AiAi Onsen, Tokushima, Shikoku

Price: 500 Yen
Open: 8:00 ~ 1:00
Tel: 088-665-7788

徳島県徳島市川内町平石若宮１８５－１

http://www2.tcn.ne.jp/~aiaionsen/index.html

Aiai Onsen is listed in the travel guides available at the tourism bureau in front of Tokushima train station.

With hours to spare before we got on the night bus back to Tokyo, we were looking for a reasonable place to spend a few hours, and also to eat good, cheap food.

Aiai onsen fits this bill perfectly. The staff are extremely friendly and welcoming to foreigners. They were more than happy to put our oversized bags behind the counter while we bathed.

They smilingly called us a taxi to take us back to the station when our time was up. (The taxi ride is a bit on the expensive side at 2000 Yen). Beware the overly simple map on the tourist guidemap. It isn't located just over the bridge and around the corner, rather, at least 20 minutes by car.

However, the food was cheap and good, the place was warm and inviting, and we spent about 4 hours there without needing to move.

Aiai onsen is perfect for that purpose, if you ever find yourself in Tokushima waiting for a bus, ferry or express train.

Nagakute Onsen, Fujigaoka, Aichi prefecture

Price: 700 Yen
Open: 10:00 ~ 23:00
Tel: 0561-64-3511

Sauna : Yes
愛知県愛知郡長久手町大字前熊字下田170
Access: Free shuttle bus every half hour from Fujigaoka subway station from 9.30am to 21:30
http://www.nagakuteonsen.jp/index.html

Nagakute Onsen is a huge commercial complex with a circuit of baths to experience.
Both the womens and mens sections provide comprehensive bathing options to suit every taste.

Being next to the university, it can get quite busy at times. It is also popular with families. We visited towards the end of the evening, which meant that we could enjoy relative quiet.

I thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor bath and the cave baths, and made good use of the massage shower.

Inside there are many options from jets to bubbles or for the brave the electric tingle bath. This bath sends little shoots of electric like impulses through the water to relax the muscles. It's not to my liking, however there are those that swear by it!


Overall, this bath is a good one to visit if you are in the area, but not worth a voyage for the experience in itself.

Yukari Onsen, Chofu, Tokyo

http://www.shiroyama-gr.co.jp/yukari/

Yukari Onsen is designed to be a relaxing day out for tired Tokyoites.

With lots of space and gardens to relax within, this is a great find less than 20 minutes from bustling Shinjuku.

The waters in the many baths of Yukari Onsen are a rich red black, and are slightly salty. The effect on the skin is cleansing and purifying, as is the experience itself.

There are many baths to choose from, all with little nooks and crannies so one can be as social or reserved as you might enjoy.

Inside, there is a large hinoki bath overlooking the garden. Here you will also find the washing area, fully equipped with top of the range skin, body and hair care products. The sauna is also inside, or you can order a massage from the front desk.

Outside is where the choices really begin.

A beautifully designed outdoor bath is complemented by a deep cut coloured stone encrsusted cold bath. It looks like a princesses playground, and it is hard to belive that as an ordinary human you can bathe in such beauty.

A small rotunda holds another hinoki bath, from where you can see stairs leading up into the deep green of the maple forest. You might also notice a deep red glow below the stairs, ebbing in the darkness.

Either of these paths leads you to different baths, and experiences. The red glow unfolds a deep cave bath, the dark waters reflecting the rich red walls. The steam lofts up to the ceiling, and the occasional splash of drips from the condensation provide a lovely soundscape for thought.
The stairwell leads to a hinoki bath high in the trees. From every vantage there are varieties of deep green. Tall, healthy maples dance in the breeze, and after the hectic sights of Tokyo life, such abundant greenery is a bath for the eyes.

Access

Yukari is easy to get to, as there are free shuttle buses operational from Chofu Station North Exit or Musashi Sakai Station South Exit. Buses run to and from Yukari at half hour intervals throughout the day.

