Wakayama City - 和歌山市
Fukuro no Yu
Fukuro no Yu
Japanese Name: ふくろうの湯Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山県和歌山市本町２丁目１Access: Wakayamashi Station / 和歌山市駅Type: Supersento w/ natural hot springWebpage: http://www.fukurou-yu.com/Price: ¥1000Holiday: The 3rd Tuesday of the monthHours: 10:00-23:00 (Weekends and Holidays: 10:00-24:00)
ReviewSome of the best water to be had. It's coming from the same source that Honmachi Onsen and Hanayama Onsen tap, sadly they aren't using it as well as they could. The baths are small and uncomfortable in general. The area for soaking in the warm well temperature spring water is awkwardly designed with a long bench seat that doesn't let you really stretch out. Very modern and new the design was very nice, but it seemed that lots of the space that could have been used for the baths made was wasted. If there were outside windows I would have liked it much betterFukuro no Yu opened in December of 2007, was given a feature page in the 2009 edition of Higaeiri Onsen I thought there would be more. Sadly I was disappointed. Conveniently located in Downtown Wakayama in a new shopping building Fukuro no yu has the day retreat style of Ama-yu or other large bathing complexes, but it lacks the largeness. Because it’s located in the basement, there is no rotenburo. The baths are well built and quite beautiful, but for 1000 yen I felt it was too much. Hanayama Onsen, at the same price as Fukuro-yu gives so much more. Including a bright outside rotenburo with a garden. Fukuro-yu shows that just being new doesn't mean being better, that doesn't mean it won't attract customers. The night I went, a Sunday at 8PM, it was moderately busy. Its high points aren't enough to make up for its pitfalls for me however. Now that Honmachi Onsen is closed this is a better option if you are looking for an onsen near the city center.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Fukuro no Yu - ふくろうの湯Type: Sodium chloride spring with carbon dioxide - 含二酸化炭素-ナトリウム−塩化物 炭酸水素塩強塩温泉pH: 6.7Well Temperature: 32.3°CpH Type: Neutral - 中性Well Temperature Type: Warm spring - 低温泉Osmotic Pressure: Low - 低張性
ReviewSome of the best water to be had. It's coming from the same source that Honmachi Onsen and Hanayama Onsen tap, sadly they aren't using it as well as they could. The baths are small and uncomfortable in general. The area for soaking in the warm well temperature spring water is awkwardly designed with a long bench seat that doesn't let you really stretch out. Very modern and new the design was very nice, but it seemed that lots of the space that could have been used for the baths made was wasted. If there were outside windows I would have liked it much betterFukuro no Yu opened in December of 2007, was given a feature page in the 2009 edition of Higaeiri Onsen I thought there would be more. Sadly I was disappointed. Conveniently located in Downtown Wakayama in a new shopping building Fukuro no yu has the day retreat style of Ama-yu or other large bathing complexes, but it lacks the largeness. Because it’s located in the basement, there is no rotenburo. The baths are well built and quite beautiful, but for 1000 yen I felt it was too much. Hanayama Onsen, at the same price as Fukuro-yu gives so much more. Including a bright outside rotenburo with a garden. Fukuro-yu shows that just being new doesn't mean being better, that doesn't mean it won't attract customers. The night I went, a Sunday at 8PM, it was moderately busy. Its high points aren't enough to make up for its pitfalls for me however. Now that Honmachi Onsen is closed this is a better option if you are looking for an onsen near the city center.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Fukuro no Yu - ふくろうの湯Type: Sodium chloride spring with carbon dioxide - 含二酸化炭素-ナトリウム−塩化物 炭酸水素塩強塩温泉pH: 6.7Well Temperature: 32.3°CpH Type: Neutral - 中性Well Temperature Type: Warm spring - 低温泉Osmotic Pressure: Low - 低張性
Hanayama Onsen
Hanayama Onsen
Japanese Name: 花山温泉Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山県和歌山市鳴神５７４Access: Nichizengu Station / 日前宮駅Type: Hot Spring FacilityWebpage: http://www.hanayamaonsen.com/Price: ¥1,100Holiday: Thursday mornings 8:00-10:00Hours: 08:00-23:00
ReviewHanayama Onsen is in my top 5 for water quality as the brown claylike water here makes you feel perfect. I can't recommend it more. People go out of their way to go here just because of the spring water. The bathing area is simple, but well designed. The largest 41c degree bath has some shallow and deep grottos for finding a great little place to go. There are some bars in the bath to lean against or hang on. All of the spring water baths have been calcified by all the minerals in the spring water either making soft wave shapes that looks like clay or chocolate ice cream that’s been stirred up, or a shaper ridged shape that looks like some sort of alien apartment building. Outside the rotenburo looks out at a simple but pleasing garden. It's a perfect old onsen style building. Some of the floors creak. There are pipes carrying water are strung through out the building. Hallways seem longer then they should be. Once inside the building you forget where you are. It helps make this place seem so