Shirakawa water source

Shirakawa Suigen is a spring in Minamiaso Village, Aso District, Kumamoto Prefecture. Anyone can freely visit to drink the water or take it home. A 100 yen environmental conservation cooperation fee per person is requested. It is included in Japan’s “100 Famous Waters,” and heat-treated bottled water is also sold. About 60 tons of water per minute gushes forth, and you can see sand on the pond bottom swirling up as the spring bubbles out. Even on weekdays, people come throughout the day from neighboring prefectures to fill water containers. It’s also popular with tourists as a place to receive nature’s blessing while watching water well up as if from the earth itself. The water is used in local sake brewing as well. Surrounded by trees and a beautiful stream, it’s a rare experience to drink natural water in the forest. Many visitors stop here after visiting Mt. Aso; in that case, traveling by car is recommended. Access: about a 15-minute walk from Aso-Shirakawa Station.