A hot spring sommelier thoroughly explains the appeal! The closest genuine hot spring to central Fukuoka City, with 100% natural hot spring water

Going on a trip far away and staying overnight to enjoy hot springs is great, but sometimes you just want to enjoy a quick hot spring with the same enthusiasm as going out.

So, I, Tsubaking, a writer who is a certified "Hot Spring Sommelier" (certified by the Hot Spring Sommelier Association), will introduce some recommended hot springs in Fukuoka City!

It's perfect for when you have a little free time or want to refresh yourself easily. It's a hot spring that's easy to go to even with children!

"Fujinoen" is the "only" hot spring in Fukuoka City! 100% natural hot spring water flows directly from the source (Miyake, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City)

Fujinoen is located in a residential area lined with apartment buildings in Miyake, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, about 20 minutes by car from Tenjin.

Founded in 1972, this hot spring inn uses 100% natural hot spring water, pouring the hot spring water directly into the bathtub.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

We spoke to Manager Kenji Fujino about what the store was like when it first opened.

"A few years before our house was built, a hot spring appeared nearby. It is now called Ganso Motoyu (Yokote, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City). After that, people in the area started digging hot springs, and several hot spring facilities were built, but now Motoyu and our house are the only hot springs in Hakata."

These are the only two places in the entire city of Fukuoka where you can enjoy 100% natural hot spring water. Ganso Motoyu is a drop-in bath, while Fujinoen offers meals, banquets, and overnight stays in addition to drop-in baths.

The drop-in bath at Fujinoen (reception closes 10:00-21:30, Tuesdays from 16:00) is reasonably priced at 600 yen for adults up to one hour, and 400 yen for children from 0 to elementary school age. Between 10:00 and 17:00, there is also a "Slow Course" (1,000 yen for adults, 700 yen for children from 0 to elementary school age) that allows you to spend time without worrying about time.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

The reason I recommend Fuji no Sono is because it's a "real hot spring"!

The key point is that in addition to the aforementioned "100% natural hot spring water," the hot springs only had to be dug about 100 meters deep to find their source.

Under the Hot Springs Act, a hot spring is certified if it meets one of two conditions: it "gushes out at a temperature of 25°C or higher" or "contains more than the specified amount of hot spring ingredients."

If you dig deep enough, geothermal heat will inevitably bring out water that is over 25°C, so in some cases, even ordinary groundwater can be certified as a hot spring because it exceeds 25°C.

In this respect, Fujinoen is a rare place where hot spring water at a temperature of 45.5°C flows from a shallow point of just about 100m.

Prevents coldness! Highly moisturizing and plumps up your skin

On the other hand, the amount of hot spring ingredients contained is also impressive. According to the Hot Springs Act, hot springs are certified as hot springs if they contain 1g/kg or more of these ingredients, but the water at Fujinoen contains 5.37g of these ingredients, so it's safe to say that it's a "rich hot spring"!

The water quality is calcium and sodium chloride hot spring.

Calcium and sodium ions form a thin film on the skin, providing excellent heat retention, making them ideal for people who are prone to feeling cold.

Furthermore, this film enhances the moisturizing effect, so your skin will remain plump and moisturized even long after you get out of the bath.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

You can also drink the hot spring water here.

You may be put off by the salty taste at first, but it will help your stomach and intestines function, so be sure to give it a try!

Image: Mr.tsubaking

Four types of bathtubs with different temperatures

Fuji no Sono has four baths for men and women.

All the hot water is drained after closing time, so you can enjoy fresh water every day.

The "First Bath" is a little hotter, at 43.5-44°C, and the water is poured almost directly from the source, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of the hot spring to the fullest.

The main indoor bath that flows in from there is around 41°C, perfect for enjoying the hot spring water at your leisure.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

The open-air bath is about 36-38°C depending on the outside temperature, so you can take a leisurely bath.
What's more, it's designed so that you can lie down, so you can lose track of time as you soak in the hot springs while watching the clouds drift by!

The bathhouse has a unique design with stonework that you won't see anywhere else, but according to Manager Fujino, "We brought the stones ourselves and made them by hand. At the time, there were no super public baths or the internet, so we didn't have any reference images. So we all worked hard to create the perfect bath that our predecessor had in his head." Please take a look.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

Next to it, there is also a small "cold bath".

Image: Mr.tsubaking

The recommended way to bathe is "alternating hot and cold baths"

I recommend alternating hot and cold baths!

First, warm up your body thoroughly in the hot "Ichiban Bath," then cool down in the open-air "Cold Bath."
Then, take an outdoor bath and you'll achieve a state of "totono" (comfort)!

Recommended for those who don't like saunas.

Alternating hot and cold baths is a bathing method that can help relieve fatigue, and recently even some professional athletes have started using it.

It is also said that alternating between hot and cold baths helps to balance the autonomic nervous system.

It's perfect for modern people who are stressed and prone to autonomic nervous system disorders!

Rinse off with hot spring water instead of fresh water.

After alternating hot and cold baths, take a leisurely soak in an indoor or outdoor hot spring to allow the hot spring ingredients to fully adhere to your body.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

Some people rinse their bodies with a freshwater shower after coming out of the hot spring, but that's a waste!

The hot spring ingredients on your body continue to be effective even after you get out of the bath, so it's best not to rinse them off with fresh water.

There is a shower with hot spring water, so rinse off your body and get out!

After bathing, you can relax in the large hall, which is safe for children.

After your bath, you can also use the large hall on the first floor. There are set meals and alcoholic drinks such as beer on the menu, so you can enjoy a meal there!

Image: Mr.tsubaking

I recommend the Gokayama Ice Candy from Nakagawa City, which is sold next to the front desk. My 4-year-old child also loves this ice cream!　 It's a delicious way to cool down.

It is not a space where shoes are allowed, but rather a large tatami-floored space, so you can feel safe even if you have small children with you.

Image: Mr.tsubaking

"We don't have the wide variety of baths that you'd find at a super public bathhouse, but we're confident in the quality of our hot springs. Please feel free to come and visit us," says Manager Fujino.

Located close enough to the city center that you can drop by whenever you feel like it, the baths at Fuji no Sono are a great place to fully enjoy even in a short time. Why not give it a go for a quick break and relax? (Text by Mr. tsubaking)

＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■Fuji Garden
Address: 3-19-7 Miyake, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Opening hours (day spa): 10:00-22:00 (last admission at 21:30), Tuesdays 16:00-22:00
Closed: Every Tuesday (However, only hot spring bathing is available from 16:00 to 22:00)
Day-trip hot spring fees: [Drop-in bath] Up to 1 hour: Adults (middle school students and above) 600 yen, 0-elementary school children 400 yen, Up to 2 hours: Adults (middle school students and above) 800 yen, 0-elementary school children 600 yen
[Slow Course (unlimited time from 10:00 to 17:00)] Adults (middle school students and above) 1,000 yen * 800 yen every Friday (excluding holidays and days designated by the hotel), 700 yen for children from 0 years old to elementary school students
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the article include tax.
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