Takao Onsen's muddy hot springs are perfect for beautifying the female skin

What is a skin beautification hot spring?

You might have heard this term before, so let me explain it briefly. Many people look at the hot water quality and components when choosing a hot spring to visit. In general, there are 11 types of hot springs based on their water quality. One group of them is called “the 3 best beautification water types”. It consists of sulfuric water which stimulates the blood circulation, hydrogen-carbonate water which helps for the removal of the old keratin, and sulfate water which moisturizes the skin. The acidity and alkalinity are expressed with the “pH” index and differ from place to place. Neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.5 is easy on the skin; over pH 7.5 the water is alkaline and helps the removal of old keratin from the skin, while below pH 6.0 the water is acidic and tightens the skin. You can look for the same index not only when choosing a hot spring, but also when buying a face lotion and other cosmetic products.

Check not only the water type but also the components!

Hot spring water contains many natural components which are less known compared to the general water types. One of them, which has a positive effect on skin beautification, is the metasilicic acid. Most hot springs in Japan contain this component in at least 50mg per 1g of water. If it’s over 100mg then we say that water has a beautification effect. Some of the best hot springs are rich in metasilicic acid.

Takao Onsen’s hot spring has the impressive 208mg of metasilicic acid which means its effect on skin beautification is quite strong. The water type is sulfuric which additionally intensifies the positive influence. The pH index is 6.1 – neutral and easy on the skin, which means that this hot spring is safe also for kids and people with a sensitive skin.

The open-air bath at 1200 meters above the sea level impresses with its rural beauty

This hot spring’s history dates back to the Edo period. In the old times ascetic monks used to purify their bodies here so the water was known as sacred. You can easily see the hot spring source gushing big quantities of water like a river from the slope of the mountain behind you. A total of 1000 liters of water flows every minute. You can fill 8000 drum barrels with muddy sulfuric water per day.

First go to the open-air bath next to the hot spring source. The view is truly magnificent. Not only is the rural surrounding quite beautiful, but this open-air bath is gender-divided which makes it safe to use by female visitors.

Enjoy a pleasant long time in the bath

This hot spring’s water temperature is about 40 degrees which means the open-air bath is not very hot – about 37 degrees. But exactly because the water is lukewarm you can soak in it for a long time. The mineral components of the muddy water embrace your skin while you relax, watching the greenery of the nature and the town below. This is true happiness!