Biglobe, one of the biggest portal site in Japan released "The Fourth Onsen Award" recently. 10,931 internet users voted this survey between Oct 5 and Nov 16. Ten most popular onsen ryokans/hotels among Japanese are:
1. Kagaya (Wakura Onsen, Ishikawa Pref)
2. Daiichi Takimotokan (Noboribetsu Onsen, Hokkaido)
3. Suimeikan (Gero Onsen, Gifu Pref)
4. Suginoi Hotel (Kankaiji Onsen, Oita Pref)
5. Hotel Urashima (Nanki Katsuura Onsen, Wakayama Pref) Chinese site
6. Arima Grand Hotel (Arima Onsen, Hyogo Pref)
7. Hyoe Koyokaku (Arima Onsen, Hyogo Pref)
8. Akan Yukyunosato Tsuruga (Akanko Onsen, Hokkaido)
9. Ibusuki Hakusuikan (Ibusuki Onsen, Kagoshima Pref)
10. Hotel Ichii (Kusatsu Onsen, Gunma Pref)
I couldn't find websites in English for Hotel Urashima (5th) and Hotel Ichii (10th).
Link: Official Onsen Ryokan Ranking page (in Japanese only)
Showing posts with label Kagoshima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kagoshima. Show all posts
Dec 8, 2011
Nov 6, 2010
Furusato Kanko Hotel, Furusato Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.
[update] Furusato Kanko Hotel filed for bankruptcy and Kagoshima District Court accepted their filings on Oct 2, 2012. The hotel was closed down end of Sep.
The mysterious Ryujin-buro (Dragon God Bath) is usually crowded during day time.
Furusato Onsen is located south of Sakurajima, an active volcanic island in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Pref, in Kyushu Island. Furusato Kanko Hotel is known for its Ryujin-buro, a scenic open-air mixed bath faced on Kinko Bay.
The word Ryujin stands for "Dragon God", and there is a shrine just beside the bath. You have to wear white Yukata (Kimono) to soak the bath regardless your gender (For the Quick Movie and Photo Gallery, see their official site). Because it's supposed to be rude to show your body to the god. Apart from onsen pools, it's one of the very rare "clothing necessary" onsens.
You'll see many small stone statue under roots of the Ficus wightiana. The tree is more than 200 years old.
Although the sodium hot spring is clorinated and circulated (hot spring water is being reused), I could recognize mild touch of the onse water. There are gender separated indoor baths, and private baths, too.
Please note "Ontake", the volcano in the Sakurajima Island is very active, minor explosion counts more than 700 times in a year recently, and sometimes they have to close the Ryujin-buro due to volcanic ash.
A view of the Sakurajima from Shiroyama Park, Central Kagoshima City. Furusato Onsen sits south (right side on the picture) of the island.
◆Furusato Kanko Hotel, Furusato Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.（古里温泉 ふるさと観光ホテル）
Type: Gender mixed open-air bath, gender separated indoor baths, private baths
Address: 1076-1 Furusato-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagosima Pref.
Location: 31.551774,130.656482
Access: Free hourly shuttle services (only in the afternoon on weekdays) from the Sakurajima Port Bus Terminal, taking 15 minutes one way.
Business hour of day visit: 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Holiday: As for Ryujin-buro, usually unavailable up to 3:00 PM on every Monday and Thrsday, every Wednesday for indoor bath.
Admission fee: ¥1050 for Ryujin-buro and indoor bath including rental yukata, ¥530 for indoor bath only, ¥3150 for private bath (one hour)
Link: Official web-site (Japanese Only)
My rating (A-E): C
Hot spring for drinking located at lobby of the hotel.
The mysterious Ryujin-buro (Dragon God Bath) is usually crowded during day time.
Furusato Onsen is located south of Sakurajima, an active volcanic island in Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Pref, in Kyushu Island. Furusato Kanko Hotel is known for its Ryujin-buro, a scenic open-air mixed bath faced on Kinko Bay.
The word Ryujin stands for "Dragon God", and there is a shrine just beside the bath. You have to wear white Yukata (Kimono) to soak the bath regardless your gender (For the Quick Movie and Photo Gallery, see their official site). Because it's supposed to be rude to show your body to the god. Apart from onsen pools, it's one of the very rare "clothing necessary" onsens.
You'll see many small stone statue under roots of the Ficus wightiana. The tree is more than 200 years old.
Although the sodium hot spring is clorinated and circulated (hot spring water is being reused), I could recognize mild touch of the onse water. There are gender separated indoor baths, and private baths, too.
