We visited Yumigahama Onsen “Yurakutei” in Oyanomachikami Yumigahama, Amakusa, which opened in 1967. There used to be a sandy beach shaped like a bow (Yumi (弓) means bow in Japanese), that is why this area is called as Yumigahama.

The owner’s wife Atsuko welcomed us at the reception. She is a really cheerful woman. Talking to her might make you smile.

The dressing room is well maintained and clean. Also, lockers are placed in front of the room. If you have valuables, you can use the lockers to store them.

The first bath is called “Shiro-yu” (white water). The temperature is about 35°C (95°F). Although it is not hot, taking this bath after soaking in other baths is good for the finish. The hot spring source for Shiro-yu was bored after 10 years had passed since Yurakutei opened. The trigger was that the grandfather of the current owner Akihito had a dream about a gushing hot spring.

The second bath is called “Aka-yu” (red water). The colour of water and deposited minerals indicate how strong the water is. The temperature is about 42°C (107.6°F), soaking in this bath really warms you up thoroughly.

The water powerfully gurgles out of the faucet. The amount of minerals deposited around the faucet is amazing. We wonder how we should describe it, we once saw a pumpkin like this...

Yukinori now lives in Kurume alone leaving his family in another city. He goes to one or two of Kyushu 88 Onsens when he is off. He says bathing at Yurakutei satisfied him so much.

There is also an open-air bath containing Aka-yu, which is made by the owner himself. You can see a lot of minerals are deposited on the tub. These deposited minerals are shaved off every three or four years during the bath maintenance.

And, this is the last bath in Yurakutei. It’s called “Cave bath.” This cave was dug by the owner himself as well. We are sure this will provoke your adventurous mind!
On the bottom of the bathtubs containing Aka-yu, a lot of minerals are piling up. Frequent visitors often scoop up the minerals and rub on the face. They say that makes the skin so smooth. If you come to Yurakutei, please give it a try. 

The owner Akihito and his wife Atsuko. As you can see, Akihito has a muscular body, it has been built by years of the Karate training. Akihito takes a leadership to make Kamiamakusa and Yumigahama more attractive. He tries to make a partnership with Agrigent in Sicilia, to reconstruct the seaside area of Kamiamakusa, and so on. During the interview, we felt he really loves his hometown Yumigahama and Kamiamakusa.

Finally, we will show you an unusual “Gold beckoning cat.” Akihito tells us that a normal beckoning cat can change to the gold one by soaking it in Aka-yu for 15 days. This is a must-see mascot of Yurakutei!

MAP

INFORMATION

Name: Yurakutei

Address:  5190-2 Oyanomachikami Yumigahama, Kamiamakusa, Kumamoto

Tel: 096-456-0536

Access (Car): 1 hour 10 min from the centre of Kumamoto city. 1 hour 18 min from the Kumamoto airport

Parking Lot: 40

Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 - 20:00 (opening hours may change on a peak season)

Closing Days: Not specified

Price: JPY 500