Hitoyoshi Onsen Motoyu, an Everyday Bath that Feels Quietly Extraordinary

Screenwriter Kundō Koyama advocates for the recognition of yudō, the ‘way of the bath’, alongside sadō, the way of tea, and kadō, the way of flowers, as a fundamental element of traditional Japanese culture. He immerses himself across Japan in different types of baths, from hot springs (onsen) to public bathhouses (sentō), as well as domestic bathtubs. In each issue of Pen, he records these journeys in his ‘Bath Chronicle’.

My first bath of 2025 was Motoyu in Hitoyoshi Onsen, Kumamoto. Its name, which literally means ‘original spring,’ felt especially fitting for a bath visited on New Year’s Day.

To begin with, I was taken by the building’s dignified appearance. Established in 1934, it stands not within a bustling hot spring district, but quietly within a residential neighborhood near the ruins of Hitoyoshi Castle. It is immediately clear that this bathhouse has long existed alongside the daily lives of local residents.

I undressed in the changing room, filled with a nostalgic scent, and slid open the glass door leading to the bath. There is only a single perfectly square tub. The restraint of limiting the number of faucets to the bare minimum feels beautiful in itself. Sunlight pours in through the large windows, illuminating the rising steam.

The bath is fed entirely by free-flowing spring water, with no added water or heating. The mildly alkaline waters are generously abundant, maintained at a near-perfect temperature of around 42°C. It is undoubtedly a bath known for its beautifying qualities, yet what makes it appealing is that it does not advertise itself excessively as such. One can soak here endlessly without fatigue. It is the ideal hot spring for everyday life. Some regulars even come four times a day.

In 2020, Hitoyoshi suffered devastating floods. Many hot springs in the area were damaged, and some inns were forced to close. Motoyu was also heavily affected, though miraculously, its spring source survived untouched.

‘We’ve been able to continue since my great-grandfather’s time thanks to the people of this town who love this bath,’ says Mr. Arichi, the current owner.

Perhaps it is precisely because disaster struck that ordinary daily life now feels irreplaceably special. For the local community, this place is both the origin of comfort and a source of vitality. In every sense, it truly is a motoyu—an original spring.