Public bathhouse · Open
Unagi Onsen public bath (Kuei Unagi Onsen)
- Day-use bathing
- Yes
- Fee
- ¥300checked 2026-10-09
- Hours
- 8:00–19:00 (Jun–Sep: 8:00–13:00, 15:00–19:00)checked 2026-10-09
Photo information
Kyushu & Okinawa · Onsen area
Unagi Onsen
うなぎおんせん · 鰻温泉
Kagoshima · 指宿市
Status unconfirmed100 Onsen to Know Japan — No. 99
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Official classification
Spring type (therapeutic classes)
Official spring-type name (as recorded)Simple sulfur spring (as listed for the Unagi public bath and Unagi Onsen Matsumae)
- Source temperature
- 88.8–97°C
- pH
- Unconfirmed
- Flow rate
- Unconfirmed
- Radon
- Unconfirmed
Appearance & feel
Water colour · Feel
Unconfirmed
Colour and feel are listed only where a source states them. They vary by day and by bath.
What makes it special
In a tiny village on the shore of a crater lake, the steam ovens called sume in people's front yards are still used to cook everyday meals.
Why?
Kagoshima Prefecture's tourism site explains that sume, natural ovens powered by hot spring steam, stand in the front yards of homes throughout the Unagi Onsen village and are still part of daily life.[1]
Facilities in this area
Facilities come from the register (Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, official sites). Those marked "natural spring unconfirmed" are listed on the basis of their name only.
Day-use bath · Open
Unagi Onsen Matsumae
- Day-use bathing
- Yes
- Fee
- ¥300checked 2026-10-09
- Hours
- 10:00–20:00 (Jun–Oct: 10:00–13:00, 15:00–20:00)checked 2026-10-09
Getting there
Reachable by public transport
From JR Yamakawa Station on the Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line, a taxi takes about 10–15 minutes (around an hour on foot). From JR Ibusuki Station it is about 20 minutes by car. We could not confirm a route bus.
- Getting there
- Yamakawa Station · 15
- Checked
- 2026-10-09
About the water
Unagi's water is a simple sulfur spring. Steam vents break the surface around the village, so the air smells of sulfur everywhere. Unagi Onsen Matsumae draws its water from a fumarole, 97 °C at the source. The same vents heat the sume ovens, so bath and kitchen share one source of geothermal heat. The public bath lists indications such as skin conditions, neuralgia and convalescence; we make no medical claims.
Indications (as posted on the analysis)
Unagi public bath: skin conditions, neuralgia, convalescence and others. Matsumae: neuralgia, rheumatism, skin conditions and others
Indications are an official statement based on the water analysis, not a guarantee of treatment. They are kept separate from opinions.
| Source | Source temperature | pH | Radon | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unagi public bath source | 88.8 | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed | no check date |
| Unagi Onsen Matsumae (fumarole-fed) | 97 | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed | no check date |
Three things not to miss
Sume Square
In the village Steam ovens open to visitors. Put the eggs or vegetables you have brought in a basket, set it in the sume and cover it with a straw mat or cloth bag to steam. There are tables and chairs so you can eat on the spot. 300 yen; shared baskets and gloves are provided.
You get to use hot spring heat for cooking, not just bathing, with your own hands. The steam is extremely hot, so always wear gloves.[1]
Unagi Onsen public bath
On the lakeshore The communal bath of a toji village dating back to the Edo period. Simple sulfur water from an 88.8 °C source, free-flowing. Adults 300 yen; in summer (June–September) it closes for a midday break.
A small tub in a wooden building and easy chat with the regulars: you bathe alongside locals in the spring where Saigo Takamori once took the waters.[2][3]
Photo information
Where Saigo Takamori stayed a month
Unagi Onsen In December 1874 Saigo Takamori arrived at Unagi Onsen with hunting dogs and attendants and stayed about a month (Wikipedia). The prefecture's tourism site also introduces Unagi as a hidden spa known for Saigo's stay.
