After eating aromatic soba, we decided to take rest by taking in 足湯(ashiyu, means footbath).
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
The foot bath we went this time is in 湯の端公園(Yunohashi kouen, means Yunohashi park) and is in front of さくら湯(Sakura-yu, sakura hot spring).
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Sakura-yu was built about 370 years ago as a private bath for the 細川家(Hosokawa-ke, means house of Hosokawa which ruled Kumamoto at that time).
In 明治時代(Meiji period, 1868-1912), it was converted to a public bath and people loved it very much.
It was demolished about 40 years ago but was rebuilt with traditional architectural method and became the biggest wooden building for hot spring in Kyusyu area.
Source : 山鹿温泉 さくら湯 公式ホームページ https://yamaga.site/?page_id=3469
Unfortunately, this time we didn’t go to Sakura-yu but will definitely go next time.
In Fridays and Saturdays in February every year, they have a beautiful festival, called ‘山鹿灯籠浪漫・百華百彩(Yamaga tourou roman・Hyakka hyakusai)’ in the evening, 7-9pm.
山鹿灯籠浪漫・百華百彩(Yamaga tourou roman・Hyakka hyakusai)
Check the website. It looks so amazing!
Source : 山鹿探訪なびhttps://yamaga-tanbou.jp/about/hyakkahyakusai/
This festival is as famous as 山鹿灯籠 in August(I explained a little bit about it in this article ➡︎ http://untappedkumamoto.com/2018/09/08/矢谷渓谷yatani-gorge/ ) and they decorate traditional Japanese paper umbrella and bamboos and lighten them up along the street where Sakura-yu and the foot bath are.
Also, there are traditional performances in 八千代座 which is ‘山鹿風情物語(Yamaga fuzei monogatari)’
Yamaga is famous for making traditional Japanese umbrella and one of the biggest production in Japan.
Source : 山鹿探訪なびhttps://yamaga-tanbou.jp/about/hyakkahyakusai/
There are some stalls selling hot food.
It’ll be so good to walk around and admire beautiful decoration, enjoy nice food, taking a hot spring and relax.
I haven’t been to the festival till now but I’ll definitely go there in this winter!
Can’t wait to report you everything!
There is no place for parking in Yunohashi park so I parked my car at the parking lot which is in the shopping mall, named 温泉プラザ山鹿(Onsen plaza Yamaga) .
There are restaurants and shops which sell local products so it’ll be interesting to look around.
They provide free parking for one hour. After that, it costs 100 yen per an hour.
Along the street, there are streetlights with Yamaga lanterns. Can you see them?
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Also, there is a statue of dancers of the festival.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
I felt that people are very close to the festival and proud of it.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
The water is smooth and mellow.
According to the sign there, the temperature of the water is 35.9℃ and this is categorized to alkaline simple hot spring which we can expect to ease neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain etc.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
As soon as we put our feet into the water, we felt that our skin got so smooth which is a characteristic of alkaline hot spring.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
You can also drink the water from this bamboo tap.
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
Pebbles are spread at the bottom so walking on them gives nice massage to our sole.
We were just relaxing putting our feet into the bath and sometimes walking on the pebbles.
It’s too good to get out of it!
The good thing about foot bath is its accessibility.
Visiting a hot spring is really good if we have enough time and prepare towels and changes but if you don’t, visit a foot bath.
And if it’s a public foot bath, most of the time you can use them for free.
It’ll give you a refreshing moment and you can enjoy the good quality of hot spring.
Also, it’s a nice place to interact with local people.
You may be able to get some information of the next place to go!
Photo credit : Chieko @untappedkumamoto
【Information and links】
湯の端公園 あし湯
Address : 1565-2, Yamaga, Yamaga-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
(熊本県山鹿市山鹿1565-2)
Official websites in English
さくら湯
Address : 1-1, Yamaga, Yamaga-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
熊本県山鹿市山鹿1-1
Tel : 0968-43-3326
Official websites in English
温泉プラザ山鹿
Address : 1, Yamaga, Yamaga-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
熊本県山鹿市山鹿1
Tel : 0968-44-4759
Official website
山鹿灯籠浪漫・百華百彩(Yamaga tourou roman・Hyakka hyakusai) the festival in every February
1 ピンバック