Unzen Iwaki Ryokan
Onsen
Japan is home to countless Onsen Ryokan. Onsen, by definition, is hot water from the earth at a temperature of 25 degrees celsius or higher containing certain minerals. Onsen bathhouses use these natural springs.
However, what nature brings is inevitably subject to change, and as time passes, the sources dry up, the amount of hot water decreases, and it becomes difficult to secure a consistent flow from the Onsen. Nearly 90% of Onsen bathhouses' waters are made up of tap water, heated, sterilized, filtered, or circulated.
Unzen Iwaki Ryokan is the only hotel in Unzen that has a rich onsen source on its premises, so their hot spring water is 100% natural. In addition, they use the "flowing method" (new hot spring water is constantly being supplied to the baths), so there is no need to worry about hygiene.
There are white crystals on the water outlets of the onsen baths called "yunohana" which are crystallized components of the hot spring water in Unzen. This is proof that the hot spring uses genuine, natural spring water. This is a hot spring for the true connoisseurs.
The spring quality of Unzen Iwaki Ryokan is "acidic sulfur-containing aluminum sulfate hot spring," which is a rather long name, but it’s said to be effective in treating neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, stiff joints, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive diseases, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, fatigue, and general health promotion.
Unzen Iwaki Ryokan’s hot springs have received perfect scores in all categories in hot spring inspections conducted by the Japan Hot Springs Association.
