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Kyudai residence and hotspring

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Futsukaichi onsen is a famous and very old public hot spring in the middle of Futsukaichi.
Like most public hot springs it is divided into a men's and woman's area, and there are good facilities to undress in, and plenty of fosets where one can wash oneself before getting in one of the bath tubs.

Jens Olsen's Site

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Rumored to possibly be closed. If it is, there are many other onsen located on Mt. Aso.

Entrance: Free
Tubs: Open Air, separate genders

Yu-no-tani onsen, Hoshi-no-yu is half way up Mount Aso. The bath is a large rock bath with plenty of room for everyone. The water is nice and warm without being too hot, but not warm enough to stay in for hours. There is separated woman's and men's area with shelves to put the clothes on just inside the entrance. In front of the hot spring is a large open area where it is possible to camp in a little tent.
Yu-no-tani onsen is located half way up Mount Aso. From Kumamoto city take route 57 towards mount Aso. Next take route 325 towards Choyo village. Before getting into Choyo village make a left turn and go up mount Aso. Follow this road all the way to the end. You will see a very large hotel, and probably think you went up the wrong road, but keep going right past the holes main entrance, and you will get to a large open space. Here you will find Hoshi-no-yu.

Jens Olsen's Site

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Entrance: 500円, or 1000円 town onsen pass gets you into 3 different onsen.

Kurogawa onsen is a hot spring village with many different hotels, each with there own bath. In the village is a little public bath, with separate men's and womans area. Being a public bath, it has space to undress in, and shelves to put the clothes on. The public bath is quite simple, it looks a little like an over size family bath. The water is nice , but not hot though.

Jens Olsen's Site

Kurokawa Area Official Onsen and Ryokan Website (japanese)

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Entrance: Free
Tubs: Outdoor

Manganji onsen is in the middle of Manganji village.
There are 2 small concrete baths and an even smaller concrete hole where the village house wives wash their dishes and clothes using the hot spring water. The water is clear and not too hot.

There are no rooms or shelter to undress and no shelves to hang the clothes. And since this hot spring is in the middle of the village, you had better not be too shy if you want to try it out.

Jens Olsen's Site

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Entrance: Adult 300円, Child 200円
Tubs: 2 Outdoor and 2 Indoor (Separate-gender)
Lodging: 2,600円 / night

The view from the outdoor tubs is amazing. I had heard rumor that this rotenburo was mixed, but when we got there, they were separate. There is another onsen (possibly also called shiratori) further down the hill (north) that may have the mixed furo - we didn't have time to check it out.

The indoor tubs are wooden and very hot, while the outdoor tubs are made with rocks, and are slightly cooler.

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Note: this free outdoor onsen was shut down and converted to a foot bath as the area was developed many years prior to when I visited (May '06). Unfortunately, my information was bit old. There are some other springs in the area that are nice, and the view and hikes are amazing. This area now has a huge ecological museum, restaurant, gift store and visitor's center.

Mentioned on Jens Olsen's Site

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POTENTIALLY CLOSED

えびの高原温泉 / 市営露天風呂
Ebinoshi Rotenburo is located on the outskirts of Mt. Karakun

Entrance: Adult 300円, Child 200円
Tubs: Outdoor, separate genders
Water: 42.4 C

official site
Jens Olsen's Site

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Entrance: 500円
Tubs: Indoor/Outdoor (one outdoor is mixed-gender)
Hours: 8 AM - 10 PM

external photos

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Entrance: One place 200円, All 500円
Tubs: Separately enclosed tubs, a Sauna, and one outdoor, non-bathable "Yawata Hell"

This spring flows from the highlands 800 meters above sea level, halfway up Mt. Kurino-dake. There is a large femoral called Hachiman Hell, and the white steam spouts energetically and can been soon from a distace. There is also a dish named Steaming Hell Chicken that is cooked using the steam.

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Entrance: Adult 800円, Child 400円, includes a yukata
Tubs: Open-air, Sand, Mixed (with Yukatas)

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung

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Entrance: varried, some free
Tubs: some outdoor, most mixed

Amagase onsen is a little town full of hot springs.
The different baths are located just next to a river running through the middle of the town. There are many different baths, among which some are free, some are open air, and most are mixed. Some of the baths have small little shelters to undress in with shelves to put one's clothes on, while others has nothing. In case of the last kind of bath, one should not be too shy, as one will literally be undressing in the middle of the town!

