Ikeda Radium Kosen
Illustration photo — not a verified picture of this exact spot.
- Location
- Izumo, Shimane, Japan
- Water type
- radioactive, carbonated
- Temperature
- 38 °C
- pH
- 6.3
Water profile
Soothing — neither hot nor cold, perfect balance.
Rich in active gases or metals — a strong mineral character.
Mineralised water — eases movement and joints.
Ikeda Radium Kosen—Ikeda Radioactive Cold Mineral Spring—in Shimane Prefecture is a cold mineral spring of radioactive (radon-bearing) and naturally carbonated character, a spring type that delivers its geological mineral qualities at cool temperature within the tradition of European cold radon spa culture that significantly influenced Japanese thermal customs during the Meiji and Taisho periods, when mildly radioactive mineral springs were considered among the most fashionable available. Cold mineral springs (kosen) are appreciated for the bracing, refreshing experience and the mineral richness they deliver without thermal heating, and the addition of natural radioactivity (radon gas dissolved in the water) placed this Shimane spring within the most prestigious tier of spring classification during the twentieth century's radium spa enthusiasm. This spring represents an important chapter in the international influence on Japanese spring culture and the history of radon spa fashion in Japan.