I was never an onsen person.

I told my then-girlfriend (now-wife) that I didn’t know what to do with my time soaking in the waters. She looked at me incredulously and said, “No! Just enjoy!”

Truth be told, I carried a lot of the big-city stress with me. Doing nothing made me feel guilty. I felt that I should channel my residual restless energy into something productive.

Living in Kyushu has changed my mindset irrevocably. It is a paradise of onsens since active volcanoes abound on this island. As someone who wanted to treat my camera to a visual feast, Beppu Onsen excited me. Different onsens, different colours, different personalities. Exhilarating darting from one onsen to another.

I remember the hordes of tourists congregating around JR Yufuin Station when I visited there. Still, I thought braving the crowds was worth it. Free foot onsens to steal a tranquil moment with the wife. Luxuriated in an onsen room and gazed at the towering mountains.

No need to do anything.
Just relax. Now, I ❤️ onsens.