Category: 雲仙市観光物産課 [EN]

Jacaranda

Jacarandas were planted in Obama Hot Springs around 1968. Kichima Suetsugu, a native of Kuchinotsu town and a government advisor in Ethiopia, sent seeds to his friend Jinjirō Kusano (former mayor of Obama Town) and asked him to plant them. They are now planted along National Route 57 in Obama where the area is now known and loved as ‘Jacaranda Street’.

The jacaranda, a subtropical plant, grows large in the hot-spring town of Obama and they have now become a seasonal feature of the rainy season, with the best time to see them being around June. The large, purple petals have a subtle fragrance that attracts visitors. In recent years, the ‘Obama Hot Springs Jacaranda Festival’ has also been held.

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Obama Historical Museum

The museum stands on a small hill overlooking the hot spring steam in the Obama hot spring area. The Honda Yudayū Residence, built in 1844, introduces the achievements of Honda Yudayū, who laid the foundations for the development of Obama Hot Springs.

‘Yudayū’ was the title given by the Shimabara Clan for the management of the hot springs. The Honda family has contributed to the development of Obama Hot Springs by investing private funds in hot spring facilities, while passing them on from generation to generation.
More information is available on the Unzen City website:
(https://www.city.unzen.nagasaki.jp/kiji0034537/index.html).

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Carbonic acid spring

Obama Hot Springs is known for its salt springs with a high temperature of over 100°C, but the carbonic acid spring here is the only cold spring in Obama. It gushes out in a square in the back alley of the hot spring resort, making a bubbling sound. The spring water has a low temperature of around 25℃. Unlike neighbouring hot springs, it is characterised by its sulphurous smell and high iron and carbonic acid content. From the end of the Meiji period (1868-1912) to the early Shōwa period (1926-1989), it was also used as cool drinking water, with a carbonated water sensation.

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Obama Public Hall

Built in 1934 (Shōwa 9), when Unzen became a national park. It is the oldest surviving wooden community centre in Nagasaki Prefecture. It is a partly wooden, two-storey building (approx. 570 sq m). The building is well preserved, with a light blue retro appearance, and is a very valuable historical symbol close at hand, used by local residents for sports, meetings, events and other activities.

Due to its age, renovation work was carried out based on existing drawings and other documents. The roof, walls and floors were refurbished to a form close to that of the original building, and the wooden-framed windows were also restored. The full restoration was completed in August 2010.

An application is required to use the building.

Unzen City website:（https://www.city.unzen.nagasaki.jp/kiji0032545/index.html）

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Obama Champon Noodles

Obama champon noodles are characterised by a mild soup based on pork and chicken bones, with a broth made from anchovy, a local specialty. It is a common theory that Nagasaki champon noodles were introduced to Obama and Amakusa in the Taishō period (1912-1926) and evolved in its own unique way. The name ‘Obama Champon’ was unknown for a long time, but became nationally known through the activities of the Obama Champon Lovers Association, which was formed after the Obama Champon Map was drawn up in 2007 (Heisei 19). The TV programme ‘My Father is a Champon Man’, a regional drama series broadcast by NHK in Nagasaki, was aired in 2013 and attracted a great deal of public interest.

Currently, champon is served in about 10 restaurants, mainly in the Obama hot springs area.

The Obama Champon Map can be downloaded from the official website of the Obama Hot Springs Ryokan Association:
(https://Obama.or.jp/pamphlet/)

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Sunset Square

This park contains a monument to Mokichi Saitō (1882-1953), who was a leading poet of the tanka poetry magazine Araragi, first published in the Meiji period (1868-1912). Mokichi Saitō visited Obama hot springs many times and is said to have been fond of the sunset over Tachibana Bay seen from this spot. The inscription on the monument reads: ‘I always come here to watch the falling sun, and I must not forget the falling sun of the sea’. The sunset over Tachibana Bay is one of Obama’s most famous sights, and the poem is said to have been composed in admiration of the sunset.

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Hot Footbath 105

This 105m long footbath is named after the 105℃ temperature of the Obama hot spring source. It opened on 22 February 2010 (Heisei 22). The footbath facility also includes a walking footbath and pet footbath and is busy with tourists and locals alike.

There is also a steaming oven nearby where you can use the spring water to steam agricultural and marine products. Why not try steaming eggs, vegetables or anything else you like?

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Obama Hot Springs

In the Hizen Fudoki (713), compiled in the early Nara period (710-794), it is recorded that ‘a hot spring can be seen gushing from the south-west of Takaku’s peak’. This is thought to refer to the Obama hot springs and it is said to have been used as a hot spring cure since ancient times.

Obama hot springs still boasts one of the highest heat and source temperatures in the country, with 15,000 tonnes of 100°C hot water gushing out of 30 sources in Obama Town every day.

A dip in the Obama hot springs will warm you to the core. Take a relaxing soak and relieve the fatigue of your journey.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Obama Hot Springs Ryokan Association (https://obama.or.jp/).

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Kiridoshi; Shimabara Road

Kiridoshi

This area was called ‘Kiridoshi’ and was so named as a road was cut through the hill here. Kiridoshi Castle, which once guarded the eastern side of Tsurukame Castle, was located at what is now Kojiro Primary School.

Shimabara Road

Shimabara Road was a major road that circled the Shimabara Peninsula during the Edo Period (1603-1868). The road from Shimabara Castle to Aino (North Road), which runs half-circularly along the Ariake Sea on the northern side of the Shimabara Peninsula to Aino, is still called the ‘Lord’s Road’ because it joined the Nagasaki Road at Isahaya on the way to Edo (present-day Tokyo) during the pilgrimage of the daimyo (feudal lord) to Shimabara. Heading west from Kiridoshi, the road passes through the mountain side of Sato Clinic to Nagahama and connects to the Isahaya direction. Heading east, it connects to the Shimabara area via Fuda-no-moto and other places.

Heading straight west, the Kojirokuji area has been selected as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings and was a samurai town of the Kojiro Domain of the Saga Clan. The area still retains its Edo Period layout, with samurai residences and other buildings preserved.

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Kunimi Walking Map

Awashima Shinto Shrine

The shrine was constructed in 1812 during the reign of Nabeshima Shigeyasu, the 10th Lord of Kojiro Nabeshima. When it was first built the original kanji characters used for ‘Awashima’ meant ‘millet island.’ Although the shrine name retains the same pronunciation ‘Awashima,’ the kanji has now changed to mean ‘faint’ or ‘pale’ island.

The current shrine building was rebuilt in March 1992. Like other Awashima shrines around the country, it is believed to be beneficial for ‘matchmaking’ and ‘easy childbirth,’ and is particularly revered as a guardian deity for women.

It is also known for its cherry blossoms, and usually attracts large crowds in April, when a flower festival is held and performances are dedicated. On the occasion of the festival’s anniversary, folk performing arts such as ‘Furyu’ and ‘Gishi Odori‘ are also performed.

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Kunimi Walking Map