About this Stay
Unzen was designated as Japan’s first national park in 1934. It is a nature-rich area blessed with the beautiful scenery of Mount Fugendake throughout the seasons and sulfur hot springs.
Located in the Unzen hot spring town, Unzen Yumoto Hotel is the oldest hot spring inn in the Unzen area, with a history spanning over 300 years.
I stayed here for one night, enjoyed breakfast, and took a walk around nearby spots such as Unzen Onsen Shrine and Unzen Hell.
Unzen Yumoto Hotel reportedly closed temporarily on May 28, 2022, in order to undergo a complete reconstruction of the entire building.
I look forward to seeing the newly reborn Unzen Yumoto Hotel in the future.
Table of Contents
Exterior & Interior
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Hotel Entrance
This is the entrance of Unzen Yumoto Hotel.
Front Lobby
The lobby on the first floor. The brick columns extending up to the ceiling create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Guest Room
This is the guest room. A calm and comfortable Japanese-style room with tatami flooring.
View from the Room
The view outside as seen from the room.
Breakfast
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Breakfast Dishes
This is the breakfast served at the hotel. Each dish is carefully prepared with great attention to detail.
- • Overnight-dried fish (possibly barracuda), lightly grilled over the small flame at the back
- • Kombu roll (seaweed roll)
- • Chilled tofu
- • Japanese rolled omelet with finely chopped green onions
- • Spicy cod roe, pickled plum, and roasted nori seaweed
- • Vegetables and konjac dressed in a white sesame sauce (shira-ae)
- • Unzen ham with a salad of lettuce and red turnip
- • Simmered lotus root and carrots
Guzoni (Local Specialty Soup)
This is Guzoni, a well-known local dish from the Shimabara Peninsula, where Unzen is located. The broth, made from carefully prepared ichiban dashi, is exceptionally flavorful, and the soup contains a wide variety of ingredients.
- • Fish (possibly yellowtail)
- • Chicken meatballs
- • Chinese cabbage, green onions, enoki mushrooms, and possibly katsuo-na greens
- • Fish cake
- • Freeze-dried tofu (koya-dofu)
- • Small rice cakes, among other ingredients
Sightseeing Around Unzen
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Unzen Onsen Shrine
Unzen Onsen Shrine, located near Unzen Yumoto Hotel.
Entrance to Unzen Onsen (Unzen Hell)
This is Unzen Hell, one of Unzen’s most famous sightseeing spots. The air is filled with the scent of sulfur, and hot steam rises from more than 30 geothermal vents known as “hells.”
Unzen Onsen
Steam rises from all around the area, creating clouds of hot spring mist.
Unzen Hell (1)
The rocky surface is stained yellow by sulfur.
Unzen Hell (2)
The entire “hell” area is barren, with no trees or flowers, creating an otherworldly landscape.
Unzen Hell (3)
Here, even the plants have lost their color.
Unzen Hell (4)
Along the way, there are resting spots like this where you can sit and take in the view of the “hells.”
Unzen Hell (5)
Thick steam rises vigorously from everywhere.
Unzen Hell – Dai-Kyokan Hell
Within Unzen Hell, there are several areas each with their own names.
This is Dai-Kyokan (Great Screaming) Hell, the most active geothermal zone, where columns of white steam can rise as high as 30 to 40 meters.
Onsen Hell
The exposed yellow rocks combined with the rising steam create a dramatic scene.
Oyama Information Center
The building of the Oyama Information Center, located in the hot spring town.
A Hearth in the Hot Spring Town
While walking through the hot spring town, I came across this scene near the bus stop—flowers placed in a stone water basin with a wooden ladle in front of a teahouse.
