Kumamoto has many hot springs, but two things make the waters of the town of Ueki Onsen special. First, the water is alkaline, which gives it a smooth and syrupy feel on the skin and promotes cleansing of the skin from deep within the pores. Second, every one of the dozen or so hot-spring inns at Ueki gets its hot water from a different source, so the water in each has subtly different qualities.

Ueki is compact, walkable, and well suited to an onsen meguri (hot-spring crawl) to try out the various baths. Visitors can buy a discount ticket for access to all the baths in the town. All the inns have rotenburo outdoor baths; some have foot baths, and an increasing number have private baths, which is something of a Kumamoto tradition. The inns at Ueki make a conscious effort to differentiate: some are woody and traditional, others metallic and modern, others hotel-like, while still others have separate cabins. Food is a major attraction, with a focus on local delicacies like wagyu beef, vegetables and seasonal fruit.

Daytime activities for visitors in Ueki include visits to ancient tumuli, picking fruit at local farms, and cycling the 30-kilometer cycle path. In the summer, firework displays are held along the river that bisects the town.

Three buses a day make the 21-kilometer trip from central Kumamoto to Ueki. The staff of the inns pick up overnight visitors at the bus stop.