Please note "Ontake", the volcano in the Sakurajima Island is very active, minor explosion counts more than 700 times in a year recently, and sometimes they have to close the Ryujin-buro due to volcanic ash.
A view of the Sakurajima from Shiroyama Park, Central Kagoshima City. Furusato Onsen sits south (right side on the picture) of the island.
◆Furusato Kanko Hotel, Furusato Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.（古里温泉 ふるさと観光ホテル）
Type: Gender mixed open-air bath, gender separated indoor baths, private baths
Address: 1076-1 Furusato-cho, Kagoshima City, Kagosima Pref.
Location: 31.551774,130.656482
Access: Free hourly shuttle services (only in the afternoon on weekdays) from the Sakurajima Port Bus Terminal, taking 15 minutes one way.
Business hour of day visit: 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Holiday: As for Ryujin-buro, usually unavailable up to 3:00 PM on every Monday and Thrsday, every Wednesday for indoor bath.
Admission fee: ¥1050 for Ryujin-buro and indoor bath including rental yukata, ¥530 for indoor bath only, ¥3150 for private bath (one hour)
Link: Official web-site (Japanese Only)
My rating (A-E): C
Hot spring for drinking located at lobby of the hotel.
Jan 16, 2010
Tonosama-yu, Nigatsuden Onsen, Kagoshima Pref.
Remaining old bath for "daimyo" or lords. general soldiers were prohibited to enter this bath.
History of the Tonosama-yu（殿様湯）, or the Lord bath located at Nigatsuden Onsen（二月田温泉）, south of Kagoshima Prefecture, southernmost prefecture in the Kyushu Island dates back to the edo period in 1831. The 27th head of Shimazu Clan (see Wikipedia for more info on Shimazu Clan) moved their onsen bath to here at Nigatsuden, near more famous Ibusuki Onsen（指宿温泉）.
Bath for men in use now. Round shape bath is for cooling hot spring.
Although it's unsoakable, you can see the part of the old bath at the backyard of the Tonosama-yu even now. Western style tiles were so precious in the edo period as Japan was under "sakoku" or locked country policy, and trading with other countries were very limited at that time.
Appearance of Tonosama-yu looks much popular now.
Unfortunately, I visited there on their holiday. I couldn't soak myself but nice ladies (probably mother and daughter that manage the place) allowed me to enter and take pictures. They even turned pump on and made me taste their sodium hot spring. It tasted slightly salty with rusty metal flavor. (*ﾟoﾟ*)
You can see name list of serial Shimazu Clan's heads from 13th century. The mark "cross in round" on top is the family symbol of the Shimazu Clan.
◆Tonosama-yu, Nigatsuden Onsen （二月田温泉殿様湯）
Type: Gender separated indoor baths, day visit only
Address: 1408-27 Nishikata Ibusuki-city, Kagoshima Pref.
（鹿児島県指宿市西方1408-27）
Location: 31.256571,130.626055
Business hour: 7:00 AM to 9:00 PMHoliday: Second and fourth Friday of every month
Admission fee: ¥270
Equipment:Nothing particular, no complementary soap and shampoo. Hot spring for drinking at the outside of the bath house.
Access:7~8 minutes walk from the Nigatsuden Station of the JR Ibusuki-makurazaki line（指宿枕崎線）. If you travel with special rapid train（特快）, get off at the Ibusuki Station and take a taxi as the special rapid train doesn't stop at the Nigatsuden. Or you can lent a bicycle at the Ibusuki Station like me. They offer discount for JR passengers. Ask "Raku-chari（楽チャリ）" at the Ibusuki Station.
It takes less than an hour from Kagoshima-chuo Station to Ibusuki with special rapid train. If you take a local train to Nigatsuden, it takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Kagoshima-chuo.
Link: Map of the Tonosama-yu in English (scale changeable)
Sep 15, 2009
Recommendable Onsen Ranking - JTB survey
A view near Hakone Yumoto Station. It's difficult to choose a typical Hakone picture as there are various types of onsen there. (photo: May 2007, courtesy of my husband)
The most recommendable onsen in Japan is Hakone Onsen, in Kanagawa Pref, Kanto Region - a recent online survey by the JTB, a leading Japanese travel company reveals.
You can't miss the Yubatake (hot spring filed) when you visit second ranked Kusatsu Onsen. (photo: Dec.2003)
The survey was conducted in early Aug, collected 1254 polls. Asked about "most recommendable onsen to others", 103 respondents picked Hakone. It's popular mainly because of easy access from Tokyo. Actually, it's within a day trip distance from Tokyo, and there are various types of onsen like public baths for local residents, an onsen amusement park, and so many ryokans and hotels scattered in wide area.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)