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Sakurayu

Water profile

Sakurayu

Spring chemistry and what it does, with the research behind it.

SimpleSodium Bicarbonate spring

A simple thermal spring led by bicarbonate, emerging hot at 43.6 °C. It is lightly mineralized at 792 mg/kg, gentle on the body, and weakly alkaline so it feels soft on the skin. A generous 117 mg/kg of metasilicic acid leaves the kind of thin silica film that makes skin feel noticeably smoother, placing it in Japan's beauty-water family.

Good for

Aches & joints

Warmth eases stiffness and raises the pain threshold. Radon and sulfate springs show the strongest evidence for joint and muscle pain.

stiff shoulders

Smooth skin

Bicarbonate and alkalinity gently lift dead keratin while silica hydrates, leaving skin smooth. This is the basis of the beautifying-water (bijin-no-yu 美人の湯) reputation.

dry, rough skin

Recovery

Warmth and buoyancy lower stress markers and improve sleep; habitual bathing is linked to lower rates of depression.

fatigue, stress

Full composition

The bar is each ion's share of charge (mval%) within its group; over 20% names the spring. Gases, silica and trace metals are measured by mass only.

Cationsshare of charge (mval%)
  • Sodium139mgP38 national
  • Magnesium14.5mgP66 national
  • Calcium18.2mgP37 national
  • Potassium10.5mgP46 national
  • Ammonium0.70mgP56 national
  • Lithium0.10mgP29 national
  • Hydrogen0.0000mg
  • Aluminum0.10mgP54 national
  • Barium0.10mgP53 national
  • Iron (II)0.10mgP30 national
  • Strontium0.10mgP26 national
  • Zinc0.0000mg
Anionsshare of charge (mval%)
  • Bicarbonate459mgP75 national
  • Chloride28.8mgP21 national
  • Hydrogen phosphate1.0mgP82 national
  • Sulfate0.20mgP3 national
  • AsO20.0000mg
  • Bromide0.0000mg
  • Carbonate0.0000mg
  • Fluoride0.0000mg
  • Hydrogen sulfide0.0000mg
  • HSO40.0000mg
  • Iodide0.0000mg
  • Thiosulfate0.0000mg
Non-dissociatedmeasured by mass
  • Metasilicic acid117mgP60 national
  • Metaboric acid1.8mgP17 national
  • H2SO4Free0.0000mg
  • Phosphoric acid0.0000mg
  • Metaarsenious acid0.0000mg
Dissolved gasesmeasured by mass
  • Free carbon dioxide58.1mgP71 national
  • Free hydrogen sulfide0.0000mg
Trace metalsmeasured by mass
  • Arsenic< —mg
  • Cadmium< —mg
  • Copper< —mg
  • Mercury< —mg
  • Lead< —mg

Measured at the source

pH
7.90
Weakly alkaline
Source temperature
43.6°C
Hot
Tonicity
0.79g/kg
Hypotonic
Flow rate
199L/min
Typical
Free CO₂
58mg/kg
Low

Evidence

  1. Maeda M. 温泉の医学的効果とその科学的根拠. J. Hot Spring Science 70:197–207, 2021.
  2. Naito Y et al. A Hot-Spring Water Improves Inflammatory Conditions in an Atopic Dermatitis Model. Biomedicines 13(11):2707, 2025.
  3. Donaubauer AJ et al. Serial radon spa therapy on pain in musculoskeletal disorders. Frontiers in Immunology, 2024.
  4. Verhagen AP et al. Balneotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews CD000518, 2015.
  5. Li H et al. Bicarbonate Ionized Water Bathing Enhances Natural Killer Cell Activity. Scientific Reports 14:51851, 2024.
  6. Takeda M et al. Hot spring bathing practices have a positive effect on mental health in Japan. Heliyon 9(9):e19631, 2023.

Educational, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, consult a physician before onsen therapy.