Takaya Onsen
With the owner Kenichi Funabashi, at the reception
We visited “Takaya Onsen” in Kanoda, Saito, Miyazaki. The name “Takaya” has a very long history, it appears in Nihon Shoki written in 720.
He is Kenichi who is the fourth owner in the history of Takaya Onsen which has been operated by his family. The reception is shared with the ryokan and the day-use bath, go to the reception to pay the entrance fee. Takaya Onsen opened in 1936 as a simple inn for the medicinal bathing.
This is the dressing room, we recommend you to leave your valuables in your car as there are no lockers available.
This is the bathroom, there is a basic bath filled with cool spring water. The water is originally 18°C (60.8°F), but it is heated up to approx. 42°C (107.6°F) using a boiler for bathing. After taking a soak, your body won’t stop sweating.
This is the faucet. The cool spring source is located 90 meters below the ground, and the water is pumped up from there. The water contains a tiny amount of salt, because this area was covered by the ocean in a long, long time ago, and the water comes through a layer generated in that era.
Hiroshi (the name of the man in the bath) comes to Takaya Onsen about once a month with his wife. He likes to take a drink and meal while waiting for his wife in the lounge.
The water has been used for a medicinal benefit from a long time ago, and still in these days, many visitors drink a cup of the water before or after bathing. It is said the water is good for stomach flu, and drinking at the time your stomach is empty (i.e. when you are hungry) is recommended.
You can find ruins of Tonokori Castle close to Takaya Onsen at a hill. This castle was built by the Ito clan, and Mancio Ito was born and raised here. As Takaya Onsen has a long history, Mancio might enjoy a bath with the same water as we can enjoy now.
MAP
INFORMATION
Name: Takaya Onsen
Address: 10726 Kanoda, Saito, Miyazaki
Tel: 0983-42-4283
Access (Car): 33 min from the centre of Miyazaki City. 36 min from the Miyazaki airport
Parking Lot: 50
Opening Hours: 08:30 - 21:00
Closing Days: Monday (On holiday, changes to the following day)
Price: JPY 400
