Shimabara Onsen Drinking Fountain

It was about a five-minute walk from Hamanokawa Springs. Along the way, there was a sign indicating the path Ryoma walked and a stone monument commemorating his and Katsu Kaishu's arrival. It's fun to see things like this and learn new things while walking. By the way, Ryoma and Katsu Kaishu apparently walked from here to Nagasaki. People back then were truly amazing... horses and walking were their only means of transportation. Amazing! 👏 The spring water is drinkable, but it's a bicarbonate hot spring. It's said to be effective for chronic digestive diseases, diabetes, gout, and liver disease. While it's hard to generalize, I think it's a welcome relief for men over 50. 🤔 It's quite hot, so it's a good idea to bring a cup with you. If you only want to sip a little, a plastic bottle cap should be fine.

It was on the way to Shimabara Port on foot from Shimabara Castle. I casually reached out my hand and it was quite hot. I happened to have an empty plastic bottle with me, so I filled it up and drank it. It had a slightly salty taste. There was no iron or sulfur in it, so it was an easy-to-drink hot spring.

As expected of the water city of Shimabara, I noticed a spring flowing next to the bus stop, which turned out to be drinking spring water from Shimabara Onsen. The water is a little hot, so please be careful if you drink it.

It is drinkable, but since it is very hot water, it is best to let it cool down in a container before drinking.

Mid-August 2024 I wonder if it's gone now? There's no sign or anything around.