This is a review of the accommodation where I stayed during a trip to Kagoshima using the “Dokoka ni Mile” service.
This time, I stayed at Sakura Sakura Onsen in Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
At this inn, you can enjoy a natural mud bath—a rarity even in Japan.
We carefully transport to our facility the precious *yunohana* (mineral deposits) that our dedicated artisans locate using their seasoned intuition.
We hope you will fully enjoy the sensation of this natural mud—soothing to both body and soul—and use this precious resource with care.
The mud used for the mud packs at Sakura Sakura Onsen
is a natural *yunohana* mud
harvested by hand from the bottom of the source spring’s pool.(From the Sakura Sakura Onsen website)
They say. I was also interested in the mud pack, so I booked it right away on Jalan.
Sakura Sakura Onsen consists of a main building—housing the dining area and baths—as well as an annex and cottages.
There is a cherry blossom tree at the entrance to the inn; during our stay, the blossoms were in full bloom and just beginning to fall, so it was lovely to see the petals fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
さくらさくら温泉に桜咲く
いい天気
We stayed in the annex.
The annex featured a private indoor bath, and we could catch a glimpse of Sakurajima through the window.
While it was a bit of a hassle to go over to the main building for meals and the baths, the trade-off was a quiet, peaceful evening, which we really appreciated.
Meals are served in the main building. A female server attends to you during dinner.
Breakfast is a buffet-style meal served in the same dining area.
When we arrived at our table for dinner, we found a message written on a leaf—”Welcome, [Name]-sama”—which gave us a wonderful sense of the establishment’s hospitality.
手書きのメッセージ
Throughout the meal, the waitress serving us explained the fish used for the sashimi and introduced us to the slightly sweet soy sauce characteristic of Kyushu.
ディナー
お造り
ボリューム満点
Overall, the meal was delicious, and I left feeling completely full.
I was quite satisfied with the experience as a whole, but there was one thing I hope will be better next time: the tempura.
They served tempura made with local mountain vegetables and seafood, but when I ate it, it had gone a bit cold and felt somewhat greasy.
It was a shame, given the generous portion size.
I would have loved to enjoy it freshly fried and crispy.
I look forward to a better experience next time!
Then again, there were so many guests staying there, so I suppose it couldn’t be helped.
Now, after dinner came the moment I’d been waiting for: the hot spring. Since I didn’t want the hassle of going back to my room first, I headed straight to the baths after the meal.
You walk down the corridor towards the back and pass through a short outdoor walkway to reach the entrance.
朝風呂で撮った写真
中庭
The changing room features a wooden design with a glossy black finish that accentuates its retro atmosphere.
レトロな脱衣所
I believe the mud is responsible for the water’s appearance—a slightly cloudy, grayish-white hue; although it is classified as a sulfur spring, I didn’t detect any sulfurous odor.
There is a large indoor bath as well as an outdoor open-air bath.
Both are spacious baths.
Since it was nighttime, I didn’t notice the outdoor bath at first, so I used the indoor one.
The water temperature seemed to be around 41°C.
It didn’t feel too hot.
After slowly soaking up to my shoulders to let my pores open, I sat on the bench provided next to the indoor tub.
I then applied a thin layer of the mud—provided in front of the bench—all over my body. The mud had an incredibly fine texture, feeling light and airy like dense whipped cream.
It spread smoothly over the skin.
さくらさくら温泉HPより出典
It feels like a mud bath formed by the accumulation of fine volcanic ash.
Since you can’t get into the actual bath while the mud is being applied, you sit on a bench for a while.
The sight of naked adults covered head-to-toe in mud sitting on a bench is quite surreal, but I didn’t let that bother me.
The mud is at room temperature, but because it has a high water content, it feels cool against the skin when applied.
In winter, I think it’s best to warm your body thoroughly in the hot spring first, then try the mud treatment as a way to cool down a bit—the chill feels great then.
After about 10 minutes, I could feel the mud pack drying on my face.
I rinsed off the mud in the washing area, and my skin felt incredibly light, as if every bit of grime had been completely stripped away.
After leaving the bath, I went back to my room to relax; a little later, I looked at the back of my hand and felt like my skin looked a bit more translucent.
If you used this mud pack every day, there’s no doubt you’d end up with a complexion as fair and beautiful as a porcelain doll.
The next morning, breakfast was a buffet.
There was a huge variety of dishes, and I was thoroughly satisfied!
朝食バイキングI also used the bath after breakfast.
The atmosphere was quite different from the night before; the outdoor open-air bath is surrounded by greenery, so it felt like I was soaking in the hot spring while enjoying a forest bath.
The water temperature was on the cooler side—perhaps around 40°C.
Personally, I would have found it more pleasant if it were about two degrees warmer.
It might depend on the season, but the cost is under 10,000 yen per night! (As of 2026/08, the price may be higher).
It offers excellent value for money, so I highly recommend it.
さくらさくら温泉 Sakura Sakura Onsen
Address: 2324-7 Kirishima-Taguchi, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture 899-4201
TEL：0995(57)1227 or 0120-426-390
My comment: The property consists of a main building, an annex, and cottage-style rooms.
Check Room Availability via Jalan
