Sanbe Onsen

Sanbe Onsen on the south side of Mt. Sanbe produces roughly 3,000 liters of ochre-colored thermal water per minute, the highest volume in the Chugoku region. The color comes from oxidized iron, and the water is cloudy with suspended mineral particles. In the late 1700s, local physician Imada Chikyo changed the written characters of the town's name to mean 'resolved to learn,' giving rise to the translation 'waters of learning.' The main facility, Sanbeso, offers day visitors 14 individual tubs including ceramic, cypress, iron cauldron, and wooden sake-vat styles. Two small neighborhood bathhouses, Tsuru no Yu and Kame no Yu, operate as traditional sento where residents bring their own towels.