Ehime Onsen

From Reisen to Raisin

Tucked away on the western part of Shikoku, Ehime is a quiet prefecture, a distant world from the industry of Osaka and the culture of Kyoto. But that quiet is also the best reason to travel here, to trade the stresses of modern Japan for the relaxation of a rural, outdoor onsen. Better known for mini mikan (tangerines), cultured pearls and the highest mountain in Western Japan (Ishizuchi-san), Ehime is also a world-class destination for natural hot spring spas, and, just five hours from Kansai by train, makes for the perfect weekend getaway.

Legend has it that the water at Matsuyama�fs Dogo Onsen, Japan�fs oldest and perhaps most famous bathhouse, miraculously healed a wounded white heron when it landed here centuries ago. Hoping the healing power applied to humans as well as herons, tourists have flocked to Dogo as only the Japanese can ? in droves. Locals boast of the water quality of this 3,000-year-old bathhouse, and there is no question it is a special spring. Nor is there disputing Dogo�fs recorded history. Royalty, poets and novelists alike have marinated their respective wealth and curiosity in the waters here. Noseki Satsume was said to have written part of �gBotchan�h here, and a �gBotchan room�h is dedicated to that enduring piece of literature. The Kojiki (Japan�fs oldest history text) as well as the Manyoshu (a Nara period collection of poetry) mention Dogo by name.

But while Dogo has been tried and proved true, Ehime has better body-boiling to offer near the sleepy fishing city of Uwajima, just an hour and a half south of Matsuyama. Four rural hot springs are scattered within thirty minutes of the JR Uwajima train station, making it an ideal location for a weekend onsen adventure. If you make the trip to Ehime, these onsen are well worth dipping into, if only to escape the sightseeing buses that crowd Dogo like vultures.

But just what is an onsen? Like other hot springs around the world, onsen are usually the creation of rainwater, soaked into the earth and heated by the earth�fs magma. But in Japan, the definition is legal. As Showa Year 23 Law 125 legislates, onsen are divided into several subcategories based on average temperatures from cold to hot:

Classification Low Temperature High Temperature Reisen Below 24.9 degrees Celsius Teionsen 25 33.9 Onsen 34 41.9 Kouonsen 42 and Above

To be recognized by the Japanese Bureau of Fair Trade, the natural spring must also contain a specific mineral amount in one kilogram of water. Shikoku�fs water doesn�ft usually bubble at a very high temperature, but all the springs have healthy if not healing minerals. It is still pure spring water, but the water at reisen and teionsen must be boiled.

YASURAGI ONSEN

Yasuragi (Peace of Mind) Onsen in Tsushima-cho, like Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, is a proper onsen, with a natural average temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius. While some onsen are natural �ecold�f springs, drawing cold water from the earth and then boiling it, Yasuragi is not one of them. The prefecture of Ehime boasts that the minerals in the water at Yasuragi ? a �eweak alkaline, strong hydrocarbon onsen�f ? �gaid in the recovery of nervous disorders, digestive illnesses as well as muscle pains.�h But as one of the newest onsen in Southern Ehime (opened April 2002), Yasuragi sets itself apart by being the cleanest and most modern of the Southern Ehime onsen. Most popular among the wide variety of baths are the outdoor rotemburo baths, surrounded by scenic rock gardens and massaging waterfalls. The salt sauna is also a local favorite; just a few minutes in the foggy mist and sweat begins to drip. As one worker at the onsen put it, �gBecause Yasuragi is spacious you can feel at home.�h On weekends Yasuragi opens its home up to several hundred people a day.

