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Courtesy of the Kan no Jigoku Ryokan A cold spring water bath is seen at the Kan no Jigoku Ryokan inn in Kokonoe, Oita Prefecture.
By Sakiko Uchiyama/Ryoko Yomiuri Publication
11:01 JST, July 13, 2024
There are many hot springs across the nation, but during the hot muggy days, you might be looking for something cooler. You might try a cold mineral spring, with temperatures below 25 C.
The best cold baths in Japan, according to spa connoisseurs, lie at the foot of the Kuju mountain range in western Oita Prefecture. The spa named Kan no Jigoku (Cold hell) spa is one of the spas in the Kokonoe Yume Onsen Village, where there is a cluster of springs resorts. The Japanese-style inn Kan no Jigoku Ryokan is located at 1,100 meters above sea level along the Yamanami Highway connecting the Yufuin and Aso areas.
Photos Courtesy of the Kan no Jigoku Ryokan Left: Cold spring water flows out of spouts for bathers to drink. The entrance of the Kan no Jigoku Ryokan inn.
Since the inn opened in 1928, its cold spring spa has only been open during summer. However, in July of last year, the facility added a sauna to help bathers warm up, allowing the cold bath to be open year-round.
“We are finally able to meet the demand of customers who want to bathe in the cold spring all year round,” the inn’s owner Masumi Takeishi said. “We are offering more bathing options and hope visitors will get to know the spring.”
Photos courtesy of the Kan no Jigoku Ryokan A hot room for bathers, left, and a sauna
Sauna fans often soak in the cold spring after using the sauna when they visit, but soaking in the cold spring first is the way to go in summer.
The cold spring here is a mixed bath, so visitors wear bathing suits or sauna clothes.
At the far end of the flat bathhouse, mineral water gushes from the spouts of the drinking fountain. Two tons of sulfuric cold spring water gush out every minute. The water also wells up from the bottom of the bath, which is paved with stones and pebbles. The temperature is between 13 C and 14 C. It is certainly cold, even a little painful to soak in.
“For the first minute or two a tingling sensation is felt on your skin because of the minerals in the water. But after three minutes, you won’t feel it anymore,” said Takeishi.
From then on, you can soak for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your health and patience. When your body heat drops and you start to shiver, get out of the bath and rush to the hot room to warm up.
Don’t dry off your body, but rather let the minerals soak into your skin. The cold spring will revitalize you and put you in relaxation mode when you come out.
The inn also has hot bathhouses with heated spring water and three private baths for guests.
There are 11 Japanese-style rooms and dinner is served around an irori fireplace, with roasted local pork as the main course. Sake, carefully selected by sake-loving Takeishi, is also popular.
Courtesy of Kokonoe municipal government Shindo Falls
The inn is located in Aso-Kuju National Park, which straddles Oita and Kumamoto prefectures, and the surrounding area is full of sightseeing spots. It is a 10-minute drive to the Kokonoe “Yume” Otsurihashi bridge over Narukogawa Valley. The structure is suspended 173 meters above the riverbed and is Japan’s highest pedestrian-only bridge. There is also the nearby Shindo Falls, which was selected as one of the 100 best waterfalls in Japan.
Courtesy of Kokonoe municipal government The Kokonoe “Yume” Otsurihashi bridge
Hot spring enthusiasts are recommended to go spring-hopping around the 12 spas in the Kokonoe Yume Onsen Village, which includes a carbonated spring bath at Ukenokuchi Onsen and a lukewarm bath in a natural cave at Kabeyu Onsen.
Courtesy of Kokonoe municipal government A bath at Yamazato no Yu in Ukenokuchi Onsen spa resort
How to get there
The Kan no Jigoku Ryokan inn is a 50-minute bus ride from Bungo-Nakamura Station on the JR Kyudai Main Line, and a short walk from the Kan no Jigoku-mae bus stop. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Wednesdays. Room rates start at ¥16,650 per night with two meals (an additional ¥2,000 and up for guests using the cold spring bath/sauna). Bathing only is ¥2,500 for two hours.
The Japan News
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Japan Tourism is presented in collaboration with Ryoko Yomiuri Publication, which publishes Ryoko Yomiuri, a monthly travel magazine. If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.
