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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Unzen
雲仙市
Half-day trip from Nagasaki or Shimabara: see the Unzen Hells, soak in an onsen, then move on. One night only if you want a full day of hiking Mount Unzen.
Unzen is a small onsen town on the Shimabara Peninsula, part of the Unzen-Amakusa National Park. Its main draw is the Unzen Hells — a volcanic area with boiling springs and a dark history of Christian martyrdom. The town also offers hot-spring bathing (Unzen Onsen and Obama Onsen) and hiking on Mount Unzen. Most visitors come from Nagasaki or Shimabara for a few hours; an overnight stay suits those who want to hike or relax in an onsen ryokan.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 雲仙市
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold, some trails closed)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥6,000–10,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥10,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥400–600 |
| Bowl of champon or ramen | ¥800–1,200 |
| Beer at a convenience store | ¥250–350 |
| Onsen entry (public bath) | ¥500–1,000 |
| Bus from Unzen to Shimabara | ¥700 (check) |
| Taxi from Unzen to Obama Onsen | ¥2,000–3,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGS · Nagasaki Airport
- Bus to Isahaya, then local bus to Unzen, about 1.5 h total
Typical fares
- Nagasaki → Unzen, bus
- about ¥2,000, about 1.5 h (check)
- Shimabara → Unzen, bus
- about ¥700, about 30 min (check)
- Unzen → Obama Onsen, taxi
- ¥2,000–3,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Local buses connect Unzen, Obama and Shimabara. The town centre is walkable. A car makes it easier to reach trailheads and Obama Onsen.
See and do
Known for
- Unzen Hells (volcanic springs and Christian martyrdom site)
- Unzen Onsen and Obama Onsen
- Mount Unzen hiking
- Unzen-Amakusa National Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shimabara | Local bus, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Nagasaki | Bus to Isahaya (about 1 h), then JR to Nagasaki (about 30 min) | About 2 h |
| Omura | Bus to Isahaya, then JR to Omura, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Unzen Onsen area
- Ryokans and hotels near the Hells; most include onsen access.
- Obama Onsen area
- Coastal hot-spring town with a few ryokans and a footbath; quieter than Unzen.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうarigatō |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
| One onsen ticket, please | 温泉券を一枚くださいonsenken o ichimai kudasai |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- The Unzen Hells are active: stay on the marked paths and do not touch the water.
- Mount Unzen is an active volcano; check the Japan Meteorological Agency alert level before hiking.
- Some ryokans require dinner reservations; book ahead if you want a kaiseki meal.
Safe town. The main risks are volcanic gases near the Hells (stay on paths) and slippery trails on Mount Unzen after rain. No nightlife to speak of.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Unzen yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Unzen Hells (volcanic springs and Christian martyrdom site)
- Unzen Onsen and Obama Onsen
- Mount Unzen hiking
- Unzen-Amakusa National Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Unzen city official website: www.city.unzen.nagasaki.jp/
- Unzen-Amakusa National Park (Ministry of the Environment): www.env.go.jp/park/unzen/index.html
- Wikivoyage: Unzen, revision 4981948 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4981948
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Unzen雲仙市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US has a consulate in Fukuoka; most other countries have consulates in Fukuoka or embassies in Tokyo.
Carry cash; many ryokans and small shops do not accept cards.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/unzen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.