.svg)
[Day Trip Hot Springs in Fukuoka] Recommended by a Hot Spring Sommelier! "Highly Concentrated" Beauty-Enhancing Hot Springs (Chikugo City)
Going on a hot spring trip outside the prefecture and staying overnight is great, but sometimes you just want to enjoy a hot spring with the feeling of just going out for a quick trip.
So, I, Tsubaki King, a writer who is a certified "Hot Spring Sommelier" (certified by the Hot Spring Sommelier Association), will introduce some recommended hot springs that you can visit on a day trip from Fukuoka city!
It's great to add a hot spring to your travel destinations and come home feeling refreshed!
"Kawa no Eki Funagoya Koibotaru" in Funagoya Onsen Village, which has a history of over 200 years (Chikugo City)
This time we would like to recommend "Kawa no Eki Funagoya Koihotaru," located along the river in Funagoya Onsenkyo (Chikugo City).
The nearest station is JR Chikugo Funagoya Station, which is about 25 minutes by Kyushu Shinkansen (around 70 minutes by conventional line) from JR Hakata Station. By car, it is about 8 minutes from Yame IC on the Kyushu Expressway.
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
Funagoya Onsen is a historic hot spring resort that opened over 200 years ago in 1824.
This is a famous hot spring that is known to have been visited by Natsume Soseki, who loved Dogo Onsen.
Carbonated springs gush out from the surface in this area, making it a rare hot spring, as only 0.5% of hot spring resorts in Japan have natural carbonated springs.
As a hot spring sommelier, I am drawn to the word "artificial flow"!
Many hot springs are drilled deep underground and pumped up, but in the process some of the hot spring components evaporate.
On the other hand, in natural hot springs,
*At "Kawa no Eki Funagoya Koibotaru," if the amount of water flowing out of the tank is not enough, the pump may be used to help with the water level drop.
"The only hot spring quality in Funakoya" and an open-air bath
Located in the Funagoya Onsen area, Kawanoeki Funagoya Koibotaru has its own hot spring source, which produces a magnesium, sodium, and calcium bicarbonate spring.
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
According to Yoshiharu Mizuno of Wellness Supply Co., Ltd., which operates the facility, "We are the only place in Funagoya where you can enjoy hot spring water of this quality." But, leaving the complicated details aside, let's first take a leisurely dip in the hot water.
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
The water temperature is not too high at around 40 degrees, so you can soak for a long time, and the golden brown water makes you feel like you're really in a hot spring.
The large windows give you a sense of openness even when bathing in the indoor bath!
Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, and a hairdryer are provided. Towels, toothbrushes, and other items can be purchased at the front desk.
Why is it called "beautiful skin bath"?
The precious spring water, unique even in Funagoya, is famous for its "beautiful skin" qualities.
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
It's called this because the sodium and carbon dioxide work to lift and wash away dirt from the surface of the skin, leaving it healthy.
It puts less strain on your skin than scrubbing with your hands, leaving it feeling smooth and silky after your bath. It washes away any dullness caused by dirt and leaves your skin feeling clean. By moisturizing thoroughly after your bath, you can achieve even healthier, more hydrated skin.
Additionally, the magnesium and calcium contained in this hot spring are said to have a calming effect.
Recommended for those who want to achieve beautiful skin and those who want to relax! The richness of this hot spring water can be seen from the thick deposits of hot spring ingredients around the bathtub!
Experience the extraordinary in the open-air rock bath
The hotel offers two types of open-air baths, which are available to men and women on a weekly basis.
On one side is the rock bath. The bath is surrounded by large, rugged rocks, giving it a rustic feel. Even if you're just visiting for the day, you'll feel like you've come far away and experience the extraordinary!
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
Because it is an open-air bath, it is easily affected by the outside temperature, and the water temperature is lukewarm at 36-38 degrees depending on the season. By soaking for a long time, you can fully enjoy the benefits of the hot spring.
Looking at the numbers alone, you might think, "Isn't it cold in the winter?", but because it's a carbonated spring, you'll feel warm not only while you're in it, but also after you get out!
The most popular reclining bath and hot spring bath
The other open-air bath is a reclining bath, which Mizuno says "is probably the most popular."
If you lie down in the hot water and look up at the blue sky or the starry night sky, you'll probably feel like you want to stay like this forever!
Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
In addition, during the summer, both open-air baths feature "cool hot spring baths"! The hot spring water here gushes out at 30.9 degrees, and the other baths are heated to a temperature suitable for bathing.
Heating the water can cause some of the hot spring ingredients to be removed (even so, Koibotaru is a rich hot spring), but the hot spring bath is not heated, so you can enjoy the hot spring water as it is "as it gushed forth"!
We also introduce nearby sightseeing spots!
So, when planning a day trip that includes seeing Koibotaru, what kind of spots are there in the surrounding area?
First, there is Koinoki Shrine (62-1 Mizuta, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture), located about 10 minutes away by car. It is the only shrine in Japan that enshrines Koi-no-Mikoto as its deity, and is visited by worshippers from all over the country as a shrine for matchmaking. Heart motifs are designed throughout the grounds, making it perfect for posting on social media!
Although this introduction may seem somewhat frivolous, it is a branch shrine of Mizuta Tenmangu Shrine and is a historic shrine that has been in operation since the Kamakura period.
★Please also refer to this article about "Koinoki Shrine"!★
[Chikugo City/Oki Town Day Trip] Introducing Must-See Sightseeing Spots and Recommended Food, Including Popular Hot Springs!
Next, Tama Home Stadium Chikugo (757-1 Tsushima, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture), also known as "Tamasta," is located about a six-minute drive away. This is the home ground of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks' second, third, and fourth teams.
It's a great place to discover future star players, and there are also events held there in addition to matches, making it a great place for a family outing! On match days, a shuttle bus runs between Chikugo-Funagoya Station and Koibotaru. You can get off at Chikugo-Funagoya Station and walk to Tama Stadium.
Furthermore, the adjacent Chikugo Regional Park (831-1 Tsushima, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture) is about five times the size of Ohori Park and is filled with seasonal flowers and playground equipment, making it a great place to spend the whole day!
Image: Mr.tsubaking
Having fun and then washing away the sweat and fatigue at Koibotaru is the best plan!
"The hot spring ingredients are so concentrated that cleaning the pipes is a real challenge," says Mizuno, explaining that Koibotaru's hot springs are so concentrated. It's within easy reach of Fukuoka city, so be sure to check it out! (Text by Mr. Tsubaking)
＜Click on the store name for more details about the store ↓＞
■River Station Funagoya Koi Firefly
Address: 298-2 Ojima, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Business hours: 10:00-21:00 (reception until 20:30)
Closed: Tuesdays (if Tuesday is a public holiday, the following Wednesday will be closed)
Bathing fee: 700 yen for adults, 500 yen for those 70 years of age or older and those with disabilities, 350 yen for children aged 4 to 12 (up to elementary school age), free for children 3 and under
*This article is current as of the time of publication. *Prices in the article include tax.
* Any secondary use of this site's content (images, text, etc.) including copying, reprinting, diversion, or modification without permission is strictly prohibited. If discovered, legal action may be taken.
※Text and images:Mr. Tsubaking
*Image: Wellness Supply Co., Ltd.
#go out Check them all out!
#Chikugo City #hot spring #family
⇒【NEW】Click here for the latest information on Fukuoka
＜Other articles you may like＞
◆[Fukuoka Prefecture] 25 Stunning Autumn Foliage Spots
◆[Konmari's] Plan to declutter your home before the end of the year <1>
◆[Updated every Wednesday] Evelourdes Haruka's 12 Zodiac Signs
