Unzen Jigoku & Unzen Onsen
雲仙地獄・雲仙温泉
A sulfur geothermal area with white smoke rising beside Unzen Onsen Town. A boardwalk winds past more than thirty “hells,” and visitors can buy onsen eggs.
Unzen Onsen sits on a plateau about 700 meters above sea level in the center of the Shimabara Peninsula. From the Meiji era, it was a summer retreat for foreigners, and in 1934 it became one of Japan’s first national parks. Beside the onsen town, Unzen Jigoku’s grayish-white ground constantly releases scalding steam and sulfurous fumes. The boardwalk links more than thirty sights, including Ōkyōkan Jigoku and Ito Jigoku. In the early Edo period, Christians were tortured and martyred here, and a martyrs’ monument stands on site. The boardwalk is free, onsen eggs are available for purchase, and the town has public baths and long-established inns. From Nagasaki Station, take a bus via Isahaya, which takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes. By car, the trip takes about 1.5 hours.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Nita Pass & Unzen Ropeway
- Mount Fugen
- Obama Onsen
- Hara Castle Ruins
- Shimabara Samurai Residences
- Mt. Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall
- Shimabara Castle
- Shimabara Carp Streets & Shimeiso Garden