Welcome to Naranosako Onsen Iyashi-no-Yu

Hello, hot spring lovers!
I’m Igaguri, a writer for Sarukuma 🌰

Today I’m taking you to
Kakou-dori, Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture,
to a wonderful spot called “Naranosako Onsen Iyashi-no-Yu.”

If you’ve ever been to Yamaga, you’ve probably spotted this iconic blue sign!

You’ll also see a huge blue sign at the intersection near “Kahoku Hanten,” the Chinese restaurant inside Onsen Plaza Yamaga (right next to the famous Sakura-yu bathhouse) that we’ve featured before.

Kahoku Hanten — A Friendly, Wallet-Friendly Chinese Restaurant Inside Onsen Plaza Yamaga, Right Next to Sakura-yu (Yamaga City)

Look for the spot halfway between the “Yamaga City Pool” and “Chateraise Yamaga,” then turn at the corner next to Bridgestone!

Behind the sign, you’ll find a Hot Spring Water Stand where you can take Naranosako’s pure source water home with you＼(◎o◎)／!

Get this — just 100 yen gives you 20 liters in one minute!

That’s roughly 10 large PET bottles’ worth!
Definitely come prepared with plenty of containers.

A short drive further down the road…

…and we’ve arrived! (This shot is looking back along the road we came down.)

Besides the private family baths, there’s also…

…overnight lodging and a large public bath on site!

Let’s take a peek inside the entrance!

Wow, beautifully clean!

Plenty of massage chairs lined up, ready to soothe tired muscles… ♪

This time, we’re heading to the family bath!

Why Naranosako Onsen Iyashi-no-Yu Is Worth a Visit

Here’s a look at the bath options 👇

The top three rooms cost 1,550 yen for 60 minutes.
The bottom five rooms cost 1,350 yen for 50 minutes.

The photo shows an open-air bath, but every room also includes an indoor bath and mist sauna.
So no matter which room you book, you’re in for a treat!

They even loan out toys for the little ones!

Walking past the lounge area…

Today we’ll be using the “Kotohira” room!

What a lovely atmosphere ♡

The changing room even has a tatami mat space — a thoughtful touch (^_-)-☆

Heads up: the air conditioner runs on a paid coin system.

The water is freshly drained and refilled before each guest, but by the time we arrived in our room, the bath looked like this 👇

That was fast!!

The open-air bath felt a little cozy with three people inside (^^;

But no worries — there’s a nice indoor bath too…

…and a private mist sauna room too! (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

When my husband stepped out of the sauna, I asked him:
“Wait — is that sweat? Or did you just wash your hair?”
That’s how powerful the mist is, lol.

The photo’s a bit blurry from all the mist (^^;

The waters of “Naranosako Onsen Iyashi-no-Yu” are alkaline, weakly radioactive, simple thermal waters — commonly known in Japan as a “radon hot spring.”

Considered one of the finest healing springs in the country, it draws “toji” (long-stay therapeutic bathing) visitors from far and wide. Many guests come seeking relief from asthma, atopic dermatitis, and rheumatism, and it’s also said to do wonders for the skin — making it especially popular with women.

One soak might just turn you into a regular!
Give it a try while you’re in Yamaga (^^)/

Kahoku Hanten — A Friendly, Wallet-Friendly Chinese Restaurant Inside Onsen Plaza Yamaga, Right Next to Sakura-yu (Yamaga City)

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Naranosako Onsen Iyashi-no-Yu Information

Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of our visit. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before your visit.