Amagase onsen is located in the western part of Oita prefecture. From Oita city take route 210 to Amagase town. When you get to Amagase town, get off route 210 and go to the center of the town. This is where you will find the hot springs.

Jens Olsen's Site

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Entrance: honour system, 200円
Tubs: Outdoor, Mixed-genders

Shitan-yu, is located in the old part of town by a little scenic pond. It is half inside an old wooden building with straw thatch and half out side. As such there is a place to undress and shelves to put one clothes on, but not separated by gender. The bath is a build up rock bath with small rocks on the bottom. The water is nice and hot. This is one of the more idyllic hot springs in Japan, a nice place for those not too timid about it's mixed nature.

When I visited this spring in May '06, my wife and I met a friendly couple also on a motorcycle tour, as well as a chatty man that I don't think ever leaves those tubs.

Yufuin onsen town is very easy to find. It is a little town located a little west of Beppu city, with many signs directing the way. When you get to Yufuin town, coming from Beppu, turn left just at the first Lawsons. From here, there are signs pointing the way to Shitan-yu. When you see the pond, you are pretty much there. In peak times, this area of the town is very crowded, so you're best to leave your car elsewhere before or at the lawsons and walk the remaining 5 minutes.

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung
Jens Olsen

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Including Shinyu Onsen - Rotenburo

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Entrance: 200-500円

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These fill-size replicas of the statues from Easter Island are quite the attraction in this area, and the highway in this regeion runs along the 'Nichinan Coastline', which offers many amazing views.

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a Peace Tower, possibly an archaeological site.

Translated Page

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When I visited in May '06, this spring was closed. I'm not sure if it was temporary, for construction, or if it was permanent. Also, if it was for construction, the unique mixed cave spring may now be different and segregated (this seems to be the trend).

Entrance: 500円
Tubs: Outdoor (Cave), one women and one mixed

Description from another site:

Upon arrival, make your way to the "Shimizu Kaikan", a small, Japanese style inn, but don't [go down into the town] in anything bigger than a [k-car], or you won't get there. [Otherwise you can park up by the main road] From the outside, the hotel looks plain enough, but it is merely hiding what most people couldn't imagine. After taking the compulsory pre-bath shower, the weary traveller walks through a stone gateway, and finds himself in the middle of a huge cave, dimly-lit, and with the water oozing in through the walls. It is quite stunning; there is even a little beach area inside the cave for those who need to take a break from the relatively hot water. However, that's not all. This is a mixed onsen, which means that your sweetheart can join you in the men's bath. Bathing suits not permitted. The women's bath does not allow men, though. The baths are also so huge, you can swim around in them.

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung

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Entrance: Adult 400円, Child 200円
Tubs: 3 Outdoor (one mixed), 2 Indoor (separate)

Located on the slope of Mt. Aso, you're best off to stop off at a convenience store on the west side of Aso to get one of their photocopied maps detailing all of the onsen. There are signs in kanji (and occasionally romaji) that help a lot, once you're in the right area.

You buy a pass at the main building (to the left as you walk into the complex), which you then get stamped as you go into the 3 different onsen areas of the complex.

"The rocky outdoor baths (separate gender), "Roteniwaburo", are quite nice. The water temperature is great, they're rarely crowded, and the view is spectacular.

The Sparrow Bath, "Suzumenoyu" is mixed gender, and has very acidic water, so take off any jewlery before entering. The bath itself has an irregular, compartmentalized shape, with some parts covered with a roof. This is a great bath to bring your friends of opposate gender, although it may get crowded at times."

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When I visited this bath in Golden Week '06, it was very full of old men, and maybe two women tightly wrapped in big towels. In the Lonely Planet's introduction to Onsen, it was mentioned that some people would stay in onsen for months on end, if they could just place a tock on their lap to stay in one place while they sleep. Seeing the men here, I believe it - it doesn't look like they've moved for months. Anyway, I'd suggest you visit here at non-peak times.

