Hirayama Onsen

Kumamoto · 平山温泉

Hirayama Onsen is a hot spring town in Kumamoto, Japan. The water leaves the ground at 40–49°C, hot. Officially the water is classed as sulfur spring.

Getting there

From Fukuokaabout 1 h

CarNot needed

JR PassCovers the train

Train to Ōmuta Station (JR)
Change for Shin-Ōmuta Station
Local bus

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

Sulfur spring

The water here

Sulfur spring 硫黄泉

The classic rotten-egg smell and milky white water. It can tarnish silver jewellery, so take it off.

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

More on tattoos and onsen

Where to stay

Onsen inns — Yamaga City

Opens Rakuten Travel, which lists inns in English. Onsen Guide earns a commission if you book through these links, at no extra cost to you.

Hot spring towns nearby

Yamaga OnsenKumamoto · 山鹿温泉Same area

Kumairi OnsenKumamoto · 熊入温泉Same area

Similar water elsewhere

Towns further away with the same kind of water — useful if this one is hard to reach or fully booked.

Takamagahara OnsenToyama · 高天原温泉Also sulfur

Nikkō Yumoto OnsenTochigi · 日光湯元温泉Also sulfur

Sumatakyō OnsenShizuoka · 寸又峡温泉Also sulfur

Yachi OnsenAomori · 谷地温泉Also sulfur

Yumata OnsenNagano · 湯俣温泉Also sulfur

Noji OnsenFukushima · 野地温泉Also sulfur

The numbers

Water temperature: 40–49°C
Address in Japanese: 熊本県山鹿市

Figures from the town's Japanese Wikipedia article.

Read more

Japanese Wikipedia

Planning a first soak? Read how an onsen stay works, and what to do if you have tattoos.