otherworldly. If it's crowded you might have to wait for a space, mostly in the 26c degree bath which people take a long time in, but everyone here is very civil. People, unless they are with a friend or family member, seem to go into a trance because they are so relaxed. I once asked a fellow bather to read a kanji for me and he was very nice when helping me understand what it meant. You can drink the water here. In the hallway leading to the baths there's a sink and a spigot across from it with the spring water for drinking. It tastes great.Signs in Japanese ask you to please splash your self off with clear water before entering the normal baths.Make sure to look around and check out all the signs they have posted about the onsen, especially the one with the photo of the calcification in one of the pipes carrying the spring water. I hope my arteries don't look like that.This is also a ryokan so you can spend the night here.Like I said above, there are no keyed lockers for free in the changing room. There is a rack of coin lockers but they cost ¥100 so leave your stuff in your car or make sure you have a ¥100 on you before you enter. There are lockers now.I recently went here for the first time after sunset. I have to say that going here in the daytime is the best. The hotter it is outside makes it better too. Hanayama really shines for a afternoon soak.There is a special discount price. 17:00-close: ¥850
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Hanayama Onsen - 花山温泉Type: Carbon dioxide spring - 二酸化炭素泉pH: 6.3pH Type: Neutral - 中性Well Temperature: 25.2℃Temperature Type: Warm spring - 低温泉Osmotic Pressure: High - 高張性
ReviewHanayama Onsen is in my top 5 for water quality as the brown claylike water here makes you feel perfect. I can't recommend it more. People go out of their way to go here just because of the spring water. The bathing area is simple, but well designed. The largest 41c degree bath has some shallow and deep grottos for finding a great little place to go. There are some bars in the bath to lean against or hang on. All of the spring water baths have been calcified by all the minerals in the spring water either making soft wave shapes that looks like clay or chocolate ice cream that’s been stirred up, or a shaper ridged shape that looks like some sort of alien apartment building. Outside the rotenburo looks out at a simple but pleasing garden. It's a perfect old onsen style building. Some of the floors creak. There are pipes carrying water are strung through out the building. Hallways seem longer then they should be. Once inside the building you forget where you are. It helps make this place seem so otherworldly. If it's crowded you might have to wait for a space, mostly in the 26c degree bath which people take a long time in, but everyone here is very civil. People, unless they are with a friend or family member, seem to go into a trance because they are so relaxed. I once asked a fellow bather to read a kanji for me and he was very nice when helping me understand what it meant. You can drink the water here. In the hallway leading to the baths there's a sink and a spigot across from it with the spring water for drinking. It tastes great.Signs in Japanese ask you to please splash your self off with clear water before entering the normal baths.Make sure to look around and check out all the signs they have posted about the onsen, especially the one with the photo of the calcification in one of the pipes carrying the spring water. I hope my arteries don't look like that.This is also a ryokan so you can spend the night here.Like I said above, there are no keyed lockers for free in the changing room. There is a rack of coin lockers but they cost ¥100 so leave your stuff in your car or make sure you have a ¥100 on you before you enter. There are lockers now.I recently went here for the first time after sunset. I have to say that going here in the daytime is the best. The hotter it is outside makes it better too. Hanayama really shines for a afternoon soak.There is a special discount price. 17:00-close: ¥850
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Hanayama Onsen - 花山温泉Type: Carbon dioxide spring - 二酸化炭素泉pH: 6.3pH Type: Neutral - 中性Well Temperature: 25.2℃Temperature Type: Warm spring - 低温泉Osmotic Pressure: High - 高張性
Kiraku-yu
Kiraku-yu
Japanese Name: きらくゆPrefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山県和歌山市梶取２５１−１Closest Station: Kinokawa Station / 紀ノ川駅Category: SupersentoWebpage: http://www.kirakuyu.com/wakayama/Price: ¥650Holiday: NoneHours: 10:00-25:00
Review:Interesting supersento in an mixed industrial and residential neighborhood. Large focus on the sauna and carbonated warm baths. Also there is a ganbanyoku like lightly steamed room for quitely laying down in. I did not try it as it was too crowded and I was short on time. Coming here after a decent hike on a hot day with no wind, I spent most of my time in the cold water bath. The steam bath was also enjoyable. Due to the lack of a natural hot spring I would not take the time to visit this supersento considering other options in the area. For those that live in the area or require a bath within walking distance of Kinokawa station, Kiraku-Yu is a good option.