Information Name: Netsuda Onsen at Yasuragi-no-Sato, Tsushima-cho Takadakou 830-1, Opened April 2002 Phone Number: (0895) 20-8181 Hours: 10am-10pm (Closed 1st and 3rd Mondays of Every Month) Minerals: Natrium, Hydrocarbon (above average levels), Chlorine Ion (Low levels of Alkaline) Government Classification: Onsen, 40.6 temperature Price: Adults: \600, Children: \300

Directions Bus: Take bus headed south to Tsushima, 735, 850, 1050, 1435, 1545, 1620, 1730, about 30 minutes from Uwajima train station, get off at the Takada bus stop return busses: 708,733,808,1003,1123,1318,1438,1643,1733 the last bus at1828 Car: Take Highway 56 from Uwajima train station south towards Nakamura. After a series of tunnels, you�fll be in Tsushima-cho, find the signs to Yasuragi-no-Sato. Turn right and you are there.

Accommodation Ohata Ryokan (Tsushima town) (0895) 32-2121

YAKUSHIDANI (SAGANO) ONSEN

Just outside of Uwajima, nudged in between two skyscraping mountains, Yakushidani (Yakushi Valley) sets the scenery for the magnificent outdoor springs of Sagano Onsen. The only way to the teionsen is by car or bus, along a winding, narrow road past small houses and shelved rice fields. Just below the steaming rotemburo a small stream trickles past, the pacifying sound nearly as relaxing as the bath itself. Beside the rocky rotemburo is an outdoor walking pool, a good way to keep the blood flowing while still heating tired muscles. One worker says, �gWith forest greenery and a stream flowing past, it�fs a beautiful setting for an outdoor spring.�h

Information Name: Yakushidani (Sagano) Onsen, Uwajima-shi, Kawanouchi 2547-1 Phone Number: (0895) 27-3511 Hours: 10am-11pm Minerals: (Low level Alkaline), Natrium, HCO3, Metakei, H2SiO3 Government Classification: Teionsen, 32.7 Degrees Celsius Price: Adults: \680, Senior Citizens/Groups: \600 Restaurant in the Onsen: try the ebifry or kamameshi sets

Directions Bus: Busses leave from JR Uwajima at: 915,950,1045,1205,1250,1350,1520,1605,1705, and 1840 (about a 20 minute ride) Return Busses: 1007,1042,1127,1247,1327,1442,1602,1642,1740,1914 By car: Take Highway 56 south from Uwajima. Follow signs towards Nakamura. Around 10k from the train station, take the first left after you see a Brut Media store. Follow a winding road 3.5k uphill. Onsen entrance is on the left. From JR Uwajima Train Station it�fs about a 15-minute drive.

Accommodation: Uwajima International Hotel (Uwajima-shi) (0895) 25-0111 Clement Hotel (Uwajima-shi) (0895) 24-5925 Oriental Hotel (Uwajima-shi) (0895) 23-2828

NAMETOKO (MORI NO KUNI HOTEL) ONSEN

The most spectacular onsen setting in Ehime is Nametoko (�gSlippery Surface�h) Gorge. Teeming with natural beauty ? cascading waterfalls, lush green moss and skyscraping cedars ? Nametoko is heaven to hikers, photographers, swimmers, and onsen lovers alike. Electric-blue tailed lizards, powerful web-casting spiders and impeccably camouflaged toads dance along the river, scavenging for food and protecting themselves against human intruders. But no animal is as offensive as the infamous Nametoko monkey. Carrying baby in underbelly, bouncing up and around the gorge, the monkeys regularly snatch food (and garbage) from unsuspecting day-trippers. Even a slamming car door is no threat to the hungry thieves.

The Nametoko onsen is part of the Mori no Kuni Hotel, a full service resort hotel hidden deep in the middle of nowhere. The hotel uses water from Matsuno Town�fs Pop Onsen, a newly opened onsen in the neighboring town. The water is transported by truck, but according to the hotel manager, it is just as healthy to bathe in as the water at the source. Unfortunately, the scenic views from Mori-no-kuni�fs fantastic rotemburo can only be used by guests staying overnight at the hotel. Nevertheless, there is no fee to enjoy the natural beauty of Ehime�fs greatest gorge. Whether you bathe or not, Nametoko Gorge is truly a must see.

