Yoshimatsu Onsenkyo "Tsurumaru Onsen"
With the owner Ritsuko Miyauchi, at the entrance hall
We visited Yoshimatsu Onsenkyo "Tsurumaru Onsen" in Tsurumaru, Yusui-cho, Aira-gun. Tsurumaru Onsen opened in 1966, it has 50 years of history.
Ritsuko's husband Tsutomu welcomed us at the reception. He had been managing a small theatre company for 20 years, he used to dance on the stage of local inns (ryokan). We felt his behaviour is still sophisticated and aesthetic.
This is the dressing room. As you can see, it is aged and really simple. Sixteen doors out of twenty-four are lost. Anyway, if you like bathing, it would not matter.
The design of the bathroom is very unique. You can see colourful wall painting, curved bathtubs, and moor hot spring (moor hot spring contains plant-origin ingredients unlike regular hot springs) with coke-like colour. Also, you can enjoy bathing with the jazz music in Tsurumaru Onsen. The left bathtub contains warm water and the other contains hot water.
There are 2 faucets. One is for the water from the hot spring source, and the other is for the cold water. You can adjust the temperature using these two faucets. The hot spring source was dug in 1963, the water is pumped up from 200 meters below the ground.
A frequent bather Tsukasa (the name of the man in the picture) has been using Tsurumaru Onsen for over 30 years. They say the water treats skin diseases and surface wounds.
There is also an open-air bath. As this bath only contains the water from the hot spring source (no cold water added), the temperature is high and the colour is darker. Be careful when you soak in this open-air bath, it is really hot.
The faucet of the open-air bath. You can see depositions piled in the basket.
There is the Tsurumaru station of the JR Kitto line close to Tsurumaru Onsen. It only takes one-minute walk.
It is a one-track desolated station. We love it.
This is Sugawara Shirine.
She is the owner Ritsuko. She says the best way to enjoy Tsurumaru Onsen is to soak only waist-deep in the water for 10 minutes. It makes you feel your body relax. Also, she says, if there are no other bathers, you can lie down on the floor and pour the water over your body as you like. That is relaxing as well.
MAP
INFORMATION
Name: Yoshimatsu Onsenkyo "Tsurumaru Onsen"
Address: 622-5, Tsurumaru, Yusui-cho, Aira-gun, Kagoshima
Tel: 0995-75-2828
Access (Car): 1 hour 3 min from the centre of Kagoshima city. 32 min from the Kagoshima airport
Parking Lot: 50
Opening Hours: Daily 06:00 - 21:00
Price: JPY 200
