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Yunohana Onsen Ishiyu

Water profile

Yunohana Onsen Ishiyu

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

SimpleSodium-Calcium Chloride-Bicarbonate spring

A weakly alkaline simple thermal spring rising at 36.7 °C, colourless and odourless with no notable taste — the kind of unfussy, low-irritation water that suits long soaks. Total dissolved solids sit at a light 890 mg/kg, with sodium and calcium leading the cations and chloride balanced against bicarbonate among the anions, so nothing dominates the chemistry. The pH of 8.5 lands in 'beauty-water' territory: mildly alkaline, soft on the skin, with a faintly slippery feel. The source feeds the Ishiyu communal bath in Yunohana Onsen — a self-flowing well, served plainly as a gentle, everyday hot spring rather than a high-mineral cure-water.

Good for

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

Take care

Contraindications
  • 病気の活動期(特に熱のあるとき)、活動性の結核、進行した癌または高度の貧血など身体衰弱の著しい場合、少しの運動で息切れする重い心臓または肺の病気、むくみのあるような重い腎臓の病気、消化管出血、目に見える出血があるとき、慢性の病気の急性増悪期

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%)
  • Sodium194mgP50 national
  • Calcium70.7mgP64 national
  • Magnesium5.3mgP51 national
  • Potassium1.6mgP19 national
  • Strontium0.30mgP55 national
  • Aluminum< —mg
  • Barium< —mg
  • Copper< —mg
  • Iron (II)< —mg
  • Iron (III)< —mg
  • Hydrogen< —mg
  • Lithium< —mg
  • Manganese< —mg
  • Ammonium< —mg
  • Zinc< —mg
Anionsshare of charge (mval%)
  • Chloride309mgP64 national
  • Bicarbonate146mgP51 national
  • Fluoride5.6mgP80 national
  • Bromide< —mg
  • Carbonate< —mg
  • Hydrogen phosphate< —mg
  • Hydrogen sulfide< —mg
  • HSO4< —mg
  • Iodide< —mg
  • Nitrate< —mg
  • Hydroxide< —mg
Non-dissociatedmeasured by mass
  • Metasilicic acid80.4mgP47 national
  • Metaboric acid11.3mgP59 national
  • Metaarsenious acid< —mg
Dissolved gasesmeasured by mass
  • Free carbon dioxide< —mg
  • Free hydrogen sulfide< —mg
Trace metalsmeasured by mass
  • Arsenic0.17mgP77 national
  • RadonNDmg

Measured at the source

Source temperature
36.7°C
Warm
Tonicity
0.89g/kg
Hypotonic

On the certificate

  • 筋肉若しくは関節の慢性的な痛み又はこわばり(関節リウマチ、変形性関節症、腰痛症、神経痛、五十肩、打撲、捻挫などの慢性期)、運動麻痺における筋肉のこわばり、冷え性、末梢循環障害、胃腸機能の低下(胃がもたれる、腸にガスがたまるなど)、軽症高血圧、耐糖能異常(糖尿病)、軽い高コレステロール血症、軽い喘息又は肺気腫、痔の痛み、自律神経不安定症、ストレスによる諸症状(睡眠障害、うつ状態など)、病後回復期、疲労回復、健康増進

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. Li H et al. Bicarbonate Ionized Water Bathing Enhances Natural Killer Cell Activity. Scientific Reports 14:51851, 2024.
  4. 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.