Biwa No Yu, Asama Onsen, Matsumoto, Nagano

Tel: 02 63461977
Entry: 800 Yen
Open: 9:00 ~ 21:00
Sauna: Yes

〒390-0303長野県松本市浅間温泉３－２６－１

Biwa No Yu is an onsen with more than 400 years of history. It was founded by the first lord of Matsumoto Castle, Ishikawa, who bathed at the onsen. The onsen remained a private area maintained by the palace for many years, and to this day is maintained by an ancestor of Lord Ishikawa.

The onsen consists of two completely separated areas, indoor and outdoor. The area surrounding the main house is beautifully maintained, with traditional gardens that are pleasing to the eye making the stroll from the inside bathhouse to the outside bathhouse enjoyable. However yukata (dressing gowns traditionally used for onsen) are not provided so it is necessary to reclothe in order to go from one area to the other.

The inside bathhouse has three baths and washing facilities. Sumi (charcoal) foot scrub is provided in addition to the usual body soap and shampoo/conditioner. Some face cleanser is also available.

Inside you will find a large bath which is great for the first stop after washing as the water is quite hot.

On the balcony of the indoor bath house you will find a hinoki bath. The smell of hinoki is a unique scent that cleanses like hot sake.

The outdoor bath has a lovely garden surrounded by maple trees and bamboo. It is very relaxing and tranquil.

Hot Plaza Asama, Matsumoto, Nagano

ホットプラザ浅間
松本市浅間温泉3-16-3　
Tel: 0263-46-6278
Price: 630 Yen
Open: 10:00~ 23:00
Sauna: Yes
http://www.asamaonsen.com/hot-plaza/

Hot Plaza Asama is a thoroughly modern onsen in an old onsen town. It opened in 2009 and it's main attraction is the location. Only a minute away from the bus stop that connects Asama Onsen to Matsumoto train station, and directly across from the only post office in town, this is a very convenient location for a hot spring, even in this onsen paradise.

The waters are enjoyable with both an indoor and outdoor bath, however the ultra modern design of the onsen is so clean and neat you feel a lot like you're in a giant oversized bathroom.

What it lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for with a lovely selection of skin soaps, face treatments and hair products all available for use at no extra charge.

After your bath, you can relax in the tatami room upstairs or take a ride around the town on one of the bicycles available for free use by patrons.

Haruno No Yu, Kochi, Shikoku

天然温泉はるのの湯
高知県高知市春野町西分3546　
Tel:　088-894-5400　
Open: 10:00～22:00
Price: 900 Yen

Located in Kochi city in Kochi prefecture, Haruno No Yu is one of the best commercial onsen we have visited.

The premises is dedicated to relaxation, and has truly fantastic facilities.
We usually allow an hour to an hour and a half for our onsen trips, but we could have easily spent hours at Haruno No Yu.

The onsen has a number of "zones", each dedicated to different forms of relaxation.

Within the women's section, there is a large outdoor onsen with a cave bath large enough to find peace and quiet even on a busy day.

Then there are a series of bubbling baths, each designed for comfort while laying back and enjoying the trees.

If you have sore shoulders you might enjoy the powerful massage showers, that blast water from about a metre above onto the area you wish to knead.

There is also a huge wet sauna dome to relax or meditate within.

Inside there are also three baths. A still Hinoki wood bath, a bubbling bath, and an onsen bath.

For families or couples, there is also a mixed zone where you are required to wear a bathing suit.

The mixed zone caters for children with water slides, and fun activities.

Families can relax in a large bath together.

If you are after some 'hands on' relaxation, massage and sand baths are available.

Food is also served on the premises, so you can really make a day of this onsen experience.

We highly recommend it!

Yunomine Onsen (Tsuboyu), Wakayama

Tsuboyu (World Heritage Onsen)
Price: 750 yen
Hours: 6:00~21:30
Time: Private use for 30 minutes.
※For 1 or 2 people. Great for couples.
※No soap or Shampoo allowed.

Kusuri Medicine Bath
Price: 380 yen
Hours: 6:00~22:00
※No soap or shampoo allowed.

Public Bath
Price: 250 yen
Hours: 6:00~22:00
※Bring your own soap or shampoo.

Yunomine Onsen is regarded as one of the oldest onsen in Japan and its history is deeply entwined with that of the Kumano Pilgrimage. For at least 1000 years pilgrims have practiced their water ablutions at this onsen, a tradition that continues today.

