I Looked Into Yuyado Unzen Shinyu

On this blog, I've been researching and recording not just campsites but also day-use hot springs and lodging facilities, one by one, in a kind of series format. This time, I looked into a hot spring ryokan in the Kyushu area.

What I looked into this time is Yuyado Unzen Shinyu. I came across mention of a place that has four of its own hot spring sources on a single piece of land, and that immediately caught my interest, so I started digging in. Just from the name, I imagined a small hot spring inn, but once I looked into it, it turned out to be a ryokan with quite a bit of history.

Apparently the Only Ryokan in Unzen with Four of Its Own Hot Spring Sources

Yuyado Unzen Shinyu is apparently a hot spring ryokan located within Unzen National Park, on a plateau at an elevation of about 700 meters. It was founded back in 1908, so it seems to have quite a long history.

What especially caught my eye was that it's said to be the only property in the Unzen area with four of its own hot spring sources on its grounds. What's more, all four apparently have different water qualities: the first and third sources are acidic, sulfur-containing simple hot springs; the second source is an acidic simple hot spring; and the fourth source is a simple sulfur hot spring. It struck me as fairly rare to find a ryokan where you can compare and experience this many different water qualities all within the same property.

A Setup That Seems to Let You Enjoy Touring Four Different Bathing Facilities

The baths also seem to be separated by source. The family bath called "Madoka" apparently uses water piped directly from the first source, available for private use on a first-come, first-served reservation basis for 2,200 yen (tax included). The large communal bath called "Kosenshou" uses the second source and appears to have both an indoor bath and an open-air bath. Another large communal bath, referred to as "Kinugasa" or "Kashou," uses water piped directly from the third source and apparently also has an open-air bath facing a garden.

On top of that, the rooms with attached open-air baths, called "Geppei," apparently let you enjoy a private open-air bath using water from the fourth source. Since "Geppei" is limited to just 4 rooms and isn't available to elementary school-aged children or younger, it seems like these rooms are designed for a quiet stay meant for adults only.

• Family bath "Madoka": First source, water piped directly from the source, private use for 2,200 yen (tax included), first-come reservation basis
• Large communal bath "Koshensho": Second source, indoor bath + open-air bath
• Large communal bath "Kinugasa"/"Kashou": Third source, water piped directly from the source, indoor bath + open-air bath facing a garden
• Rooms with attached open-air bath "Geppei": Fourth source, private in-room open-air bath (limited to 4 rooms, not available to elementary school-aged children or younger)

As for room types, besides Geppei there also seem to be a Japanese-Asian style suite called "Tsuzuri," a Royal Suite limited to just 2 rooms, a tatami Superior room, a standard Japanese-Western style room called "Kan," and a standard Japanese-style room called "Zen"—six types in total, which gives the impression that you could pick one to suit your preferences or group size.

What I Found Out About the Food and Booking

The food apparently uses locally sourced ingredients, and the ryokan has put forward something called the "Shimabara Peninsula 15 Mile Declaration." I thought that was a phrase that really conveys a commitment to local ingredients.

As for room rates, the official website doesn't list specific prices, so it seems you need to check through the booking system instead. That said, booking through the official website apparently gets you 5% off on all plans, and if you're a first-time guest who registers as a member, you get an additional 1,000 yen off (applicable only to the one-night, two-meal plan), so it might be worth checking the official site when booking. Reservations can apparently be made either through the official website's online system or by phone.

There are reportedly two parking areas located about 50 meters from the facility, with a combined total of 31 free spaces. That might be reassuring information if you're thinking of visiting by car. As for myself, I don't really drive despite having a license, so regardless of whether I'd actually drive there myself, I like to look into parking information like this anyway.

Komorin

Being able to experience four different hot spring sources at a single ryokan is the kind of thing that appeals to even an indoor type like me. I'm also curious about "Geppei," where you can soak in an open-air bath without even leaving your room.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location (the Unzen area of Obama-cho, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture) using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as a "C."

Perhaps because it's a hot spring area located on a plateau at an elevation of about 700 meters, the rating leaves a bit to be desired. Since I use Rakuten Mobile myself, if I ever actually stayed there, I feel like this is a result I'd want to keep in mind going in. It might be a good idea not to rely too heavily on connectivity during your stay, and instead prepare ahead of time by downloading maps and information in advance.

Komorin

The C rating is a little concerning, but if you think of it as a trip to really soak in and enjoy the hot springs, maybe it's fine to deliberately not worry about the signal.

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together again, my impression of Yuyado Unzen Shinyu is that it's the only ryokan in Unzen where you can enjoy four of its own hot spring sources, each with a different water quality, in a variety of ways—through family baths, a large communal bath, and open-air baths attached to guest rooms. Between its history going back to the Meiji era and its commitment to cooking with locally sourced ingredients, it feels like a place worth considering when you want to sit back and really soak in the hot springs.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a "C" rating, so if connectivity is important to you, it might be worth checking the official tool ahead of time for peace of mind. If this is a concern for you, you can check it yourself using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so be sure to take a look when you're considering a visit.

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Related Links

• Official Site