Takeo Onsen

Takeo Onsen (•�—Y‰·�ò) is a hot spring town in western Saga Prefecture that is said to have a history of over 1300 years. Takeo's waters feel silky smooth on skin thanks to a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate. They have attracted a lot of people over the centuries, including powerful feudal lords, craftsmen and soldiers who were stationed at nearby Nagoya Castle outside of Karatsu at the end of the Azuchi-Momoyama Period in the 16th century.

Today, tourists and locals can enjoy Takeo Onsen's waters at several public bathhouses found around the town's iconic Sakura-mon, a two-storied, red-lacquered gate. The main public bath, Motoyu (500 yen), has two simple pools (a hot one and very hot one) for each gender, while the Horaiyu (500 yen) provides each gender with one, even simpler pool. The third bath, the Saginoyu (740 yen) has more facilities, including a sauna and outdoor baths. Furthermore, there are a few private baths available that require reservations (3000-4300 yen per hour).

Behind the Sakura-mon Gate stands the Takeo Onsen Shinkan, which was constructed in 1915 by the same architect who designed Tokyo Station's famous Marunouchi Station Building. The Shinkan used to serve as the town's public bath house in the past, but is now a museum that is free to enter, showcasing its tiled Roman baths and tatami-covered rest areas, which are not in use anymore.

Another attraction in the town is the Takeo City Library, Japan's first to combine conventional library services with a bookstore and coffee shop. The building's architecture is sleek, and the interior is lit by natural light coming in from large windows and a featured skylight. There is also a history museum corner, displaying a few objects related to the onsen town.