Meisen Kagiyu Okutsusou

A hot spring inn with free-flowing natural spring water, a favorite of Shiko Munakata: Foot-level bubbling hot spring This inn is known for its unique hot spring source that gushes forth from the ground, a rarity even nationwide. Guests can enjoy the "Kagi-yu" ( Kagiyu ("Key Bath") ), which is said to have been locked and enjoyed exclusively by the lord of the Tsuyama domain. Because the water gushes forth naturally from the bottom of the bath, you can bathe in the natural state of the hot spring without it being exposed to the air. Hot springs where you can soak in naturally gushing water are rare, with only about 20 to 30 remaining out of approximately 35,000 hot spring facilities nationwide. The 42.6-degree water is not heated or diluted. It is smooth and comfortable on the skin, and warms you to the core. In addition to Kagiyu ("Key Bath"), there is also the "Tachi-yu" (Standing Bath) which uses the natural riverbed as is, the "Izumi-no-yu" (Spring Bath) with its retro atmosphere of stained glass and tiles (private), and the "Kawa-no-yu" (River Bath) where you can listen to the babbling of the river (private), all of which are available 24 hours a day. It is also known as a favorite inn of Shiko Munakata, and many of his works can be seen inside. A "foot-level hot spring" is a type of hot spring where the water bubbles up from the bottom of the bathtub; simply put, it's a bath built where hot spring water is naturally bubbling up. This hot spring is extremely rare because it features fresh spring water that has never been exposed to air, gushing forth from underground at a temperature suitable for bathing. There are only 50 to 60 such hot springs (facilities) in the entire country, but there are four of them in this prefecture!