Pukupuku no Yu

"Kakogawa Natural Hot Spring Pukupuku no Yu" is located in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture. This facility is a super sento (large public bathhouse) where you can enjoy natural hot springs similar to the Kinsen (golden spring) of Arima Onsen and three types of saunas. ■Sauna Pukupuku no Yu has three types of saunas. The first is a high-temperature sauna with two tiers, comfortably accommodating 9 people, or about 14 if squeezed in. The sauna room temperature is around 86℃, but the humidity is just right, so I started sweating immediately. The second is a steam salt sauna that can accommodate about 5 people. I don't know the room temperature, but it was quite hot, and I started sweating immediately. It had been a while since I'd been in a salt sauna, so I went in for two rounds, and thanks to that, my buttocks became as smooth as porcelain (lol). The third, rock salt sauna, was out of order, so I couldn't experience what it was like, which was a bit of a shame. The cold plunge pool is located to the left after leaving the sauna room and is large enough for about 4 people. The water temperature was lukewarm (as indicated in the notice at the entrance), slightly colder than tap water. The relaxation area has three benches in the open-air bathing area, and it looks like about six people can relax comfortably. ■Hot Spring Pukupuku no Yu's natural hot spring water comes from a private source 1102 meters underground. The open-air area has a free-flowing hot spring bath, and the indoor baths have two circulating baths. The hot spring water is a weakly alkaline sodium-calcium chloride spring. The water was light brown and salty. It doesn't contain carbon dioxide, but it has a similar feel to the Kinsen (golden spring) of Arima Onsen. Also, during the summer when I visited, the open-air bath was set at 37℃, allowing for a long, relaxing soak. Before I knew it, I was dozing off and had been soaking for about 30 minutes. It felt amazing! (laughs)

I went in in the morning. There is a height limit for the parking lot. There are pillars in the lower parking lot, so it might be safer to park larger cars on the second floor. There were collision marks in several places. The bathing fee was 800 yen. Cash only. The hot spring is said to be a calcium, sodium, and chloride hot spring. The source temperature is said to be 25.3°C, so it is heated. I don't think water is added. There is a circulating filter. 18 faucets. 2 standing showers. The indoor baths were a shower, hot spring water from the source, hot spring water, a healthy bath, a bubble bath, a cold bath, a refill bath, a high-temperature sauna, a steam salt sauna, and a bedrock bath (currently out of order). The open-air bath was a hot spring from the source, with a tub bath. I thought the hot spring water quality was good. The hot water was about 43°C. It was a little lower than I like, but still hot enough. The other waters were around 41°C. The cold bath was around 17°C. It was just the right temperature. The high-temperature sauna wasn't too hot. It may have been a coincidence, but the thermometer read around 85°C. I was able to sweat better in the steam sauna because I could use salt. However, since you don't get much heat when you're sitting, you need to stand or stir the air with a towel to feel lukewarm. The facilities felt a little old, but I think the quality of the hot spring was good. I'm glad that there are many bathhouses in Western Japan that are open from the morning.

First of all, the building was dark, so I passed it right by. There was a dark building and, beyond it, signs for a supermarket and a fishing tackle shop could be seen, and the entrance was on the first floor of that dark building. There were steps and slopes, so drive slowly if you have a low-slung car. If you drive slowly, you'll be fine. The hot springs were very good. There was a bath with an atmosphere similar to Arima Onsen, and a clear bath with the word "Isen" written on it. Both were good. The staff were very friendly and greeted me, making it a very nice establishment. The water cooler had a strange amount of power, and if you pressed it too hard, it would fly out and spray water all over the floor. You had to be careful not to use too much force. The lockers were warped in places, reminding me of the lockers at a boys' technical high school. Aside from that, the hot springs were very nice, so I'd like to stop by again if I'm in the area.

I stopped by on my way to Osaka, wanting to work up a sweat. It's only accessible from the direction of Kakogawa Station, and the parking lot is hard to find (maybe it's just because I'm not familiar with the area), so I drove past it and had to make a U-turn to go in again. The covered parking lot is a lifesaver in the summer. There's a bit of a distance from the entrance to the counter, and a lovely lady was there to greet me. Her Kansai accent was very pleasant! You receive a key band at the counter, and payment is made afterward. There are several types of baths, including an open-air bath, and they're quite extensive. The sauna is an extra charge. One of the two saunas seemed to be out of order and was unusable. I visited in the early afternoon, but there weren't too many people, so I was able to relax. I'll definitely stop by again when I'm driving through the area.

Bathing fee for adults is 700 yen, and 800 yen on weekends. There are no ticket machines, so payment is made after the fact, and payment can only be made in cash. The men's bath is on the second floor, and the women's on the third floor. Lockers cost 100 yen, but you have to return them. For a super public bath, this place is a little small. The open-air bath is a natural hot spring and is lukewarm, but those who are familiar with Arima's hot springs may enjoy it. There aren't many types of baths in the indoor bath either, and if you come at a busy time, it may feel cramped. The quality of the spring water is not bad, but it seems like they don't spend money on maintenance, as the facilities are damaged in places and the overall impression is that they are shabby. Some customers find it dirty and unclean, so it's hard to recommend