Visit Date: May 2018
Review:Interesting supersento in an mixed industrial and residential neighborhood. Large focus on the sauna and carbonated warm baths. Also there is a ganbanyoku like lightly steamed room for quitely laying down in. I did not try it as it was too crowded and I was short on time. Coming here after a decent hike on a hot day with no wind, I spent most of my time in the cold water bath. The steam bath was also enjoyable. Due to the lack of a natural hot spring I would not take the time to visit this supersento considering other options in the area. For those that live in the area or require a bath within walking distance of Kinokawa station, Kiraku-Yu is a good option.
Visit Date: May 2018
Kimiidera Garden Hotel Hayashi - Hananoyu
Kimiidera Garden Hotel Hayashi - Hananoyu
Japanese Name: 紀三井寺ガーデンホテルはやし 花の湯Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 〒641-0012 和歌山県和歌山市紀三井寺673Access: 10min from JRWest Kimiidera Station / JR西日本 紀三井寺駅Category: Hot Spring Hotel w/ day useWebpage: http://www.kimiideragardenhotel.com/Price: ¥800Holiday: July 2022Hours: 11:00-22:00
Review: This once fancy hot spring hotel has now come to show its age. The flashy design has come and gone with the bubble, making a visit here a miniature time warp into the past. Placed on the base of the hill where the Kimiidera temple stands and along a busy highway, a juxtaposition is typical of the modern Japanese landscape on display here. Walking down hallway after hallway, as you do in hotels like this, you will eventually see the men's and women's noren curtains covering the bath entrances. The smell of the chemicals used in the bathroom was overpowering, making me worry about the bath quality. Thankfully, besides a bit of rust here and there, the bahts were clean and very inviting. There are three baths here. Inside has a shallow spring water-filled bath and cold water bath. Outside is a circular hot spring bath surrounded by a lovely green garden. On the rainy day I visited, the trees and dampness gave the place a calm rejuvenating feel.The spring water here is actually quite cold from the source. It is classified as a cold spring, but, as I have argued in other reviews, these cold springs are sometimes of much higher quality than some of the naturally hot ones. Immediately upon getting in, the squeaky, rubbery feel of the water was noticeable. I visited this sento after a long walk, and this spring really hit the spot on the feels. I could feel it relieving some of the soreness in my legs. The water's smell, inside and out, was natural, with no chemicals to it. The same goes for the cold water bath. They do a good job cycling the water into the tubs. The water was also crystal clear, which was enjoyable. There was also a dry sauna here that I did not use, but it seemed bigger than most hotel saunas.Sadly this place may not be used as much as it could. Some other notes about this place.· Kiimiidera is along the Saikoku-33 Temple Pilgrimage Route I completed a few years ago, and I recommend the experience to everyone.· I am sure that the 2007 French track and field team, with their signatures proudly displayed in the lobby, enjoyed their visit.· There were signs saying no tattoos, but there was a guy with yakuza tattoos in the baths with me, so that rule is not strictly enforced.· If you use the Wakayama Odekake ticket from Nankai, you get ¥100 off and receive a free towel. However, access to this sento is only by bus if you use this ticket. The nearby train station is JR West. Visit Date: July 2022 *Hot Spring Data*Spring Type: Chalybeate (iron oxide) spring - 含鉄泉Well Temperature: 21.8°CTemperature Type: Cold spring - 冷鉱泉pH: 7.0pH Type: Neutral - 中性Osmotic Pressure: High - 高張性Well Name: Kimiidera Onsen Hana no Yu - 紀三井寺温泉 花の湯
