Hot springs are so familiar to locals that they are often included in the list of outing options, such as "Going to a hot spring?" along with "Going to eat?" and "Going shopping?". This time, we will introduce five "famous hot springs worth going out of your way to visit" in Kyushu, a hot spring paradise. Our guide was Yukiko Miyazaki, who holds the title of "Hot Spring Meister," known as the most difficult hot spring certification exam in Japan. We will provide information on unique hot springs with outstanding hot spring power that even non-experts can feel.
The water is highly acidic and has a tingling sensation.
A "miraculous hot spring" that has hot spring connoisseurs from all over the country raving about it
Tsukahara Hot Springs, Crater Spring
Tsukahara Onsen Crater Spring
Let me just say this in advance: if you have any abrasions, you should be prepared to bathe in this hot spring. You should not open your eyes immediately after washing your face, as you will feel intense pain. This stimulating hot spring springs up at Tsukahara Onsen Crater Spring, located about a 15-minute drive from Yufuin Onsen, on the side of Mount Garandake at an altitude of 1,045 meters.
The reason for the irritation is the hot spring's strong acidity, the second highest in Japan. Its pH value, which indicates the degree of acidity, is 1.4, which is powerful enough to even dissolve concrete. However, there is no need to worry. Due to its strong acidity, the hot spring has excellent sterilizing properties and is known to be effective against all skin diseases. It is counted as one of the three most medicinal hot springs in Japan, and is also known as a famous hot spring spot for hot spring therapy.
A simple bathhouse with only one bathtub. Because the hot spring water is so acidic that it can dissolve concrete, the bathtub and floor are made of pine and cypress.
Even more surprising is the water quality, which is an "acidic sulfur-containing iron-aluminum-calcium sulfate spring" with a truly diverse composition. It is the second most aluminum-ion rich in the country and the most iron-rich in Japan, so there is no end to the people who visit for the hot spring cure. Yes, this is a miraculous hot spring that leaves even experts who know all about hot springs in the country speechless.
About a 5-minute walk from the hot spring building, the sight of billowing smoke is like hell
Our specialty "Mushi Tamago" is steamed for about 20 hours in the crater's steam. The rich hot spring ingredients soak into the eggs, giving them a mellow, rich flavor. 6 pieces for 500 yen
| Tsukahara Onsen Crater Spring | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 9:00-19:00 (9:00-18:00 from September to May) *Last admission is 1 hour before closing |
| Closed Day | ： | Year-end and New Year holidays, bad weather |
| web | ： | http://www.tukaharaonsen.jp/ |
| address | ： | 1235 Tsukahara, Yufuin-cho, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture |
Enjoy the "ultimate fresh hot spring" in a natural cave along a mountain stream. Enjoy the "ultimate fresh hot spring" in a natural cave, which only makes up 1% of hot springs in Japan.
Ryokan Fukumotoya
Ryokan Fukumotoya
Freshness is key for hot springs. The longer they are exposed to air, the more they oxidize, and just like living things, they change from moment to moment. For this reason, the owner, who is particular about his hot springs, takes great pains to ensure that the water from the source is supplied to the bath as fresh as possible. One style of hot spring that is envied among hot spring lovers as the "ultimate fresh water" is the "foot-spring bath."
Left: A long-established inn founded in 1907. Inside, you will be greeted by nostalgic scenes such as an irori hearth.
Right: The homemade dishes made with hot spring water and served to guests are also popular. They go well with the glossy, sweet white rice, which is home-grown.
As the name suggests, this is a bath where hot spring water gushes out from under your feet. The conditions that the spring water must be inside the bath and at the right temperature must be met, so it is said that only 1% of hot springs in Japan are like this.
One of these is the natural cave hot spring at Ryokan Fukumotoya in Kokonoe Town, Oita Prefecture. This hot spring has been bubbling away in a natural cave along a mountain stream for about 300 years, and its extraordinary volume of water, 1,300 liters per minute, is also an attraction. The newly born water fills the bathtub one after another and flows into the river in a luxurious environment. Because the water is replaced quickly, wearing a towel, which is generally considered taboo, is permitted here. Although it is a mixed bath, it is an easy one for women to try.
| Ryokan Fukumotoya | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 9:00-21:00 (Drop-in bathing available) |
| Closed Day | ： | Irregular holidays |
| web | ： | http://www.kabeyu.jp/ |
| address | ： | 62-1 Machida, Kokonoe-machi, Kuju-gun, Oita Prefecture |
"Japan's Three Greatest Skin-Beautifying Hot Springs" - It's like soaking in beauty essence
Kisenkan, a hotel with natural hot spring water
Kisenkan, a hotel with natural hot spring water
Ureshino Onsen is a highly acclaimed hot spring that is listed as one of Japan's top three hot springs for beautiful skin. It's common to see people here continue washing their bodies, mistakenly thinking that the soap hasn't come off, due to the thick texture of the bath. The hot spring at Ureshinokan, a small inn with only eight rooms, is particularly viscous, with water that is said to be soaking in a beauty serum. There are around 40 inns in Ureshino Onsen, but this is the only one that uses its own free-flowing hot spring water.
