Ibusuki Onsen
Encyclopedia
is a group of hot spring
s in the east of Ibusuki, Kagoshima
in Japan, which includes Surigahama Onsen, Yajigayu Onsen, and Nigatsuden Onsen.
2,850,000 people visited in 2003, and 910,000 people stayed there.
90% of the water is used for industry.
by train, and about one hour and thirty-five minutes by nonstop bus.
The water contains mostly sodium, it is a chloride spring but the concentration of salt and minor components differ by region or depth of excavation.
The temperature of discharge is about 50~60 degrees, but there is one which is near 100 degrees.
The source of water is a mixture of rain water from Ikeda Lake and Unagi Pond and sea water from Kagoshima Bay.
It is considered that source of the heat is magma
associated with the Ata Caldera
.
, there was regarded as a dangerous place because there was a bog which had high-temperature hot springs and fumaroles, they were used as heating treatment of hemp and cook and bath. A lot of hot springs are introduced in the topography of late Edo period (1603~1868)
Before Meiji period
(1868~1912), in general people only used hot springs which gushed out by themselves, but here we can get hot springs easily by excavating the ground a few meters, so development has stretched over a large area.
Especially, from about 1919 to 1955, the amounts of hot water taken rose to use the heat in agriculture and salt production, many problems happened, for example, the depletion of the old source of the springs and a decrease in temperature. Because of this, a new source of hot springs was searched for and in 1957, a new layer of hot springs was found in 200m~300m below ground and was started for use.
Since 1964 using hot springs for salt production has been banned, however, using them for agriculture and aqua farming of fish has continued for the moment.
It is said that its name is derived from that of Yaji who discovered this hot spring.
Yajigayu Onsen is used in the cultivation of household foliage plants.
In 1831, Narioki Shimadzu, lord of Kagoshima, moved his manor house from Surigahama and this hot spring was called the Lord’s Hot Spring (Tonosama-yu).
It is said that its name is derived from this place was called Sunabagahama.（lit. beach of sand pool）
It is difficult to bath by alone, so staff are on hand to shovel sand over bathers.
Draping a towel around the head is advised to keep sand from sticking to it.
Since 1982 the city has held the annual Ibusuki Onsen Marathon (after 1984, the name was changed to Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon) on the second Sunday of January and more than 10,000 people take part in it every year.
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...
s in the east of Ibusuki, Kagoshima
Ibusuki, Kagoshima
is a city in Kagoshima, Japan, that was founded on April 1, 1954.Following the incorporation of Kaimon and Yamagawa on January 1, 2006, the city has an estimated population of 45,039 and a population density of 302 persons per km²...
in Japan, which includes Surigahama Onsen, Yajigayu Onsen, and Nigatsuden Onsen.
2,850,000 people visited in 2003, and 910,000 people stayed there.
90% of the water is used for industry.
Access
It takes about an hour from Kagoshima-Chūō StationKagoshima-Chuo Station
is the main railway station in Kagoshima, Japan. It is the southern terminus of the Kyūshū Shinkansen and is located on the Kagoshima Main Line, and Ibusuki-Makurazaki Line...
by train, and about one hour and thirty-five minutes by nonstop bus.
Water quality
There are about 500 places operating as spring sources. The total amount discharged is about 120,000 tonnes per day.The water contains mostly sodium, it is a chloride spring but the concentration of salt and minor components differ by region or depth of excavation.
The temperature of discharge is about 50~60 degrees, but there is one which is near 100 degrees.
The source of water is a mixture of rain water from Ikeda Lake and Unagi Pond and sea water from Kagoshima Bay.
It is considered that source of the heat is magma
Magma
Magma is a mixture of molten rock, volatiles and solids that is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and is expected to exist on other terrestrial planets. Besides molten rock, magma may also contain suspended crystals and dissolved gas and sometimes also gas bubbles. Magma often collects in...
associated with the Ata Caldera
Caldera
A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
.
History
It was said that the name Ibusuki comes from Yuhusuki (lit. copious hot water) But there are another theory. Before Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, there was regarded as a dangerous place because there was a bog which had high-temperature hot springs and fumaroles, they were used as heating treatment of hemp and cook and bath. A lot of hot springs are introduced in the topography of late Edo period (1603~1868)
Before Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
(1868~1912), in general people only used hot springs which gushed out by themselves, but here we can get hot springs easily by excavating the ground a few meters, so development has stretched over a large area.
Especially, from about 1919 to 1955, the amounts of hot water taken rose to use the heat in agriculture and salt production, many problems happened, for example, the depletion of the old source of the springs and a decrease in temperature. Because of this, a new source of hot springs was searched for and in 1957, a new layer of hot springs was found in 200m~300m below ground and was started for use.
Since 1964 using hot springs for salt production has been banned, however, using them for agriculture and aqua farming of fish has continued for the moment.
Yajigayu Onsen
Yajigayu Onsen is north of Ibusuki Station.It is said that its name is derived from that of Yaji who discovered this hot spring.
Yajigayu Onsen is used in the cultivation of household foliage plants.
Nigatsuden Onsen
Nigatsuden Onsen is weak acid and it is west of Nigatsuden Station.In 1831, Narioki Shimadzu, lord of Kagoshima, moved his manor house from Surigahama and this hot spring was called the Lord’s Hot Spring (Tonosama-yu).
Surigahama Onsen
Surigahama Onsen is at a road along the coast southeast of Ibusuki Station.It is said that its name is derived from this place was called Sunabagahama.（lit. beach of sand pool）
Suna-mushi Sand Hot Spring
Suna-mushi is a kind of bathing. First bathers put on a yukata, they are covered with sand and steamed by sands which is agitated to be a moderate temperature.It is difficult to bath by alone, so staff are on hand to shovel sand over bathers.
Draping a towel around the head is advised to keep sand from sticking to it.
Since 1982 the city has held the annual Ibusuki Onsen Marathon (after 1984, the name was changed to Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon) on the second Sunday of January and more than 10,000 people take part in it every year.