Obama Onsen: Day-Use Hot Spring Baths & Prices

Stretching along Tachibana Bay in Unzen City, Obama Onsen is famous for its very hot source water, which reaches around 105 degrees Celsius. The generous steam rising from the shore ranks among the most powerful in Japan, and clever uses of that heat have become local specialties. A luxurious moment awaits as you soak while watching the sun sink into the sea.

Highlights

The seaside Hot Foot 105, said to be one of Japans longest foot baths, runs 105 meters, its name a nod to the 105 degree source. Sit and dip your feet while enjoying the sweep of Tachibana Bay and the evening glow. There are also a walking foot bath that stimulates the soles and a foot bath you can share with a pet, and at the adjacent steaming ovens, cooking local vegetables and seafood in the natural heat is a popular treat.

Enjoying the Seasons

Calm seaside scenery spreads out all year, but Obama is above all a place of beautiful sunsets. The hour when sky and sea turn crimson is truly special. In winter the steam grows thicker, and the warm water feels all the more welcome.

Access and Basic Information

It sits on the coast just down the mountain from Unzen Onsen, so touring both springs makes a fine trip. Access from the Isahaya area is easy, and local buses run to the town. Inns with sea views line the shore, and day use bathing facilities are available as well. The water is a very hot spring carrying salt, drawn from an unusually high temperature source.

Practical Travel Notes

The Hot Foot 105 foot bath is free to enjoy, generally open from about 10 in the morning to 7 in the evening, with ample parking provided. A regular closing day may apply, so it is reassuring to confirm before your visit. A towel is handy for the foot bath, so bring one along. The steaming ovens let you bring your own ingredients, so you can steam locally bought vegetables and seafood and eat them piping hot. Day use bathing fees vary by facility but typically range from a few hundred to around a thousand yen.

A Quick Tip

Because the source is extremely hot, some baths may run warm. Do not push yourself; ease in gradually. Time your visit for sunset and you may capture an unforgettable photo. Combining a foot bath tour with the steaming experience lets you enjoy Obama fully even without staying overnight.

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Springs: There are 30 sources in the town, with a discharge of 15,000 tons per day. The Obama Onsen Ryokan Association gives the source temperature as 100 degrees, while the Unzen Tourism Bureau gives it as 105 degrees
• Hot Foot 105 (foot bath): Free of charge. Open 10:00-19:00 from April to October and 10:00-18:00 from November to March. Closed on the third Wednesday of each month, on January 4 and 5, in stormy weather and on days when the source is cleaned. 905-7 Kitahon-machi, Obama-cho, Unzen City, Nagasaki Prefecture
• Steaming kettles: 200 yen for 30 minutes. Reception closes at 18:00 from April to October (use until 18:30) and at 17:00 from November to March (use until 17:30)
• Wakihama Onsen Bathhouse (Otasshan-yu): 6:00-21:00, bathing fee 200 yen. Towel rental available. Indoor baths only, one for men and one for women. 7 Minamihon-machi, Obama-cho, Unzen City, tel. 0957-74-3402
• Hama no Yu: A municipal public bathhouse open 6:00-22:00. For visitors from outside the city it costs 300 yen for age 12 and over and 100 yen for ages 6 to under 12 (for city residents it is 150 yen for age 12 and over). Indoor bath. 25-19 Kitahon-machi, Obama-cho, Unzen City
• Bath-hopping pass: The Obama Onsen Ryokan Association offers a common pass for 1,300 yen that lets you try the baths at several inns
• Facilities that accept day-trip bathers: Jokiya, Yamadaya, Tsutaya Ryokan, Ryokan Yunoka, Ryokan Watariya, Fukutokuya Ryokan, Ryokan Kunisaki, Juraku, Nami no Yu "Akane", YUASOBI, Boyoso, plus the two public bathhouses listed above
• Parking: For the foot bath, use the Unzen City Obama Marine Park car park. Ordinary cars 250 yen, medium-sized vehicles 500 yen, large vehicles 1,000 yen, motorcycles and mopeds 50 yen
• Access (by bus): A 3-minute walk from the Shimatetsu Bus stop "Nishi Tozanguchi," or a 7-minute walk from the "Obama" bus stop. It is also about a 5-minute walk from Obama Bus Terminal
• What to bring: A towel for the foot bath. The public bathhouses do not provide soap or shampoo, so it is safest to bring your own
• Water temperature: As the source water is extremely hot, some of the baths are on the hot side. Let your body get used to it as you enter
• How long to allow: 1 hour for the foot bath and steaming kettles, or 2-3 hours if you add a public bathhouse

Sources of Information

The 30 spring sources, the discharge of 15,000 tons per day, the source temperature of 100 degrees, the reference in the "Hizen Fudoki" of 713, the 1,300 yen bath-hopping pass, the line-up of day-trip bathing facilities, and the opening hours, prices, addresses and facilities of Wakihama Onsen Bathhouse and Hama no Yu come from the official website of the Obama Onsen Ryokan Association. The fact that Hot Foot 105 is free, its seasonal opening hours, closing days and address, the walking times from the bus stops and the fees for the Obama Marine Park car park come from the Nagasaki Prefecture tourism website "Nagasaki Tabinet," while the 200 yen for 30 minutes for the steaming kettles and the origin of the number 105 were confirmed in the guide from the Unzen Tourism Bureau. Nearby, you can also visit Unzen Jigoku. Details are subject to change, so please check the official information before you set out.