Review: This once fancy hot spring hotel has now come to show its age. The flashy design has come and gone with the bubble, making a visit here a miniature time warp into the past. Placed on the base of the hill where the Kimiidera temple stands and along a busy highway, a juxtaposition is typical of the modern Japanese landscape on display here. Walking down hallway after hallway, as you do in hotels like this, you will eventually see the men's and women's noren curtains covering the bath entrances. The smell of the chemicals used in the bathroom was overpowering, making me worry about the bath quality. Thankfully, besides a bit of rust here and there, the bahts were clean and very inviting. There are three baths here. Inside has a shallow spring water-filled bath and cold water bath. Outside is a circular hot spring bath surrounded by a lovely green garden. On the rainy day I visited, the trees and dampness gave the place a calm rejuvenating feel.The spring water here is actually quite cold from the source. It is classified as a cold spring, but, as I have argued in other reviews, these cold springs are sometimes of much higher quality than some of the naturally hot ones. Immediately upon getting in, the squeaky, rubbery feel of the water was noticeable. I visited this sento after a long walk, and this spring really hit the spot on the feels. I could feel it relieving some of the soreness in my legs. The water's smell, inside and out, was natural, with no chemicals to it. The same goes for the cold water bath. They do a good job cycling the water into the tubs. The water was also crystal clear, which was enjoyable. There was also a dry sauna here that I did not use, but it seemed bigger than most hotel saunas.Sadly this place may not be used as much as it could. Some other notes about this place.· Kiimiidera is along the Saikoku-33 Temple Pilgrimage Route I completed a few years ago, and I recommend the experience to everyone.· I am sure that the 2007 French track and field team, with their signatures proudly displayed in the lobby, enjoyed their visit.· There were signs saying no tattoos, but there was a guy with yakuza tattoos in the baths with me, so that rule is not strictly enforced.· If you use the Wakayama Odekake ticket from Nankai, you get ¥100 off and receive a free towel. However, access to this sento is only by bus if you use this ticket. The nearby train station is JR West. Visit Date: July 2022 *Hot Spring Data*Spring Type: Chalybeate (iron oxide) spring - 含鉄泉Well Temperature: 21.8°CTemperature Type: Cold spring - 冷鉱泉pH: 7.0pH Type: Neutral - 中性Osmotic Pressure: High - 高張性Well Name: Kimiidera Onsen Hana no Yu - 紀三井寺温泉 花の湯
Yu~Bath Wakayama
Yu~Bath Wakayama
Japanese Name: ユ～バス 和歌山店Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山市湊２０番地Access: Wakayamako Station / 和歌山港駅Type: Supersento w/ natural hot springWebpage: https://yu-bath.com/w-bath/Price: ¥850Holiday: NoneHours: 6:00-27:00
ReviewBest of the Yu~Bath supersento in Kansai. It's a bus ride from Nankai Wakayama-shi Station. Not a bad option if you are in the area.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Nishihama Goten no Yu - 西浜御殿の湯Type: Chloride spring - 塩化物泉Well Temperature: 28.4°C
ReviewBest of the Yu~Bath supersento in Kansai. It's a bus ride from Nankai Wakayama-shi Station. Not a bad option if you are in the area.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Nishihama Goten no Yu - 西浜御殿の湯Type: Chloride spring - 塩化物泉Well Temperature: 28.4°C
*Closed* Honmachi Onsen
*Closed* Honmachi Onsen
Japanese Name: 夢想乃湯Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山市本町6-50Type: Sento w/ natural hot springWebpage: http://muso-u.fz-web.com/
