Ureshino
Ureshino Area
Ureshino City in Saga Prefecture is a tourist destination where history, culture and nature have been beautifully fused together, centered around Ureshino Onsen, which is known as one of Japan's three great hot springs for beautiful skin. It is famous not only for its hot springs, but also for its Ureshino tea, and it envelops visitors in a healing and inspiring atmosphere.
1. Roadside Station Ureshino Maruku
Michi-no-Eki Ureshino Maruku, located in front of Ureshino Onsen Station on the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line, is a popular base for sightseeing in Ureshino. The facility also includes the “Sightseeing and Exchange Facility Maruku Eyes”, which provides tourist information and sells Ureshino souvenirs. In particular, it offers a wide range of local specialties, including Ureshino tea and hot-spring yudofu (boiled tofu), bringing the flavors of the region to visitors.
In the square in front of the facility, food and sweets are regularly sold from food trucks and tents, and are popular with both tourists and locals. There are also free footbaths and footbaths available for use from 8am to 11pm. We recommend exploring the streets of Ureshino on a rental bicycle (for a fee) while relaxing your tired body after a long journey.
2. Yushuku Hiroba
Yushuku Hiroba, located in the center of Ureshino Onsen, is a space overflowing with the atmosphere of a hot spring. Here, you can experience Japan's first “foot steaming bath” using hot spring mist, a unique experience that warms your whole body from your feet using the steam from the hot spring. In the foot steaming bath, which seats seven people, you can expect to feel a gradual warming of your skin after about 10 to 15 minutes.
In addition, there is a footbath that can be used by wheelchair users, so anyone can enjoy the benefits of the hot spring. The footbath is open from 8:00 to 23:00, and the steam bath is open from 9:00 to 20:00. Seasonal decorations and events are also held, so there is always something new to discover each time you visit.
3. Yuttura Square
Yuttura Square is a multipurpose space with a floor area of about 300 square meters, located in the center of the Ureshino hot spring resort. The name “Yuttura” is a combination of the word “yuttura” (meaning “slowly” in the Saga dialect) and the word “yu” (meaning “hot spring”), and it is a place where you can enjoy the hot spring in various ways, such as footbaths, handbaths, and children's footbaths.
It is also suitable for holding events, and it is fully equipped with power and water supply facilities. It is open from 7:00 in the morning until 23:00 at night, so you can drop in during sightseeing or when taking a stroll at night. It is also popular as a place where locals and tourists can relax and interact with each other.
4. Siebold's Footbath
Siebold's Footbath, named after the German doctor Philipp Franz von Siebold, who visited Japan during the Edo period and was amazed by its healing properties, is a unique spot where history and hot spring culture come together. You can enjoy a free footbath while sitting by the Shioda River and looking at the beautiful Gothic-style Siebold's Bath.
At this spot with its historical background, you can experience the soft feel of the Ureshino hot spring water and relax from the stresses of everyday life. It's a great spot to drop in while strolling around the hot spring resort.
5. Todoroki Falls
Todoroki Falls, a natural landmark that represents Ureshino City, is a place of great natural beauty with a beautiful waterfall. The 11-meter waterfall changes its appearance with the seasons, and it is especially worth visiting during the new green and autumn foliage seasons. It is a spot where you can refresh yourself while being enveloped in the pleasant sound of the waterfall.
6. Shiotatsu
Shiotatsu, which retains many traces of the Edo period, has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings, and you can enjoy a stroll while feeling the history of the area. The rows of merchant houses and storehouses give off a nostalgic atmosphere.
Sightseeing