Tsuboyu is the only onsen to be located inside a UNESCO world heritage area. It is situated in the Kumano river which is part of the Kumano Sankei Michi (熊の参詣道) world heritage area in Wakayama and is a truly remarkable experience.

You cannot help but be impressed by the ancient feel of this bath. When immersed in the extremely hot water flowing directly from deep in the earth you get a sense of being taken back in time. The atmosphere is wonderful as the single-stone carved bathtub reaches high over your head and the base of the bath consists of hundreds of small river pebbles. The river rushes right around the shack, less than 30 cms from the bath, so you can close your eyes and feel the power of it surrounding you.

Tsuboyu is the gem of the onsen's three public baths and is perfectly sized for couples. The experience is so popular that it needs to be booked ahead and can only be used for 30 minute intervals. The water is very hot, so we found 30 minutes to be quite adequate. The water in Tsuboyu is said to change colour up to 7 times throughout the day and apparently has very highly valued medicinal properties.

The private bath Tsuboyu is complemented by the public and Kusuri medicine baths. If you wish to bathe in every bath as we did, it is advisable to note that you cannot wait in the public or medicinal bath for the private bath, even if you have an hour to spare, so it is best to use one of the 2 public baths first, then make a booking for Tsuboyu and wait in line for your turn. If you are lucky you will be in within a short while, but it does become quite crowded in summer.

Next to the Tsuboyu is a large onsen pool (Yuzutsu) with pungent water bubbling away at 93°C especially designed for cooking. It is common to see bags of eggs and vegetables such as corn or eggplant floating in the pool, and people sitting by the river eating. You can buy overpriced eggs and vegetables at the local shop, but it would be best to take along your own if you want to give onsen cooking a go, although the local business clique might frown upon this.

As for the town and surrounding area, it is small and atmospheric, with many options at a variety of prices for those who wish to stay in the area. The rich history of the region is still evident and whilst there are tourists, it is not overrun with buses or tour groups.

Access is via private car or bus, however the buses are not regular.

The JR Kisei line from either Nagoya or Osaka will take you to the Kii peninsula and the Kumano Sanzan area. Take the train to Shingu station. From here you can get the bus to Yunomine in the Town of Hongu. The bus journey takes about 70 minutes. If you are coming from Kyoto, you can also take the train to Tanabe (2hrs) and from there go by bus over the mountains to Hongu (3 hrs).

For a great site with lots of accomodation options in the area, see the following link. The phone numbers for any of these accomodation options can be used for a rental car GPS system to guide you to the area.
http://www.hongu.jp/english/yunomine/stay_yunomine/index.htm

Benten Mountain, Tokushima, Shikoku

Benten Mountain, located in Tokushima is the lowest natural mountain in Japan, and at 6.1 metres, you won't even need to stretch your legs to climb it.

So small is this little mountain, that you may not even notice it as you drive past. The surrounding hills reach further into the sky, and the lack of fanfare for Benten means that it isn't easily found.
A small shrine sits at the top of the 'trail' and next to the shrine is an information booth which provides leaflets that compare and contrast this mountain with its competitors for the lowest height. Making mountains out of molehills, Osaka claims its mountain, Tempo-zan is the lowest mountain in Japan, at just 4.5m above sea level. Benten's information booklet dispels this as myth, citing the fact that Tempo-zan is man made and thus does not qualify for the title of "Japan's smallest mountain".

Benten San is more of a novelty than a mountain, and only worth a visit if you happen to be in the area, or want a fun conversation topic at your next Japanese party.

Mt Ontake, Gifu/Nagano

Standing at 3067 metres, Mt Ontake (on the border of Gifu and Nagano prefectures) is one of Japan’s seven sacred mountains and the second highest volcano in Japan after Mt Fuji. It is a beautiful, challenging and rewarding climb.

On a clear day, the views from both Hida no Chojo (Hida Summit) near “Go No Ike” (The fifth pond) and the final peak Kengamine offer spectacular vistas of the Japan Alps and it is also possible to see Mt Fuji from more than 160 kilometres away.

