Yamada Yu

198. 山田湯, Atami Adding to the previous review. Turns out last time they weren't cooling the water during the day - they were actually heating it. Came early in the morning about 40 minutes after opening - water temperature was 39.6-39.8 with the hot water tap on. Last time I was here in July and it was stuffy inside, but now in November breathing was comfortable.

198. Yamada-yu, Atami Old-school onsen, located far from the station and tucked in back alleys — you have to find it. Costs 300. Went in the evening. They stamp the Shizuoka 60+6 Onsen book. Bath photo is from the internet, it matches. The water was scorching hot and getting in without serious dilution was impossible. Stuffy inside. No shower, no body wash, no shampoo. Here's the story with the old man that I posted earlier during my visit, duplicating it here. I walk in, an old man is sitting by the bath washing himself. There's a separate cold water faucet running into the bath — so I figure the old man already diluted it. I approach the bath, the old man says something in Japanese along the lines of "the water is hot." I pour some onto my foot from a basin and realize the water is insanely hot. So the old man and I teamed up — I ran a conveyor belt filling basins from two cold faucets and dumping them into the bath, while the old man stirred. In the end I poured about 40 basins and was physically able to get in, soaked as long as I could, and got out. I see the old man still finds it too hot — he's swiping his hand through it, scooping basin water and lightly pouring it on himself. I ask him, want me to add more cold? The old man got shy — says daijoubu and all that. I'm like no, this won't do. Fire up the basin conveyor again, the old man starts stirring again, about 15-20 more basins and the old man was finally able to get into the bath.