Japan is a heaven for hot spring (onsen) lovers. Sadly for people with weak hearts (me), can’t keep your breast under water for long even when you are naked.
What if… there’s an onsen that you don’t need to get boiled?
Ibusuki ( 指宿 )
The onsen is at Ibusuki, the southest part of Kyushu.
It is famous of onsen so there are lots of facilities. But the one I went to, cannot be compared.
Healthy Land bath facilities
Healthy Land consists of 2 main baths – Open Air Bath and Sand Bath.
Open Air Bath has 2 main areas, western style pool facing the ocean and japanese style pool facing the mountain. You can visit only 1 area each time, woman can visit the western one on even number dates, vice versa.
Check out the website for more
Sand Bath
It takes 5-10 mins along the shore from the Open Air Bath. You can see many steam punk-ish machines on the way.
Go downstairs when you see the green tents. Pay your money, take off all your clothes and change to Yukata. Remember to go out with a towel!
The staff will guide you to lie down and put kilos of hot sand on you.
DO NOT TAKE OFF YOUR YUKATA!
The towel is for protecting your head and hair, where your whole body including hands and legs, is under the heavy sand dune. The staff will put an umbrella to shade your face. Pictures are welcomed as everyone has clothes on, put your cam inside the basket and the staff will take tons for you.
I couldn’t stand the weight for long, but it’s embarrassing to shout out for help… normally they will wait for 15 mins before waking you. I slowly shake off the sand, took me a few mins till I could get up. So if you are with kids, make sure they don’t feel uncomfortable.
Phenomenal.
Relaxing with sea waves, under this magical golden sunset.
It’s time to go when you see the sunset. You gotta have a shower to wash away all the sand.
Healthy Land closes at around 6 and there are not much lights nearby the bus stop. I can’t see any taxis, really recommend ppl to leave earlier.
Access
If you go from Kagoshima (鹿児島), take the special express train Isubuki no Tamatebako (指宿の玉手箱) which you can reserve seats having panoramic sea view and receive a special postcard. Or take the Nanohana (means vegetable flower) which takes more time but more trains.
You can interchange for bus at Ibusuki station or Yamakawa station.
There was English announcement on bus, wait for “Healthy Land” bus stop. Gotta walk a bit till you get to the baths.
Pick the set ticket for both sand and open air baths (1240 yen), you can bring your towel to save some money as well.
I don’t see any other places in Japan have sand baths. And the best thing is, there are not many tourists!
Go before it becomes famous 🙂
Norms & Weirdos 