Review*CLOSED* Sadly Honmachi has closed. This was one of my favorite onsen. I'm glad that I was able to get down there twice in the year prior to its closing.Adapted from my article in the 2012 December issue of Kansai Scene.Muso-no-Yu in Wakayama is a bit quirky. There is a hobbit-sized door on the second floor entrance to the baths and a sign inside that says, “No Parking.” The real reason to take the trip to Wakayama is the large wooden tub filled with straight from the well natural hot spring water. This spring is amazing. It just soaks out any pain or fatigue in your body almost like a drug. Temperature of the spring is 40.5°C but feels neither hot nor cold. It is no surprise that the name of this opaque spring water is “daydream” in Japanese. I love sitting in the big bath listening to all the old men hold court about local politics and their lives. The people are friendly but it can be hard to score a good spot in that bath without waiting for someone to move.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Wakayama Muso no Yu - 和歌山夢想乃湯Type: Carbon dioxide spring - 二酸化炭素泉pH: 6.4Well Temperature: 35.6°C
Review*CLOSED* Sadly Honmachi has closed. This was one of my favorite onsen. I'm glad that I was able to get down there twice in the year prior to its closing.Adapted from my article in the 2012 December issue of Kansai Scene.Muso-no-Yu in Wakayama is a bit quirky. There is a hobbit-sized door on the second floor entrance to the baths and a sign inside that says, “No Parking.” The real reason to take the trip to Wakayama is the large wooden tub filled with straight from the well natural hot spring water. This spring is amazing. It just soaks out any pain or fatigue in your body almost like a drug. Temperature of the spring is 40.5°C but feels neither hot nor cold. It is no surprise that the name of this opaque spring water is “daydream” in Japanese. I love sitting in the big bath listening to all the old men hold court about local politics and their lives. The people are friendly but it can be hard to score a good spot in that bath without waiting for someone to move.
Hot Spring DataWell Name: Wakayama Muso no Yu - 和歌山夢想乃湯Type: Carbon dioxide spring - 二酸化炭素泉pH: 6.4Well Temperature: 35.6°C
*Closed* Kiwa-yu
*Closed* Kiwa-yu
Japanese Name: 紀和湯Prefecture: WakayamaCity: WakayamaAddress: 和歌山県和歌山市中之島８２９−２３Closest Station: Kiwa Station / 紀和駅Category: SentoPrice: Wakayama Prefecture Public Bathhouse Association price or cheaper (sauna, if available, may be extra)Holiday: ThursdayHours: 14:30-22:30
Review:Sometimes I find sento that for various reasons I feel do not feel require being placed on this site as I do not think they need to remain mysterious, unknown to the Japanese and non-Japanese communities alike. Kiwa-Yu is an extremely basic sento with 3 baths along the dividing wall: small jet bath, a deep bath and a small shallow bath. A long landscape tile Mosaic is on the dividing wall. Besides that the rest of the bathhouse is extremely simple. This feels like a bathhouse for the community that surrounds it. I felt welcome but I also felt that I needed to be very respectful of the locals here. Everyone places their bath chairs and buckets back after use so I did the same. If you do venture here, please be respectful. Oh and the neon sign is awesome!
Visit Date: May 2018
Review:Sometimes I find sento that for various reasons I feel do not feel require being placed on this site as I do not think they need to remain mysterious, unknown to the Japanese and non-Japanese communities alike. Kiwa-Yu is an extremely basic sento with 3 baths along the dividing wall: small jet bath, a deep bath and a small shallow bath. A long landscape tile Mosaic is on the dividing wall. Besides that the rest of the bathhouse is extremely simple. This feels like a bathhouse for the community that surrounds it. I felt welcome but I also felt that I needed to be very respectful of the locals here. Everyone places their bath chairs and buckets back after use so I did the same. If you do venture here, please be respectful. Oh and the neon sign is awesome!
Visit Date: May 2018