494. 壁湯天然洞窟温泉 旅館 福元屋, Oita ★★ Visited for higaeri, 400 yen, access to the mixed outdoor cave bath by the river. Higaeri available from 10:00 to 16:00. They stamp the 88 Kyushu Onsens passport. Listed among the "secret" Hitou onsens. Located deep in the countryside at the edge of the prefecture. Bath photos from the internet, matches reality. Mixed bath with a view of trees and cherry blossoms from the bath. Located inside a small cave. Very natural atmosphere — beyond the edge of the onsen and past the fence there's a river. Water is clear, temperature around 37. Very interesting place, noted it for a potential overnight stay. Getting there is very inconvenient, but the Hitou expectations are fully met here. 07.04.2025
Kabe Yu Tennen DōKutsu Onsen Ryokan Fukumoto Ya
壁湯天然洞窟温泉 旅館 福元屋かべゆてんねんどうくつおんせん りょかん ふくもとや
Lodging
Day Use
YesBathing & Water
OnsenYes
Uses natural hot spring water
Capabilities
Mixed BathingYes
Shared bathing area for all genders
Programs
About
The signature bath at Fukumotoya is a semi-outdoor cave pool cut directly into the rock beside the river, low-ceilinged, dim, and fed by a radium-bearing simple spring that naturally wells up at only around 36°C. The coolish temperature and cave setting make it unlike most onsen; in winter it gets genuinely cold, but that's part of the charm of this tiny, nine-room ryokan.
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