The place where a hero of the Meiji Restoration retreated after leaving government survives as a hamlet that has changed remarkably little.[4][1]
The story
A toji village on a crater lake
Unagi Onsen is a tiny spa hamlet on the shore of Lake Unagi in Ibusuki, hemmed in by hills with the lake at its feet. According to Wikipedia it was founded by a monk in the Edo period, and the communal bath opened in 1901. Steam rises from the ground and the whole village smells of sulfur.[3][4]
Saigo's retreat
In 1874, after leaving the government, Saigo Takamori came to Unagi Onsen. According to Wikipedia he arrived in December with hunting dogs and attendants and stayed about a month, hunting near Mt Kaimon by day and bathing at night. The prefecture's tourism site likewise presents Unagi as the spa known for Saigo's stay.[4][1]
Living with sume
Sume are natural ovens fed by hot spring steam. They stand in the yards of village homes and are still used for daily cooking: potatoes, eggs and vegetables are steamed with nothing but vapour from the ground, no fire needed. Visitors can do the same at Sume Square, or order sume-steamed eggs and potatoes at Unagi Onsen Matsumae.[1][6]
Going solo
Easy for solo travellersUnconfirmed
Weekend / peak restrictionsUnconfirmed
Where to eat dinnerSteam your own food at Sume Square, or order steamed eggs and potatoes at Matsumae
Private bathUnconfirmed
checked 2026-10-09
Through the year
Recommended months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Months open
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
"Recommended" and "open" are recorded separately. Check the season for seasonal springs.
Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep — The public bath closes 13:00–15:00 (Matsumae does the same June–October)
Dec — Saigo Takamori stayed here in December 1874 (Wikipedia)
Food, culture & experiences
Guided village walk with sume cooking
Tours with a local guide walk the village and try sume cooking together (per the prefectural tourism site; check prices and dates with the organiser)[1]
In the villageYamakawa Sand Bath Sayuri
Sand baths facing Mt Kaimon and the East China Sea. Adults 1,100 yen; closed Wednesdays[7]
10 minutes by car from Yamakawa StationEditors' guide
Bring eggs, vegetables, salt and a plate, and steam your lunch at Sume Square. Afterwards, soak in the sulfur water at the public bath or Matsumae. A taxi from Yamakawa Station is the practical way in. The public bath closes on the 1st and 3rd Mondays and Matsumae on Fridays, and both take a midday break in summer, so plan your timing.
The "editors' guide" above is written by the editors from sources; it is not a visitor's opinion.
Photo gallery
Visitor reviews
No reviews yet. While the review platform is being prepared, we do not display fictional reviews or ratings.
Review posting is in preparation, with visit date, facility, comments on water, scenery and access, photos, language and reporting.
Onsen areas nearby
Unconfirmed & notes
- Fees, hours and closing days for the public bath differ between the Ibusuki tourism site (300 yen, closed 1st and 3rd Mondays) and the prefectural site (200 yen, closed 1st Monday); we follow the former
- Route buses from Yamakawa or elsewhere, accommodation in the village, water colour and tattoo policies were not confirmed
Sources
- 鰻温泉スメ広場(天然のかまど「スメ」)(かごしまの旅)鹿児島県観光連盟 · 2026-10-09
- 区営鰻温泉(いぶすき観光ネット)指宿市観光協会・指宿市 · 2026-10-09
- 区営鰻温泉(かごしまの旅)鹿児島県観光連盟 · 2026-10-09
- 鰻温泉 - Wikipedia(日本語版)Wikipedia · 2026-10-09
- うなぎ温泉松前(いぶすき観光ネット)指宿市観光協会・指宿市 · 2026-10-09
- 山川砂むし温泉「砂湯里～さゆり～」(いぶすき観光ネット)指宿市観光協会・指宿市 · 2026-10-09
Register sources
- 鰻温泉 - Wikipedia(日本語版)Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · 2026-10-09
- Wikidata Q11674343Wikidata · CC0 · 2026-10-09
Data status
Name & locationPublishedCoordinatesPublishedSpring typePublishedPhotosPublishedFacilitiesPublishedVisiting info (dated)PublishedEditorial articlePublished
Updated 2026-10-09
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