Unzen Onsen (Ryokan Fukuda-ya)

The final section of the drive up to the ryokan was on narrow hairpin bends surrounded by deep forests heightening the feeling of remoteness.  The location is an excellent ‘escape’ from the city. I enjoy arriving at places under nightfall and waking up at dawn to a whole new (beautiful) world and Unzen was no exception, especially in autumn with the cold weather making the onsen mists ever more steamy. I arrived after dark at around 7 pm.

 

The very friendly staff showed me to my room and at 8 pm dinner was served. I ate in the hotel’s “nabe” (hot pot) restaurant in a private dining room. My multi-course “kaiseki” style meal consisted of sashimi served in a dramatic way with dry ice, the area’s local delicacy “Amakusa awabi” (abalone), and Nagasaki’s famous “wagyu” (Japanese beef) eaten sukiyaki style. The awabi, fried fresh in a pot with butter, was a little daunting as the abalone was still alive. Strangely, a Swiss cheese fondue was featured in the meal contrasting with the other 100% Japanese dishes.

 

Following dinner at 9:30pm, I basked in the outdoor onsen. They rotate the onsens (male / female bathing switch) so you get to try a different one evening and morning. The outside temperature was around 6-8c. While I was submerged in the warm waters, the wind carried the onsen steam out into the forest. It was a clear night and the stars were shining brightly under a crescent moon. I slept very well and if you leave the window slightly ajar you can drift off to the sound of the flowing stream under the window.

 

 

Local Amakusa delicacy awabi (abalone) cooked in butter in a stone pan.
Famous Nagasaki wagyu beef at Unzen Ryokan Fukudaya
Outdoor onsen at night in Ryokan Fukuda-ya.

So as to not waste any moment, I woke before dawn at 6 am to make full use of the therapeutic onsen waters. Floating in the outdoor onsen pool under a tsubaki bush as dawn was breaking was the perfect start to the day and another uniquely Japanese experience.

 

After a very deep sleep and the invigorating early morning onsen, I had “asa gohan” (breakfast,) a feast to match the scale of dinner the night before. Oyudofu was served (just like in Ureshino) using the local onsen waters. “Aji” (horse mackeral) grilled on a table top “konro” (grill). White rice, pickles and miso shiro (soup.) Omelette. Various rice toppings including “mentai” (spicy cod roe) a popular Kyushu condiment, excellent on hot rice or folded into an omelette. Don’t expect to leave this hotel hungry.

Life's simple pleasures ... soaking in sulphur rich onsen waters at dawn
The tsubaki flowers were in full bloom on this cold December morning.

Unzen Hell

These sulphuric waters bubbling out of the ground is an out of this world experience as the steam envelops you all around.

The landscape looks a little lunar with rocks everywhere. My stop was very brief as I had to catch the castle next and then make it to the ferry terminal on time.