The hike can be done as a day trip by starting from Nigorigo Onsen (1800 metres elevation). An early start is advisable to ensure plenty of time to get to the top and to take advantage of the paths surrounding Go no Ike and San no Ike, or to simply relax at the Go no Ike Goya resthouse which provides hot drinks, meals, snacks and alcohol at very reasonable prices and is run by a very friendly and informative bunch. Go no Ike Goya gets a bad write up in the “Hiking in Japan” guidebook, which I found to be completely unwarranted. I would certainly stay there if I were to do the hike over two days.

Public transport is available to Nigorigo Onsen, where there are a few options for accommodation from pricey upmarket ryokan to the simple youth hostel. Buses are available from Hida Osaka station, which can be reached via JR train from Takayama (80 minutes direct). Check hyperdia.com for transport options and train times.

The Hike

One of the best points about starting from the Nigorigo Onsen, apart from the relative lack of tourist crowds, is the numbered points along the path. The numbers are clearly marked and not only give you an excellent sense of how far you are along the path, but also provide detail such as suggested times it would take to the next key point. From the first temple at the start of the path to the Go No Ike Goya there are 42 numbered signposts, and to the summit of Kengamine there are 62 in total.

After leaving the temple and following the Nigorigo river up past a waterfall

through a canopied forest of cedar and white birch

the path opens out to a open clearing with a symbolic bell used by the many (followers of religion) who frequent this path as part of their belief in the sacred nature of the mountain.

From this opening, there is a clear view of the mountain range to the north, and in particular Jounen (常念) and Yarigatake (槍ヶ岳). Not far from this point the vegetation changes to juniper trees which are more adapted to the harsh weather conditions. Junipers produce a lovely waxy red acorn with a succulent red seed in every segment. Not only is this used in French cuisine and local sake brewing, but the birds like it too. I saw quite a few birds racing through the sky with the bright red acorn in their beaks.

The vegetation on Ontake is of interest to many as it is famed as a medicinal mountain with specialised species of plants that are unique to the mountain.

Ontake is still an active volcano, and the view as the path steers around the low lying juniper and up into boulders and rocks revealing a jutting peak that is distinctly volcanic in appearance. The valley formed by this peak and the peak where Go No Ike Goya sits creates a cold wind tunnel, and ice can form on the path in the early morning, even in Autumn.

The last 300 metres up to the Go No Ike is pure rubble, and very close to the edge of the cliff. It is advisable to take this section with caution. At Hida no Chojo summit, you are immediately rewarded with views over San no Ike and the spectacular view over the Alps. The ominous looking peak directly in front of Go no Ike resthouse is the Marishiten summit (摩利支天山).

Past the Go no Ike resthouse, the trail continues towards the summit via different routes. The most direct route (90 minutes) is the Sai no Kawara (サイの河原) route which starts out as a steep hike up the rocky cliff which has a 15 minute detour at the top to the summit of Marishiten at 2959m. From this peak, it is a short 10 minute descent to the valley below past Sai no Kawara Hinan Goya (河原非難小屋) and then past the dilapidated and seemingly abandoned lodge near the emerald waters of Ni No Ike and Ichi no Ike.

After passing the two lakes, there is a large torii (temple gate) where it is advisable to take a moment to catch your breath before embarking on the final and near vertical ascent to Kengamine summit (剣が峰) which might take anywhere between 10 to 35 minutes depending on your fitness. At the top there is a set of stairs which lead to the temple complex at the summit.

The top was quite crowded when I got there (the presence of the Ontake ropeway from 1570m to 2150m on one of the other trails makes the peak more accessible), with at least 50 “hikers” all taking their commemorative photos in front of the altitude marker.

There is a compass at the top with the names of all the surrounding peaks clearly marked. Mt Fuji is unmistakeably visible between two minor peaks in the distance and the view from this particular peak reinforces the impression that Mt Fuji is more beautiful from afar rather than from its peak.

For a different experience, walk behind the temple and enjoy the view from there. It is particularly interesting as you sit (or stand) on a precarious pile of rocks rising about 50m from the hissing valley below which is still quite active and gives of plumes of steam with a distinctly sulphurous smell.

