Our next destination is Iki Island. It takes approx. 2 hours by using a ferry from the east Karatsu port. Alternatively, you can take a flight depending on your budget. 

We visited Yunomoto Onsen “Yamaguchi Onsen” in Katsumotocho, Iki, Nagasaki, which has 50 years of history.

The third-generation owner Akinobu kindly welcomed us at the reception. He looks a little bit scary, but don’t worry he is really kind.

There is no dedicated dressing room. Instead, you can use a compartment in the bathroom to store your belongings. As there are no lockers, keep your valuables by your side and never out of your sight.

There are two bathtubs in the room, both of them are filled with deep brown hot spring water. The colour is so impressive. The tub on the far side in this picture is hot bath and the other tub is tepid/warm bath. The water is really salty, my lip tingled when the water touched it.

The water is chloride spring, and the original hot spring temperature is over 90°C|194°F. According to the owner, the water colour is originally transparent, but it becomes brown due to the oxidation as the temperature gets down. The hot spring water is neither mixed with normal cold water nor recycled. So it is 100% pure. Frequent bathers said bathing at Yamaguchi Onsen can ease joint pain or skin diseases, and a bather used to heal atopy in this onsen. In the past, Yamaguchi Onsen was mainly used for the medicinal therapy.

They are local frequent bathers Takeo (left) and Masami (right). They come to Yamaguchi Onsen when they feel sick and take a 2-hour long soak to refresh.

Yamaguchi Onsen offers a rental lounge so that bathers can take a rest and relax after bathing. On this day, a group of local elderly was having a lunch together. For the locals, Yamaguchi Onsen is not just a bathhouse to relax, but also a place for meeting up with friends.

Finally, frequent bathers taught us that taking a bath as soon as it opened before someone bathes is the best way to enjoy Yamaguchi Onsen. Only at this time, the surface of the bath is covered with thin white mineral deposits, and it is said taking this bath is really good for health. If you visit Iki, try to get up earlier and take a bath at Yamaguchi Onsen before anyone else.

MAP

INFORMATION

Name: Yunomoto Onsen “Yamaguchi Onsen”

Address: 400 Katsumotochō Hongūminamifure, Iki, Nagasaki

Tel: 092-043-0900

Access (Car): 18 min from the centre of Iki City. 25 min from the Iki airport

Parking Lot: 15

Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 - 20:00

Price: JPY 350