and common areas are also in principle indoor non-smoking, and smoking requires a smoking room that meets the standards. Guest rooms in hotels and ryokan, on the other hand, may be treated under the law as places where smoking can be allowed — but whether you can actually smoke depends on each facility's own policy. In recent years, more facilities have gone fully non-smoking in guest rooms and consolidated smoking into in-house smoking areas.
Atami is an area dense with hot-spring ryokan and hotels. Whether smoking is allowed varies greatly by facility, so checking before you book is the sure approach. For the general logic of smoking rules at hot-spring ryokan, see the guide to smoking rooms at hot-spring ryokan. For Hakone, another hot-spring area near the Tokyo metropolitan region, see the Hakone smoking guide as well.
Heated tobacco and e-cigarettes
The revised Health Promotion Act includes transitional measures for heated tobacco indoors, and in some cases a "heated-tobacco-only smoking room" where eating and drinking are allowed may be set up. Whether heated tobacco can actually be used at a given facility must be confirmed from that facility's notices and signage. As for how heated tobacco is treated under the Atami City ordinance on preventing smoking on streets etc., we could not confirm any explicit statement on the city's official page. This article does not assert how the ordinance treats heated tobacco.
Since it cannot be confirmed, the safe approach is to use heated tobacco and e-cigarettes the same way as cigarettes: at designated smoking spots or in facility smoking rooms. Please refrain from using them in no-smoking zones such as beaches and their promenades, or in busy shopping streets. For details of the treatment, please check with Atami City and each facility.
Notes for international visitors and people under 20
In Japan, smoking by people under 20 is prohibited by law. This includes heated tobacco and e-cigarettes. If you are visiting Atami from overseas, note that street-smoking rules differ between municipalities in Japan. Some impose administrative fines, while others — like Atami City — use guidance, recommendation, orders and publication of names. In either case, the basic rule is to refrain from smoking in outdoor public places and to use designated smoking spots.
- Smoking by people under 20 is prohibited by law (including heated tobacco and e-cigarettes)
- Indoors is in principle non-smoking under the revised Health Promotion Act (fully in force 1 April 2020)
- Street-smoking rules differ by municipality
- Littering butts goes against the spirit of the ordinance
- Smoke only at designated smoking spots or in facility smoking rooms
Find smoking areas around Atami with MottoSuitai
If you want to find smoking areas around Atami Station, Atami Ginza or the hot-spring town, you can list nearby smoking areas from MottoSuitai's map. To settle where you can smoke at your accommodation first, see the guide to smoking rooms at hot-spring ryokan; and for Hakone, which many travellers visit together with Atami, see the Hakone smoking guide.
Before you go: always check official information
This third-party guide was compiled from the Atami City official website's ordinance page and facility official guidance published as of July 2026. The extent of no-smoking zones and the locations and operating hours of designated smoking spots may change. When you actually go, always confirm the latest information on the Atami City official website (https://www.city.atami.lg.jp/) and each facility's official guidance.
How to follow the ordinance and find a smoking place in Atami: 4 steps
In Atami, where the Atami City ordinance on preventing smoking on streets etc. applies, how to find a place to smoke while avoiding smoking in no-smoking zones.
- 1
Step 1
Understand the Atami City ordinance
Atami City asks people to make an effort not to smoke on streets etc. (roads, parks, beaches and other public places), and designates the city beaches and surrounding promenades as no-smoking zones.
- 2
Step 2
Check whether you are in a no-smoking zone
Atami Sun Beach, Nagahama Beach, Ajiro Onsen Beach and the promenades around them are no-smoking zones. Check on-site signage to see whether you are in one.
- 3
Step 3
Move to a designated smoking spot or a facility smoking room
Even inside the zones you may smoke at designated smoking spots. If you cannot find a sign, refrain from smoking and look for a facility smoking room or a smoking area on the MottoSuitai map.
- 4
Step 4
Use cigarettes, heated tobacco and e-cigarettes only at designated places
Use heated tobacco and e-cigarettes at designated smoking spots or facility smoking rooms, just like cigarettes. Never litter butts, and be considerate about second-hand smoke.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Can I smoke on the street in Atami?
A.Under the "Atami City Ordinance on the Prevention of Smoking on Streets etc." (in force since 1 April 2005), Atami City asks people to make an effort not to smoke on streets etc. — roads, parks, beaches and other public places (excluding indoor spaces or equivalent environments). In addition, the city beaches and their surrounding promenades are no-smoking zones where smoking is prohibited in principle. Smoke only at designated smoking spots or in facility smoking rooms. Check details on Atami City's official site.
Q.Is there a fine for violating the Atami ordinance?
A.Atami City's official page states no administrative fine. Instead it lists measures such as "guidance," "recommendation" and "orders," plus "publication" of the names of malicious violators. Regardless of penalties, please smoke only in designated places, out of consideration for the scenery of this tourist town and the prevention of second-hand smoke. Check the latest details on Atami City's official site.
Q.Can I smoke at Atami Sun Beach?
A.According to Atami City's official page, the city beaches and their surrounding promenades (Atami Sun Beach, Nagahama Beach, Ajiro Onsen Beach and the promenades around them) are designated no-smoking zones where smoking is prohibited in principle. However, smoking is stated to be possible at designated smoking spots. Please check on-site signage.
Q.Are there smoking areas at Atami Station or the Nakamise shopping street?
A.We could not confirm the locations or operating hours of individual smoking areas in front of Atami Station, at Atami Ginza or on the Nakamise shopping street in primary official sources. This article does not assert their locations. Check station and commercial-facility signage, shop notices and on-site signs for whether a smoking place exists. You can also look for nearby smoking areas on the MottoSuitai map.
Q.Can I smoke in a guest room at a hot-spring ryokan in Atami?
A.Under the revised Health Promotion Act (fully in force since 1 April 2020) indoors is in principle non-smoking, but guest rooms in hotels and ryokan may be treated under the law as places where smoking can be allowed. Whether you can actually smoke depends on each facility. Recently more facilities have gone fully non-smoking in rooms and consolidated smoking into in-house smoking areas, so check each facility's official information before booking.