Ryokan Hirayama

Everything was perfect!

I went to #HirayamaRyokan for an onsen and lunch set meal, and it made for a very worthwhile day trip. It has around 60 years of history, with a spacious dining area that works for solo visitors or groups. You can stay overnight, have a meal, or just visit for the onsen. Sanko Bus stops at Ueki Onsen. Ueki Onsen town has lots of onsen options, including many family-run bathhouses (yuya), so there’s plenty for onsen fans to choose from.

The water is excellent, as the Ueki Onsen Tourist Inn Association page says. The pH seems just right, and so does the sulfur smell. The town may look deserted at first, but there are quite a few inns and it’s definitely lively. It seemed busier than Haratsuru Onsen in Fukuoka. They could probably draw more visitors with better promotion, though it doesn’t seem like they’re doing that. For someone born in the Showa era, a hot spring town like this feels like a precious treasure. The place also has a warm, relaxing atmosphere, just as that page describes.

I stopped in for a quick soak and the water was outstanding, thick, and strongly sulfurous. My skin felt really smooth afterward. The other hot springs around here seem good too, so I’m thinking of trying a few more.