Tanoharu Onsen

Kumamoto · 田の原温泉

Tanoharu Onsen is a hot spring town in Kumamoto, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 72°C, hot. Officially the water is classed as chloride spring, bicarbonate spring and sulfate spring.

Getting there

From Fukuokaabout 3 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Aso Station (JR)
Many inns send a car to the station — ask when you book

Fly into Fukuoka. Times are rough estimates worked out from station locations, not a timetable — check the exact route on Google Maps.

Chloride springBicarbonate springSulfate spring

The water here

Chloride spring 塩化物泉

Salty water. The salt leaves a thin film on the skin, so you stay warm well after leaving the bath.

Bicarbonate spring 炭酸水素塩泉

Smooth, slightly slippery water. Often nicknamed bihada-no-yu, the water for beautiful skin.

Sulfate spring 硫酸塩泉

Clear water with a faintly bitter taste. Known for holding heat.

With tattoos

Many public baths still turn away visible tattoos, and the rule is set by each bath, not by the town. The reliable way round it is to bathe privately: a room with its own open-air bath, or an inn with a private bath you can book for yourselves.

Rooms with an open-air bath — Kumamoto Inns with a private bath — Kumamoto