Ibusuki Hakusuikan

377. Ibusuki Hakusuikan, Kagoshima (pt.3, about the hotel and conclusion) The room was Japanese-style with tatami and a great view of the water. The sunrise in the morning was very colorful. The hotel itself is large — there's plenty to walk around and see, including a separate indoor area, some museum on the grounds, and a pool. I didn't even manage to see everything since I was maximally focused on the onsen. The kaiseki dinner was all delicious — they honestly served a double portion. Breakfast was a fairly standard buffet. To summarize the highlights: - Epic unique indoor onsen; - Three different types of water (both visually and according to the signs); - Their own sand bath; - Japanese-style rooms with water views; - Pool; - Good dinner. Overall, this is a must-visit when in Ibusuki. At the time of my visit, the indoor bath here was definitely one of the best indoor baths I've ever been to.

377. Ibusuki Hakusuikan, Kagoshima (pt.2, sand bath and additional onsen) 2. Sand bath. You need to sign up at a separate reception (before the entrance to the main bath zone). Cost is 1540 yen. They give you a yukata, and access is through the changing room via the second floor of the main bath. There's plenty of space and it seems you can always walk right in for a burial session. Breathing inside is fine. After being buried, your heels get seriously hot and you sweat heavily. 3. Additional standard hotel-type onsen — very few people here given the competition with the main bath. Breathing is good. One bath divided into two sections: 3.1. Bath with clear water, temperature around 40. 3.2. Bath with clear water with fine brown mineral deposits, temperature around 42.

377. Ibusuki Hakusuikan, Kagoshima (pt.1, main bath) Stayed overnight with meals. The main feature is an epic two-story indoor onsen with a bridge, designed like something from an RPG game like Baldur's Gate or similar. The photos on the booking site looked very impressive, and it was equally impressive in person. On site, both visually and from the signs, it turned out they use three types of water in different baths. The sand bath is accessed through this same area. 1. Indoor epic bath zone. Breathing is good, no chlorine smell. The space is very spacious yet the atmosphere is very cozy without that "super sento" feeling. In the morning there were very few people — at one point it was effectively the largest kashikiri (private bath) of my life. There are three shower areas with different toiletries in each zone. 1.1. First floor. 1.1.1. Main bath with a postcard-worthy Asian-style roof with a flower in the center. Around the flower there's a bubble zone with seats. Clear, slightly cloudy water. Temperature around 40. 1.1.2. Small oval bath in the corner, clear light-brown water, temperature around 38. 1.1.3. Triangular bath with women painted on the wall. Cloudy brown water, temperature around 38. 1.1.4. Small rectangular bath on the side. Clear water, temperature around 38. 1.1.5. Cold bath. 1.1.6. Sauna. 1.2. Second floor. 1.2.1. Indoor small stone bath, clear water, temperature around 40. 1.2.2. First half of the outdoor stone bath, clear water, temperature around 41-42. If you lie down the view disappears behind bushes, but overall pleasant. 1.2.3. Second half of the outdoor stone bath, clear brown water, cold. 1.2.4. Outdoor bath with four utaseyu (falling water). Cloudy green water with a slightly sulfurous onsen smell, temperature around 35. 1.2.5. A small house between parts of the stone bath (just for chilling, no water). 1.2.6. Outdoor sauna in a sphere. Based on online photos, the women's section is done in a similar style and architecture, but it seemed to me from the photos that the indoor part is slightly simpler.