Gozenyu

This is a hot spring, but it's a municipal public bathhouse with no entertainment value. The bathing fee is 250 yen for both local residents and non-residents, and coin lockers are 10 yen. Shoe lockers cost 100 yen, but you get your money back. Shampoo, soap, and towels are not provided, so you'll need to bring your own or purchase them. A surprisingly lathery bar of soap costs 30 yen. The bath water is a comfortable, slightly hot temperature (around 44 degrees?). The bath isn't particularly large, but you can stretch out your arms and legs. Perhaps due to the water quality, it cleanses your body well. Locals who frequent these hot springs likely have smooth skin. There are several parking spaces for bicycles and motorcycles. If you're driving, look for a nearby coin parking lot. Alternatively, you can take the Nishitetsu bus from the west exit of Nishitetsu Futsukaichi Station or walk from the west exit of JR Futsukaichi Station.

I go there occasionally as it's close by. Unlike Hakatayu across the street, the water is circulated, but it's a proper hot spring and warms you up well. Also, the changing rooms and bathrooms are spacious, and there are plenty of places to wash, so it's stress-free. And best of all, it's cheap, so you can go as many times as you like. They also have multi-use tickets, and if you buy one during the summer Ushiyu Festival, you get an extra ticket, so it's even more of a bargain. There's a small souvenir shop inside the building, and unusually, there's even a beer vending machine. By the way, there is no parking lot, so if you come by car you'll have to use a nearby paid parking lot.

I went around 8:30 PM on a weekday. It wasn't crowded, so I was able to enter smoothly. Although the opening hours are listed as 9:00 PM, they stop accepting customers at 9:00 PM and close completely at 9:30 PM, so they asked me to leave by 9:20 PM. They sell multi-ride tickets, 11 for 2,500 yen. They said they're valid indefinitely, as long as Gozenyu doesn't go out of business. There's a municipal parking lot under the Kyushu Expressway. It's free for four hours, and it's less than a five-minute walk from Gozenyu. You'll pass through an underground passageway and pass through a residential area, so you don't have to worry about crossing a major street.

While Hakatayu across the street uses a natural hot spring that flows directly from the source, this one uses a recycled water. However, I think the bathing fee of 250 yen for a natural hot spring is the cheapest of all the hot springs in Fukuoka. As it is a recycled water bath, there is hardly any sulfur smell compared to Hakatayu. However, there are floating deposits of hot spring water. The bath area and changing rooms are also larger than Hakatayu, so this might be better if you just want to quickly wash off the sweat. If you are coming by car, there is no parking lot so you will have to park opposite or in a nearby paid parking lot.

The price is much cheaper than Hakatayu across the street, at 250 yen. However, as some people have mentioned, the quality of the water is completely different. This one is smooth, and it makes you wonder if it's really a hot spring. Also, it doesn't flow freely, but rather is circulated. It does have a chlorine smell. Considering the price, I think it's adequate. They don't provide shampoo or soap, so you'll need to bring your own. It's temporarily closed, and there's no indication of when it will reopen.