Sozankyo

Sozankyo is a hot spring ryokan in Uchinomaki Onsen, Aso District (Aso area), Kumamoto Prefecture. Yosano Akiko also stayed here, and the ryokan preserves a handwritten tanka scroll by her. It is one of the rare places in Japan where you can bathe in true hot spring water—100% source-flowing (gensen kakenagashi) without heating and without dilution. Many visitors come to enjoy Sozankyo’s onsen, believed to have healing power, including the large public bath, private open-air baths, and even a footbath carved from a single log. Guest rooms vary, including rooms with garden views and rooms overlooking the town; you can also see the room where Yosano Akiko stayed during the Showa era. Dinner features abundant Japanese kaiseki using Kumamoto specialties and akaushi beef, and breakfast includes rice cooked in a traditional kamado stove plus a salad bar and unlimited Abe Farm milk. For cyclists touring Aso, the ryokan also provides maintenance equipment for road bikes, covered bicycle parking, and bike racks—making it very bike-friendly. Access: from JR Hohi Line Aso Station, take a taxi about 10 minutes.