Kikuchi Onsen

Kikuchi Onsen extends across the eastern side of Kikuchi city with eight spa hotels and inns fed by clear, nearly odorless alkaline water at a pH of at least 9.0. The water's alkalinity leaves skin feeling smooth, almost like after applying a toner. Baths are kept at 43 to 45 degrees Celsius, and some facilities also use the water for cooking. A 1,500-yen bath-hopping ticket covers entry to any three of the eight facilities. Hot spring development began in the 1950s after the spring's discovery. Before that, Kikuchi had been a commercial hub in the Edo period, positioned on a major crossroads between Kumamoto and Oita.