We visited Yunomoto Onsen "Motoyu" & "Uchikomiyu" in Hioki city. This onsen is little bit hard to find, it is located on the end of a passage.

This is the entrance of "Motoyu" & "Uchikomiyu."

First, you need to buy a ticket, and insert it into the box in the reception. Kazuko will welcome you with a smile.

The dressing room is big and clean. There are also lockers to keep your valuables while bathing. 

The tagline of this onsen is "Enjoy two types of water in one place." The left bath is called Uchikomiyu and the right one is called Motoyu. Both of them are filled with sulphur water; however, they treat different things. They say Uchikomiyu is good for stomach flu and skin diseases, and Motoyu is good for neuralgia and rheumatism.

The water is not recycled in both of the baths, and the water is always overflowing.

He is a frequent bather Kazuo. He plays table tennis 3 hours, 3 days a week, and always come to this onsen after the exercise. He also says soaking in the bath benefits his health. 

His name is Kazunori, he is the CEO of Yunomoto Onsen inc. which runs this onsen. The onsen has a long history, the record is found in a book published in 1583. In the old age, Motoyu is exclusively dominated by Shimazu han (a group of clan dominated this area in the old age), only Uchikomiyu was opened for normal citizens .   

There is an Onsen Shrine close to "Motoyu" & "Uchikomiyu." This shrine gateway was built by the local project "Council for the future of Yunomoto." The issue of Yunomoto is that the number of tourists is decreasing every year. The members of the project are working together to make Yunomoto more attractive.

MAP

INFORMATION

Name: Yunomoto Onsen "Motoyu" & "Uchikomiyu"

Address: 2231, Yuda, HigashiIchiki-cho, Hioki, Kagoshima

Tel: 099-274-5968

Access (Car): 35 min from the centre of Kagoshima city. 50 min from the Kagoshima airport

Parking Lot: 25

Opening Hours: 06:00 - 21:30

Closing Days: Apr 1st, Sep 1st

Price: JPY 130