Getting Buried in a Sand Bath Onsen

When I was a kid, my siblings and I used to burry each other under the sand at the beach for fun. I didn’t know that somewhere in Japan they do the same thing to detoxify and relax. This practice is called Sunamushi Onsen or "Sand Bath Onsen."

What is it?

Instead of bathing in hot water, a Sunamushi Onsen uses hot beach sand to cover the whole body, except for the head. It is said that it has a lot of health benefits, which makes it very popular up to this day.

The first thing you need to do in a Sand Bath Onsen is to wear a yukata (Japanese traditional clothing), which is likely provided by the Sunamushi Onsen of your choosing. You must also bring a small towel (which you can also buy at the facility) with you to protect your hair. After that, you’ll be buried with the session lasting around 10 minutes. When the session is over you just stand up and take a shower/bath to clean the sweat and sand from your body.

Where to do it?

For those who are interested, you could find this place in Ibusuki, Kagoshima--- a city that is located in the southwest of Japan, on the island of Kyushu. Ibusuki is known for Kaimondake (a dormant volcano) and of course the Sunamushi Onsen.

The most popular spot to experience this bathing method is in SARAKU SAND BATH HALL.

The entrance at SARAKU SAND BATH HALL

Saraku Sand Bath Hall is 1.4 km away from Ibusuki Station, so by car it will take 4 minutes and on foot around 17 minutes. It costs about 1,100 yen and you can buy a commemorative towel for 120 yen, and rent a bath towel for 220 yen.

There are hotels around Ibusuki that also offer their own Sunamushi Onsen.

My first try

When I first saw an article about Sand Bath Onsen I was still living in Saitama. I wanted to do it but it wasn’t on my priority list because it’s quite far from where I lived. Then I moved to Fukuoka. It’s around 3-4 hours by Shinkansen (bullet train) and an ordinary train from Hakata to Ibusuki Station. So, since being closer to it, I became interested in trying out a Sand Bath Onsen.

After organizing an itinerary for Kagoshima, my husband and I decided to try the Sunamushi Onsen at Saraku.

We got confused as to where to go at first, so went to the shore where the Sunamushi Onsen is carried out. One of the staff told us to first go upstairs to Saraku Sand Bath Hall.

Once we got there, we showed the ticket that we bought at the ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) we were staying in. After that, we were given yukata and told to proceed to the changing room.  After changing we headed downstairs to the shore and were then buried.

If you can’t speak Japanese, the staff could speak basic English and will politely explain the procedure.

Verdict

It was a very unique experience, but honestly, I prefer the usual hot spring. I’m still glad that I was able to try it though.

For me, I didn’t feel that relaxed. I felt kind of awkward because the staff were just standing quite close to us, waiting for the next guest. I can’t blame them, but I would have prefered it if my husband and I were alone. Even when I go to a hot spring, I prefer to be in a private one.

With regards to how the Sunamushi Onsen feels, the temperature of the sand was quite warm, hence you would a lot sweat. I could feel it dripping on my body. When I got up, my yukata was damp. In addition, the sand has a little bit of weight, but I could still breathe easily, and it felt refreshing when there was a breeze.

When I went to shower, I just quickly washed off the sand from my body with soap and water, put on my clothes, and left as soon as my husband was finished. I didn’t take a bath to avoid the crowd.

NOTE: You can’t take pictures in Saraku.

Where to stay at?

I originally planned to book a ryokan that already has a Sunamushi Onsen of its own but there was no such vacancy left.  Instead I chose GINSYOU (or Ginsho 吟松), a ryokan that is only 250 meters away (about a 3-minute walk) from Saraku Sand Bath Hall.

The view from our room

Ginsyou has good accommodation. Our room was quite big and had a nice bathroom. Moreover, it had a wonderful view of the sea, so we had beautiful morning scenery.

This ryokan also has a hot spring and a restaurant that offers fantastic Kagoshima cuisine.

Plus, at night time, the hotel has a simple illumination display where you can see at the shore. This creates a romantic atmosphere, making it perfect for couples.

The illumination at Ginsyou

Conclusion

Even though I still prefer the usual hot spring, I still enjoyed trying out Sunamushi Onsen. So, I still suggest trying it out, especially if you want to try out a different kind of bathing experience.

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