Ibusuki Onsen

A hot spring area famous for its sand baths which has been a favorite of countless bathers seeking therapeutic hot spring bathing for some 300 years. The area’s sand baths are said to treat an abundant array of ailments, including nerve pain, rheumatism, lower back pain, joint pain, broken bones, post stroke paralysis, whiplash, burns, weak constitutions in children, and atopy; further, these effects are said to be three to four times more powerful than those gained from simply bathing in a regular hot spring. The area has numerous free footbaths, public bathhouses, and day trip hot spring bathhouses, and visitors can enjoy touring and comparing the various bathing facilities. Ibusuki’s famous “onsen tamago” custard-like soft boiled eggs hot spring eggs are made with steam from the samespring used by its sand baths, and popular local dishes topped with these “ontama” eggs include the “Ontamaran-don” rice bowl and “Ontamaran-ton” rice bowl with pork. .