After enjoying the amazing views from the top it was time to head back down for a soak in Nigorigo onsen at the base.

Iya Valley, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku

The drive towards Iya valley got interesting after Ikeda and the road was dotted with a mixture of the old and the new. Dilapidated and abandoned houses that seemed on their last legs stood side by side with modern sleek double storied mansions.

As we drove deeper into the valley along the river the traffic was reduced to the occasional car every 10 minutes along the windy single lane mountain road. The drive towards the Iya campground was very beautiful. From the car we had views of the emerald waters of the Iya river flowing over boulders below while on either side of the road, the mountains rose in near vertical formation and were covered in early morning mist, shrouding the whole experience in a mystical beauty. The autumn colours danced along the tops of the mountains making the valley appear as if it were blushing. The mist lifted and the sun finally came over the peaks and warmed up the hitherto frosty air making the whole valley come to life.

The beauty of the valley was soon interrupted by the inevitable encroachment of the concrete jungle and tour buses as soon as we went past the famous pissing boy statue and headed into East Iya.

As we arrived at the famous vine bridge of West Iya, the towering, grey multi-storeyed car park came into view and soon after we caught a glimpse of all the tour buses idling in the parking lot, with the hordes of tourists all rushing to cross the concrete bridge to get to the entrance of the vine bridge. (What a paradox that is!)

There is a beautiful waterfall 200m down the road from the vine bridge but the whole experience is stained by all the cigarette butts and other tourist trash lying around the area. We got out of the area as fast as our little hire car could take us.

As we drove deeper into the valley and towards Oku Iya, there was the inevitable road construction going on. Every small mountain road in Japan has a team of construction workers doing what appears to be quite unnecessary road works. In this case, the sight of gravel filled dams that are testament to government waste in Japan nearly made our eyes water. Iya is a spectacular place with amazing natural beauty, but years of bureaucratic bungles are bringing it to the brink of destruction in some areas.

Once we continued even further into the valley,we got a sense of the natural beauty again. However, there really are a lot of dilapidated houses on this particular stretch of road. It is not quite a ghost town, but the sense of decay and depopulation permeates the hamlets dotted along the road echoing the fact that Japan really is an ageing island.

We saw a remarkably sad symbol of nostalgia for the way things used to be when we came across a household that had created a whole mini village of stuffed life size people in their rice field. They had created a busy village vibe in their hamlet once again. The rice field was in the process of being tended by an farming “woman”, a “couple” worked together to put the harvested rice out to dry, a “handyman” worked to repair the roof, “teenagers” talked to an “elderly woman” at the “bus stop”. It had the sense of a ghost town only it was much sadder.

Once, the Iya valley like many places in rural Japan, bustled with life and families. All that is left are the desolate houses and myriad of dams and other unnecessary infrastructure. No wonder the children leave, when their once proud and beautiful river becomes a concreted ditch they realise they might as well live in the concrete city where there are more opportunities with similar views.

It was refreshing then to come across the double vine bridges of Oku Iya (奥祖谷二重かずら橋) which are a lot less touristy and due to their remoteness, less crowded as the tour buses rarely venture this far into the valley.

The entry fee is 500yen which allows unlimited crossings on either of the two bridges (one is male and one is female, the difference being size) and also the yaen which is a cargo pulley cage for ferrying people and goods across the river.

The autumn colours were shining into the rushing river, and we enjoyed the sway of the vine bridge across. The fact that the vines had steel reinforcing didn’t change our experience or sense of the tradition at all.

The added bonus with the ‘Yane’, which was used to transport heavy goods across the river in days gone by was really fun. It is now a simple ride where you sit inside and pull yourself across.

The experience was enjoyable, wholesome, good fun minus the crowds, but don’t wait to visit! At the time of writing, the Oku Iya was building a brand new ticket office and some facilities, and the company had recently completed a carpark area large enough for a tour bus. It won’t be long and this too will succumb to the tourist infestation.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience in the Iya Valley for the rich memories of extravagantly beautiful landscapes, however it is a complicated affair, and unless the Japanese government and the Iya valley residents choose to manage their resources better, it will soon have next to no pockets of beauty left to treasure.