Yufuin Onsen

Yufuin Onsen spreads out at the foot of Mt. Yufu, and is a calm hot spring village where modern buildings blend well with the straw-thatched roofs that still remain in large numbers today.

Yufuin is rich in hot spring water, with the second largest amount of hot spring water and the second largest number of hot spring sources in Japan after Beppu Onsen, also in Oita Prefecture.

The Yubumi Street, commonly known as “Yubumi Street,” which runs from Yufuin Station, and the Yunotsubo Street leading to Lake Kinrin are lined with fashionable general stores and restaurants, and various museums are scattered around the area.

Accommodations are located at the riverside, among the woods, and on the hillside, away from the bustling townscape.

There is no entertainment district with neon signs and no high-rise hotels, leaving behind a rural atmosphere that is popular among women.

The highland climate is cool in summer, and many tourists come to the area to escape the summer heat.

It is known for its morning mist, which is unique to mountain basins and creates a unique atmosphere.
Morning fog is often seen on sunny mornings when the temperature is low in winter and radiative cooling is likely to occur.

Because Mt. Kuraki, which rises 1,160 meters above sea level, is located just east of the basin, the fog only clears when the morning sun reaches the basin and brightens the surrounding area.

Shimonyu
Located in the center of Yufuin Onsen, this is an outside bathhouse with a thatched pavilion on the shore of Lake Kinrin, which fills with crystal clear water.
It is a simple public hot spring that is open to the general public, with mixed bathing and only one changing room.

There is an indoor bath and a half-open-air bath that becomes an indoor bath with a partition in winter, and although it is completely visible from outside during other seasons, visitors can bathe while enjoying the view of Lake Kinrin spreading out before them.

The spacious concrete bathtubs are overflowing with simple hot spring water (40-50 degrees Celsius).

The hot water is effective for rheumatism, women’s diseases, and skin diseases. In front of this rustic Shimonyu bathhouse, there is an old horse washing area, which is now used for washing clothes.

In the public bathhouse, women who have finished washing can be seen leisurely soaking in the hot water with their children. Hot spring water gushes out from a part of the bottom of Lake Kinrin.