Nemachi Onsen

Nemachi Onsen (寝待温泉) is a small communal bathhouse on the remote volcanic island of Kuchinoerabu-jima (口永良部島), off the southern tip of Kagoshima. It was historically a yutoji (湯治) therapeutic bathing destination, and many islanders still consider it the finest of the four springs on the island. The water is sharply acidic and sulfurous, with a distinct egg smell and a sour, salty bite that bathers describe as unusually strong. A landslide in 2022 buried half the building, and the bath has been closed to the public since then. The old bathhouse is kept tidy by locals despite the closure, and some islanders continue to visit at their own risk on clear days.