We visited Kyomachi Onsen “Fukiagé Onsen” in Okamatsu, Ebino, Miyazaki. The previous owner bought land here and drilled a hot spring for the medicinal therapy of his wife, then opened this onsen 29 years ago. Also, he was from Fukiagé, Kagoshima, that’s why this onsen is named as Fukiagé Onsen.

The reception and the bath are separated, in different buildings. In the reception Noriko welcomed us with a smile. This onsen is operated by Noriko and her husband, she is in the reception generally in the morning. Fukiagé Onsen offers hotel accommodations as well, some visitors stay here for the medicinal bathing.

This is the dressing room. You can use a box in a compartment to keep your clothes and belongings. Although there are no lockers, the dressing room can be monitored from the bathroom.

There are two bathtubs in the bathroom. The left one is filled with the original hot spring water which is really hot, and the right one is filled with the moderate (though rather hot) water where the original hot spring and cool water is mixed to adjust the temperature.

The water is clear and not brown-coloured unlike other hot springs in the Kyomachi Onsen area. The temperature is adjusted by controlling the amount of water pouring to the bath. As the hot spring water is hot, the amount is reduced in summer.

They are frequent bathers Sanenori (left), Masayuki (centre), and Katsunori (right). As they regularly have been coming to Fukiagé Onsen every day at the same time, they have come to become friends here and now meet up every day to enjoy chatting after their work.

Fukiagé Onsen offers 10 private bathrooms, they are quite popular among not only the locals but visitors from Kagoshima or Kumamoto. Each bathroom has a unique name, 6 of 10 have an animal name and 4 of 10 have a fruit name. Originally all room had animal names, however, when additional four rooms were built, they were named as fruits. Noriko says “I don’t know why, maybe I just like fruits.” Actually, she gave us tangerines when we left Fukiagé Onsen after the interview.

MAP

INFORMATION

Name: Fukiagé Onsen

Address: 427-2 Okamatsu, Ebino, Miyazaki

Tel: 0984-37-0791

Access (Car): 1 hour 10 min from the centre of Miyazaki City. 1 hour 6 min from the Miyazaki airport

Parking Lot: 15

Opening Hours: 08:30 - 20:30

Closing Days: Every first and third Wednesday

Price: JPY 250