Renowned as the honeymoon area for Ryoma Sakamoto
Kirishima has Japan’s first national park and the natural grandeur of the Kirishima Mountains. From the base of the mountains, there are numerous hot springs bubbling forth. The area has become famous as Japan’s first honeymoon spot due to Ryoma Sakamoto taking his new wife Oryo there, and especially in Shiohitashi Onsen Ryoma Park, the Ryoma Museum, the life-sized statues of Ryoma and Oryo, a day-trip onsen facility where you can enjoy two source springs, and Shiohitashi Onsen’s men’s and women’s baths are popular.
Eggs and manju buns steamed by the onsen
Close by, there is the spectacular Inukai Falls with a width of 21.8m, a height of 36m and a basin width of 33.4m which was voted No. 1 among the Top 100 Views of New Kagoshima and can be approached as closely as possible via the nature trail. At the Kirishima Onsen Market inside Kirishima City, there is a steamed goods shop where you can easily sample eggs and vegetables steamed from the actions of the hot springs. What is popular are the onsen eggs which take 1 hour to steam, and the exquisite taste of the filling within the onsen manju buns wrapped in yomogi (mugwort) cloth. There is also a footbath available so that experiencing that along with a bite to eat is great.
A mud bath and a reserved open-air bath with a wonderful view
There are also plenty of onsen facilities to enjoy on a day trip. At Sakura Sakura Onsen which has a slightly acidic natural mud bath, unique in Japan, the natural mud containing hot spring elements such as sulfur can be placed on the face and the body as a pack while soaking in the bath which makes it popular with women to obtain beautiful skin. At the Hotel Ryokojin-Sanso which was established in 1917, along with a large bath, there are also 4 reserved open-air baths, each with its own distinctive features, which can be used on day trips. For any of them, you can leisurely enjoy your own private hot spring with family and friends under the relaxing sky while viewing the forest and an occasional deer.