Transated Official Site

Mt. Aso area attractions

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung

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Entrance: Assorted
Tubs: Assorted

Shimoda is a quiet, quaint little town on the island of Shimoshima, one of a collection of sparsely populated lumps of rock known as the Amakusa islands. This area is among the most unspoiled parts of Japan and, as such, has plenty of charm. Walking through Shimoda at night is like strolling about on the set of a Samurai drama. Most of the inhabitants seem to gather at a large building called "Shirasagikan" (Hall of the White Heron). A grandiose name if ever there was one. It is extremely well equipped, with several outdoor baths, several more indoors, and for those who really want to make a night of it, you can hire 2 or 4 person private baths. These are actually extremely good value at 1500 yen, and had I gone there with someone I would like to have escorted in, then this would be where I would have gone. As it was, I opted for the tour of outdoor baths, and was far from disappointed. There is also a rather decent-looking restaurant in the complex. It is unlikely that you would be passing Shimoda by accident, but if you happen to find yourself within about 30 miles, then you could do worse than to check this place out.
Translated Official Site

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung

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Entrance: Likely Expensive
Tubs: Many and luxurious

Harazuru is a small, hard-to-find little town in the north of Kyushu, on the banks of the River Onga. I stayed for one night at the very plush "Reisenkaku" Hotel, an establishment once visited by no less a celebrity than the Emperor himself. Hmmm, impressive, eh? It is an upmarket stopover, and one at which I spent not a single solitary yen. I came here on our school trip, 3 days of exhaustingly hard work, dragging 250 14-year-olds round sites of special interest, when all the kids want to do is drink, smoke, and be as unruly as possible.
The bath itself, though, is something special. A jungle bath, to be exact, complete with (real) palm trees, an assortment of different pools, water slides etc. However, it is hard to appreciate when you're in charge of 130 boys, tweaking each others dicks, comparing non-existant pubic hair and so on. Thus, I had to sneak back down at 3:00 am in order to get a feel for the place. I enjoyed. Very plezz indeed. I dread to think how much this place costs to say. I didn't ask. Simply being able to boast that the Emperor is a former customer is carte blanche to double the prices. People fall for that here. I'm also not sure if non-staying guests can pop in for a dip.

Kyushu Onsens - mjryoung

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Entrance: 500円
Tubs: Some indoor, outdoor, and 2 outdoor mixed baths.

"Nice ryokan, which is a little isolated by can still be reached by foot from the center of the town. Its baths are located just next to a river, in quiet surroundings. Apart from the segragated inside baths - which are not very appealing - there is a large mixed outdoor bath, a small one located just next to the river and a small cave bath."

source: Secret Onsen

Kurokawa Area Official Onsen and Ryokan Website (japanese)

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Entrance: 500円
Tubs: 1 Outdoor men's, 2 outdoor women's, and one outdoor mixed.

"There are two series of baths - one of the left side and one of the right side - which eventually lead to a mixed rotenburo at their ends. One side is for women, and the other for men; however, the attribution changes in the early evening, so you probably will try both sides if you overnight in this ryokan. The left side consists of one outside baths: a very small one plus another one which is so deep that you can stand in it. The right side is more interesting, with an inside bath and a outside one. The konyoku is the largest bath: there is a small waterfall, and stones to sit just under it."

source: Secret Onsen

Kurokawa Area Official Onsen and Ryokan Website (japanese)

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Entrance: 500円
Tubs: One outdoor womens and one outdoor mixed

"This ryokan is quite far from the center of Kurokawa, and can only be reached by car (most of the inns will give a lift to their guests, so you won't need to drive by yourself). Rooms are located around a nice pond, in a very calm surroudings. Especially during the night, not a single noise can be heard there. There is only rather large and mixed rotemburo, while women have their own private outside bath. However, the bath itself is absolutely great!"

source: Secret Onsen

Kurokawa Area Official Onsen and Ryokan Website (japanese)

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Famous Volcano

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Entrance: Free
Tubs: 2 small mixed outdoor

Two small free outdoor pools, a short drive from Beppu, and then a 15 minute walk from the parking lot. Both have an amazing view, but don't offer much space for many people. The water is a good temperature, and is open 24/7!

From Beppu city, take the #500 west from the #10 (the main highway running near the shore). Follow the #500, turning right at the `african safari` with the highway. After you go under the expressway, go straight when the highway turns right. This will take you into a residential area. At the first opportunity, turn left (it may look like a private access), and follow that road up towards the onsen area. From that point, follow the Google map for when and where to turn - just note that the distances are all rather short. Some portions are gravel or pot-hole-filled pavement, but it wasn`t too much of a problem with our motorcycles.

