Hitoyoshi Onsen "Tsurukame Onsen"
With the manager Mitsugu Nasu, on the bench
We visited Hitoyoshi Onsen “Tsurukame Onsen” in Kawarayamachi, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto. As you can see, the building is nicely aged.
This is the signboard decorated with the traditional Japanese ornament. This might bring you a fortune.
Yoko, who is the wife of Mitsugu, welcomed us at the reception. She said her mother also worked for Tsutukame Onsen as the manager until 87 years old.
There are no lockers in the dressing room, only boxes are available. The design is almost the same as Shin Onsen that was built in the same age (1920s).
The bathroom is nicely aged as well. We love this nostalgic design. There is only a bathtub on the centre of the room, scooping and pouring the water from this bath over the body would provide you a priceless bathing experience.
What is unique in Tsurukame Onsen is its faucet. The water flows out of the mouth of Ebisu (one of the Seven Lucky Gods). Although we’ve seen many faucets, this decoration was new to us. Also, the women’s bathroom has the Daikoku (another Seven Lucky God) decoration. Tsurukame Onsen is decorated with lucky charms.
He is the owner Akihiro. Look at his face. Don’t you think his face is similar to the Ebisu face? He still works as a doctor and always busy, but he comes to Tsutukame Onsen almost everyday.
This board shows notes for bathers. The note #1 (one on the right) says “If you are 7 years old or older, you must not bathe with the other sex.” Originally this was “13 years old”, and then changed to “10 years old”. Now it is “7 years old”. Akihiro says the transition implies children mature faster than before.
The wall of the dressing room is uniquely decorated. The wall used to be covered with hand-writing old film posters.
This is an advertisement of old finance service. If you borrow JPY 10,000, you can get JPY 8,500, and you have to pay back JPY 100 each day for 100 days. It is complicated, but equals to borrowing JPY 8,500 and paying back JPY 10,000 including interest within 100 days. The interest rate is 17.6% only for 100 days, it is insanely hard...
MAP
INFORMATION
Name: Tsurukame Onsen
Address: 1120-6 Kawarayamachi, Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto
Tel: 0966-22-3221
Access (Car): 1 hour 14 min from the centre of Kumamoto city. 1 hour 8 min from the Kumamoto airport
Parking Lot: 5
Opening Hours: 14:00 - 20:30
Closing Days: Every second and fourth Monday
Price: JPY 300
