Drive-In Wakayama; Wakayama Onsen
Nakatsu, Oita, Japan
- Location
- Nakatsu, Oita, Japan
- Water type
- thermal, sodium chloride
- Temperature
- 39 °C
- pH
- 7.3
Water profile
Thermicity
Sedative
LowHigh
Relaxing — deep, immediate muscle release.
Mineralisation
Restorative
LowHigh
Loaded with major ions — the essential minerals (Ca, Mg).
Buoyancy
Effortless float
LowHigh
Dense, salty water — you float without effort.
SodiumChloruresBrome
Drive-In Wakayama, home to Wakayama Onsen, is located in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture. The thermal, sodium-chloride water reaches 39°C at pH 7.3. Guests have access to an indoor bath, an outdoor rotenburo bath and a sauna.
Insider tip — 'Drive-In Wakayama; Wakayama Onsen' in Nakatsu, Oita — a roadside hot spring facility combining the 1970s-80s drive-in (highway rest stop restaurant/shop) format with thermal bathing. The rural Nakatsu highlands border the dramatic Yabakei Gorge — Japan's finest basalt column gorge landscape, historically called 'Nihon-ichi no Keishō' (Japan's greatest scenic beauty) by the Zen monk Tanzan. The 'drive-in' onsen along the Yabakei approach is a quintessentially Kyushu institution.
Nearby
Frequently asked questions
How hot is the water?
The water runs quite hot here, around 39 °C — a sedative water that brings immediate muscle release.
What type of water is found here?
This spot features thermal & sodium chloride water.
What is the best season to visit?
The most favourable period for this spot is: Toute l'année.