Every night, after the bathtub has been cleaned, the temperature is regulated by slowly filling it with water (90°C) from the hot spring. The bath temperature is also checked thereafter. This meticulous work ensures that 100% of the water is from the source, with no water being added. Furthermore, the water is pumped up using a special method known as the "air lift method." Although this method requires more effort to clean than the more common "submersible pump method," the owner says that "it helps to refine the water." In other words, it makes the water smoother. This famous hot spring was born from the owner's desire to "provide a genuine hot spring."
The inn is also highly rated for its dinner, which uses an abundance of seasonal local ingredients.
| Kisenkan, a hotel with natural hot spring water | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 10:30-21:00 (time when you can drop in and take a bath *However, it is not possible to do so when it is crowded) |
| holiday | ： | Irregular holidays |
| web | ： | http://kisenkan.spa-ureshino.com/ |
| address | ： | Saga Prefecture Ureshino City Ureshinocho Shimojuku 2202-18 |
The open-air bath and natural sauna with a spectacular view that was loved by "Saigo Don"
Shiratori Onsen Kamiyu
Shiratori Onsen Kamiyu
Saigo Takamori, also known as "Saigo Don," is said to have loved hot springs and enjoyed hot spring therapy in various places, mainly in Kagoshima and Miyazaki. One of the famous hot springs he enjoyed was the "Shiratori Onsen Kamiyu," a hot spring in the mountains at an altitude of 780m, and there is a record of his three-month stay there in 1874 (Meiji 7). The steam bath that is said to have soothed Saigo Don, who was exhausted after losing the debate on the Korean Expedition, is still in use today.
A steam bath is a Japanese-style sauna that utilizes hot spring steam, but the one at Shirotori Onsen Kamiyu is quite unique. It is a wild type, with a hut set over a hole where steam gurgles out of the ground. Because it is 100% natural steam, it is impossible to adjust the temperature, and although it varies depending on the day, the temperature inside the hut is an amazing 70 to 80 degrees Celsius. As soon as you step inside, an extraordinary amount of sweat will pour out of your entire body.
After enduring this hellish steam bath for about 10 minutes, you leave the hut and take a shower in the cold mountain water. Then, strangely enough, your body and mind will feel refreshed and light. A local regular says, "If you're suffering from a cold, it will be cured in an instant!"
Separate steam baths for men and women. The cold water bath in the foreground uses sacred water drawn from the nearby Shiratori Shrine.
In addition to the steam bath, there is also an open-air bath with a panoramic view of the Ebino Basin.
| Shiratori Onsen Kamiyu | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 7:00〜20:00 |
| Closed Day | ： | 1st Tuesday |
| web | ： | http://shiratori-onsen.com/ |
| address | ： | 1470 Suenaga, Ebino City, Miyazaki Prefecture |
"It's like God is in here," says one local regular.
Shio Ward Public Bath
Shio Ward Public Bath
Shio Onsen, located in the mountains of Kagoshima Prefecture, is a small hot spring resort with only a few inns and one public bath. It is not an easy place to access, being a 30-minute taxi ride from the nearest JR Izumi Station and about 90 minutes by car from Kagoshima city.
However, it is worth the effort to visit this place because of the superb hot springs that gush forth. This is the "Shio Ward Public Bathhouse," also known as the "Hot Spring of the Gods." The source of the spring is within the grounds of Shio Shrine behind the bath, making this a truly blessed hot spring. The clear emerald green water sometimes becomes slightly cloudy. On such days, local regulars say, "It's like the gods are in the water."
The spring quality is alkaline sulfur spring. There is an abundance of hot spring water, and the showers and faucets use hot spring water.
The soft, viscous water leaves your skin feeling moisturized after a bath - surely even the gods would want to enjoy this beauty bath. Perhaps it's because of the gods' blessing, but there is a delicious local specialty here that borrows from the power of the hot springs. It's "Aoshigaki," an astringent persimmon that has been soaked in the hot springs overnight. The quality of the spring water is said to remove the astringency and increase the sweetness. From October to the end of November, it can be purchased at the product shop attached to the public baths.
The famous "Aoshi persimmon"
| Shio Ward Public Bath | ||
|---|---|---|
| business hours | ： | 5:00〜21:30 |
| Closed Day | ： | none |
| web | ： | http://shibionsen.web.fc2.com/ |
| address | ： | 2165 Shio, Satsuma-cho, Satsuma-gun, Kagoshima Prefecture |
Yukiko Miyazaki
A freelance writer based in Fukuoka who travels around Kyushu. His areas of expertise are travel, gourmet food, and hot springs. He has bathed in over 600 hot springs, mainly in Kyushu. He has obtained the "Hot Spring Meister" certification, which is considered the most difficult qualification in the world. His books include "Delicious Hakata Business Trip" (HS Publishing).
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
