Chihara Onsen Yudani Tōjiba
A cure-bath founded in the Meiji era, tucked in the hills of Misato, Shimane, up a tributary of the Gō River. The spring bubbles up directly through gaps in the wooden floor of the tub — 'footspring' water that onsen devotees rank among the finest sources in western Japan. The carbonated iron-bicarbonate water is tepid at around 34 °C, faintly yellow-brown, and coats the body in tiny bubbles. There is one small wooden tub each for men and women, no washing area, soap and shampoo are forbidden, and bathing is limited to an hour: this is a place purely for soaking. Afterwards you can warm up in a heated goemon iron-kettle bath. Adults ¥500; open 08:00–18:00 April–October (last entry 17:00) and 08:00–17:00 November–March (last entry 16:00), closed Thursdays. Room rest is available. With the Sankō rail line gone, driving is realistic: about 1 hour from JR Gōtsu Station or 50 minutes from Ōasa IC on the Hamada Expressway, with a narrow mountain road at the end. Not for those wanting facilities, but unforgettable for those who care about the water itself.
