A Day to Explore Onsens for Bringing Out Smoothness to Your Skin at Bandai Atami Onsen Area

Bandai Atami Onsen, said to be discovered and founded around 800 years ago, is one of the Onsen destinations known as ‘Onsen with beautifying effects’. Its less-stimulating and alkaline simple hot spring with clear and soft texture are expected to replace dead skin cells with new ones tissuing beneath them, and to make your skin moister and smoother. Not only for ladies wishing to bring smoothness to their skins, but also for those who feel that the winter dried their skins, let’s take a look at the 3 recommended Onsen places at Bandai Atami Onsen area.

Each spot in this issue is easily accessible from Bandai-Atami Station which is 4 stations away on Ban-etsu West Line (磐越西線, Ban-etsu-sai Line) from Koriyama Station which is the closest one from Koriyama Washington Hotel.

“Ekimae Ashiyu” to allow you warming up your whole body from the feet by soaking them in the footbath regardless of the weather

Once you’ve left Bandai Atami Station, you’d find a free public footbath “Ekimae Ashiyu” (駅前足湯), equipped with a parking lot, baggage storage, and a simple dressing room, just in front of the station where you get to warm up your whole body by bathing your feet. Since it is also covered and you can enjoy bathing your feet even when it rains or snows, it is a perfect spot when you have to wait for the train to come or even wait for your friend with shopping souvenirs. On the floor of the bath, there are protruding objects with which you can stimulate your circulation by stepping on them. By soaking your feet for around 30 minutes, you’ll feel that your whole body has been warmed up enough to sweat. In case you find the temperature of the hot spring is too hot for you, there is a stone placed for you so that you can dam the hot spring flowing in. As a rental towel is not available, you are advised to bring one.

Opening Hours	9:00AM – 5:00PM / Open All Year Round *Closes as the sun sets
Admission	Free
Address	2-9 Atamimachi Atami, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	In front of Bandai Atami Station
URL	https://www.bandaiatami.or.jp/spot/ekimae_ashiyu/

At the bath with a retro tile wall art of “Onsen Guest House Yu-kori”, enjoy the free flowing non-filtered Onsen directly from the source

“Onsen Guest House Yu-kori” (ゲストハウス湯kori), which is a renovation of a former historical Ryokan ‘Komatsuya’ (小松屋), allows you to bath in a tub filled with the free-flowing non-filtered Onsen even if you do not stay. There are a large bathroom and a small one. When it comes to the large one, you can enjoy the Onsen while appreciating the retro tile wall art having you feel the reminiscence of the Showa era. As each of the large ones and the small is opened only for men or women depending on the day you visit, call and check with the guest house before visiting if you wish to enjoy the wall art. Since safes are available, you don’t have to worry about your valuables even when you have a good and long relaxing time in the bath. Once you’ve enjoyed a good and long Onsen time, why not hydrate yourself at the cafe & bar that is good also for visitors? During the bar hours that is from 4:00PM, you enjoy beer and highball (whiskey & soda), or even several local sake from the Naka-dori (central, 中通り) area of Fukushima Prefecture. Its location close to the station makes it an ideal place to visit before you head back to your hotel.

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 4:00PM
Admission	500 yen
Address	1-109 Atamimachi Atami, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	A 30-second walk from Bandai Atami Station
URL	https://fukuraya.jp/yukori/en/

A big Onsen bath made with huge rocks at “Yunoyado Rakusan”

“Yunoyado Rakusan” (湯のやど楽山), an Onsen Ryokan known for its dishes served from six huge red Kamados (かまど, a kitchen oven), also welcomes day-trip guests wanting to enjoy its Onsen. All of its baths are filled with the free-flowing non-filtered Onsen directly from the source. In order for you to fully enjoy laid-back Onsen time away from the hustle and bustle, there are several baths including the one with rocks that are huge enough to enjoy hide-and-seek, and the one made with Shigaraki ware (信楽焼, a type of stoneware pottery made in Shigaraki area, Shiga Prefecture) with which you can enjoy the unique texture and coloring. For those who wish to enjoy the hot springs more luxuriously, private baths are also available. You get to choose from three kinds of baths: a pair of large and small baths, a standing bath that is deep enough to allow you to bathe while standing, and a wheelchair-friendly cypress-made bath. Taking the free shuttle bus from the station is the best way to visit the place.

Opening Hours	10:00AM – 7:00PM / Open All Year Round
Admission	800 yen
Address	5-39 Atamimachi Atami, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture
Access	A 5-minute ride on a free shuttle bus from Bandai Atami Station bound for Hotel Hananoyu (ホテル華の湯)
URL	http://www.rakusan.jp/onsen.html