[Access] About 1 hour and 30 minutes from Kumamoto IC (there’s probably a closer exit though!)
[Fee] 500 yen

After driving through the mountain roads from Aso toward Kurokawa Onsen, I headed a bit further to find a place I’d heard about—a small, rustic hot spring village where steam billows up from houses and fields. I knew it as “Takenoyu Onsen,” so I went to check it out. As I drove, I saw a tiny mountain village that looked exactly like it was “shrouded in steam.” This was clearly Takenoyu Onsen—truly small and rustic. There’s a public bath called “Yukemuri Chaya,” so I decided to stop in. The parking lot was full, and for such a tiny village, it seemed quite popular! At the entrance, steam was gushing out with incredible force from a hole carved into a massive rock. It looks like you can use it for cooking things like vegetables. The bathing area was clean, and I was struck by the impressive roof with its heavy wooden beams. The water is clear, smooth, and felt amazing. I noticed a sauna, so I opened the door and was hit by a huge “whoosh” of steam. It turns out to be a mist sauna that uses the natural steam venting up from all over the village. Every so often, with a loud “roaring” sound, a massive amount of hot steam pumps in, turning everything inside the sauna pure white until you can’t see a thing. It seems the natural steam is piped directly in at intervals. It felt incredibly good.

After my bath, I headed to the rest area and found everyone wrapped in blankets, napping here and there. Apparently, you’re free to take blankets from the closet and relax. Since I had some time to kill, it was the perfect way to spend it. Outside the window, a cat was looking in, wanting to join us. It was such a peaceful, laid-back vibe. It felt like local folks just dropping by for a break after work—really mellow and cozy. I totally loved it. It’s definitely a place I’d want to visit again.