When we tried to get to the Nabeyama no Yu, we made a wrong turn somewhere (apparently we were close, you just had to turn right at some big broken stones, before the shrine-like entrance. We ended up finding Hebi no Yu instead, which was quite a nice suprise. We met a couple there who had been to Nabeyama no Yu earlier. The view was nice, and the water was an opaque grey with mud. Consequently, when you got out, your skin was a bit grayish. Also, they mentioned the small sizes of the tubs.

Secret Onsen

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Shusen no Mori is an 'industrial theme park', where many types of handicrafts are made, as well as seven different types of alcohol (sake, shochu, wine, local beer, liqueur, ...). You can try your hand at some of the local crafts, and sample some of the alcohol.

It's possible to book a tour, but that may likely require a Japanese-speaking assistant. There are different-language pamphlets available.


東諸県郡綾町大字南俣１８００−１９
to book a tour, click here

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"This is Japan's biggest and best collection of burial mounds. There are 311 mounds, with examples of many different styles, including large key-hole shaped burial mounds, and underground cave-type mounds."

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熊本県阿蘇郡高森町高森3219

10 min. by bus from Takamori Sta., Minami Aso Tetsudo to Kokuminkyuka-mura-mae Bus Stop. Open all year round. Cost: ¥2,000 per tent plus ¥500 per person.; Rental ¥5,200 per tent plus ¥500 per person. Facilities: Restaraunt, Vending machines, Water service, Toilet Cooking.

Features: Mt. Aso, with cycling, orienteering, and tennis in the area. Note: Reservations required.

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宮崎県児湯郡高鍋町大字蚊口浦6259-1

5-min. walk from Takanabe Sta., Nippo Line. Open Jul. 17 - Aug. 31. (Possible to camp in other seasons; reservation required). Cost:¥500 per tent; Rental ¥1,000 per tent. Facilities: Restaraunt, Showers, Stall, Vending, Water, Toilet, Cooking.

Features: Seaside; fishing, swimming

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宮崎県南那珂郡南郷町栄松
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20-min. walk from Nango Sta., Nichinan Line. C: Mid-Jul. - Late Aug. Cost: ¥800 per tent. Rental: Tent, ¥1,500 - ¥2,000. Facilities: Shower, Stall, Vending, Water, Toilets Cooking.

Features:
Seaside; fishing, swimming.

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宮崎県宮崎市大字折生迫字上白浜6600-1

Oryuzako Sta. from Miyazaki
by JR Nichinan Line. Open all year round.
Cost: ¥3,500
Rental: Tent, ¥1,570; sleeping bag, ¥420; lantern, ¥1,050; cookware, ¥420. Facilities: Shower, Stall, Vending, Water, Toilets Cooking.

Features: Fishing, swimming, surfing, sailing

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鹿児島県姶良郡牧園町高千穂3311

20 min. by bus from Kirishima-nishiguchi Sta., Hisatsu Line to Bokujo Bus Stop. Open all year round. Closed Wed. (except Late Jul. - Late Aug.) & New Year season.
Cost: ¥1,500 per tent plus ¥200 per person.
Rental: Tent, ¥1,600 - ¥2,000; cabin, ¥15,000 - ¥18,000.
Facilities: Stalls, Vending, Water, Toilets, Cooking.

Features: Kirishima Kogen Heights; hiking, hot spring, horse riding, tennis, swimming pool.

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大分県大分郡湯布院町川上441-29
Map location is approximate.

Cost: 4200円 (3200円 HI members)
Meals: Breakfast 630円 Dinner 1050円
Onsen Tax: 150円

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Entrance: Free
Tubs: 4 outdoor mixed, varrying temperatures from very hot to mildly warm.

Highly Recommended! Some very natural tubs along a slightly cooler creek - there is no problem finding the ideal temperature. On your way in, at the top of the path, there is a perfect place for camping. There is also a toilet/outhouse up near the parking. There's also a small changing hut by the tubs, for the shy.

From Beppu city, take the #500 west from the #10 (the main highway running near the shore). Follow the #500, turning right at the `african safari` with the highway. After you go under the expressway, go straight when the highway turns right. This will take you into a residential area. At the first opportunity, turn left (it may look like a private access), and follow that road up towards the onsen area. From that point, follow the Google map for when and where to turn - just note that the distances are all rather short. Some portions are gravel or pot-hole-filled pavement, but it wasn`t too much of a problem with our motorcycles. The bath itself is fairly easy to locate - it`s about 800m after the fenced-off water-treatment facility. There is a parking lot to the left, and to the right is a short road and then a path leading down to the spring. From the road, you can just see a small building at the end of the short road.

We found this spring by accident - quite a pleasant suprise - while looking for Nabeyama no Yu - which apparently wasn`t as nice. The people there were very friendly, and with 4 different tubs along the creek, there was room for everyone who came.

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Yufuin is an onsen town about 40 minutes by car from Beppu. In peak travel times, it is VERY crowded, and getting into the old/central part of town is next to impossible by car. By motorcycle, it was barely tolerable - so you may want to park just out of the outskirts somewhere. If you go to the train station, there is often a volunteer with maps to help you find any destination within the town. There are many onsen here - many free sento-style tubs, as well as other nicer ones that you pay for. My favourite is Shitan-yu.

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Yunohira is an Onsen Town located off to the north side of the main highway. It is very picturesque, being set around a river, with many cobble-stone roads, boardwalks and bridges - steam rising from many cracks everywhere. The roads through the town itself are very steep and narrow, and while a small k-car or a motorbike can make it (although the k-car may not make it back up), the only parking is up at the top anyway. The people here are very friendly, helping you find whatever it is you're looking for.

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This was a very nice campground, with all the ammenities you could want. We visited in Golden Week, 2006, and I don't think the office ever closed then (nice, since we arrived after dark).
There are two amazing rotemburo, one for men and one for women, that never close. For two people and one tent, it cost about 2300円 for one night.

Any of the locals on this road can point you towards this 'camp-jo' (campground). When we stopped by one ryokan, the friendly man there used his phone to call ahead, let them know we were coming, and ensure that there was room.

Note: the water pressure in the bathrooms was relatively low when we were there, which then required some strategic flushing.

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Kurokawa is a beautiful onsen town, with breathtaking Ryokans with furo (outdoor tubs) along a river to the north of the highway (Oku no Yu was great!) and many smaller onsen attached to Ryokans or campgrounds to the south of the highway. If you ask for directions anywhere, they are very helpful, and will give you a map of the town (I got about 4, even saying I didn't need it after I got the first two). If you can, spend a good ammount of time here, visiting the neighbouring onsen. You can buy a pass for 1000円 that is good for any 3 places. The standard rate for the nicer onsen seemed to be 500円 per person.

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This campground is huge, has many cooking and washroom facilities, as well as a small, segregated onsen. I visited this campground in May '06, and one night here with two people, one tent and the rental of two blankets cost about 1000円 - a very good price. Some of the staff here speak English very well, but they're all very friendly. There are many day hikes and trips that you can do from here, to the nearby mountains, volcanoes and onsen.

Being high up, it does get cold at night (in May, at least), so the blankets that you can rent for 240円 each come in very handy. There are cabins you can rent, and there is plenty of RV and tent space that I don't think could ever get full.

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This is a beautiful volcanic area with many crater lakes and numerous hot springs. There are countless trails and hikes to go on, each with breathtaking views. You can get a map at the tourist center, or at any of the campgrounds or Ryokan.

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About here highway 265 was completely washed out by a landslide.

When I was here, in May 2006, the whole highway 265, south of Aso-san, had heavy construction, which we carefully navigated around, only to run up against this dead-end in the dark. Apparently it wasn't just our lack of Kanji knowledge that led us unwittingly here, as there were other Japanese people who made it this far and had to turn around as well. Given the nature of the slide, it will be a *LONG* time before it is rebuilt, so I'd advise going a different route. Even to the north of this location, the 265 was very slow, though it was a fun ride on motorbikes.

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Because of the road closure, this campground was a saviour. with ample camping spots (and cabins and RV spots), nice cooking facilities, clean washrooms, a neighbouring Onsen and a nice river-side setting, it was all we could ever want. One night with one tent and two people cost under 1000円, which you pay at the onsen next door. The onsen itself was nice, costing only somewhere around 300円 each, with nice rotenburo and even TV's in the saunas.

The onsen closes at 10:00PM, so be sure to get in and paid before that.