Information

Name: Mori no Kuni Onsen, Matsuno-cho Meguro Nametoko Phone Number: (0895) 43-0331 Hours: 24hr Hotel Minerals: Natrium, Hydrocarbon Government Classification: Reisen, Temperature 20.3 Degrees Celsius Price: Onsen use only with hotel accommodation, starting at \11000/night with two meals Directions

Bus: Busses leave JR Uwajima Station at: 830,1040,1240,1440,1640,1745 (about a 40 minute ride) Get off at the Otakabashi stop and walk the remaining 3.5km minutes up the hill. The scenery is beautiful but if you prefer saving your energy for the hike in Nametoko, renting a car is most sensible for this destination. By car: Take Highway 320 East from Uwajima. Follow signs towards Hiromi. Turn Right on road towards Matsuno and then follow signs to Nametoko Gorge. About a 40km drive from JR Uwajima Train Station. Accommodation:

Mori no Kuni Hotel: (0895) 43-0331

NARUKAWA VALLEY ONSEN

Yet another onsen lying at the top of a long valley, Narukawa sets itself apart as the best value accommodation in the area. For \60,400, the Narukawa Lodge offers two meals as well as traditional Japanese accommodation. But it is more than just price that attracts visitors to Narukawa. Private bungalow lodges, shadowed by cedar trees, are also available for rent. If you really want privacy, this is the place. Ironically enough, despite the remote location, Narukawa bears the reisen classification, meaning the water is boiled before you bathe in it. Nevertheless, locals speak of a soothing, skin-softening quality to the water, and its outdoor rotemburo are as picturesque as any around.

Information

Name: Narukawa Onsen, Hiromi-cho Nara Phone Number: (0895) 45-2639 Hours: 11am-9pm Closed 2nd and 4th Tuesday of Each Month Except August Minerals: (Low levels of Alkaline) Government Classification: Reisen, Temperature n/a Price: Adults: \300, Children: \100 Directions

Bus: There�fs a bus every hour directly to Narukawa, first at 636 and last at 1945. You can take a bus marked Hiyoshi or Nomura. Both pass through Narukawa. Return busses are just as frequent. By Car: Take Highway 320 from JR Uwajima Train Station toward Hiromi-cho, follow for around 15-20 minutes until you see signs pointing towards Narukawa. Turn right and follow signs to the onsen (about 4 km up the road)

Accommodation

Narukawa Lodge (0895)45-2639 Accommodation starts at \60,400/night, with two meals

Most of Shikoku�fs springs contain high levels of carbon, a mineral naturally suited for healing rheumatism, heart disease, problems with blood circulation, and even neurological disorders. It is said that those onsen with above average levels of carbon, like Tsushima�fs Yasuragi Onsen, can even be drank in small quantities. The mineral is said to be good for digestive as well as bladder problems. And some purists even say that hot spring water, like a fine wine, gets better with age, arguing that the minerals must be left on the skin after bathing for at least a few hours. So while it is imperative to wash with soap before entering a public onsen in Japan, showering after is not essential, though perhaps sensical.

No matter how you look at it, onsen are one Japan�f s most valuable geographic as well as therapeutic assets. For traveler�fs, few activities describe �egetting away from at all�f better than a warm bath in a peaceful, natural setting. For the Japanese, there�fs nothing like a steaming hot bath after a stressful day at the office. Bathing before dinner, either at the home or a public bath, is nearly a Japanese custom. But the importance runs deeper. As byproducts of the natural volatility of the Japanese archipelago, onsen are the other edge of an otherwise tectonic, volcanic sword. Ironically enough, though a direct consequence of the nation�fs geographic instability, onsen offer the calm that this often-stressful society needs.

As one onsen aficionado on the Internet puts it, onsen �gstimulate the body�fs healing processes, balance the nervous system and even simulate the warmth of a mother�fs womb.�h The onsen around Uwajima are among the last untapped domains of relaxation in Japan. Come, boil and when you get out, feel reborn.

NOTES

Getting Here:

The best way to Uwajima is by train, direct from Osaka it�fs about a five hour train ride, changing trains in Okayama from the Shinkansen to the Shiokaze. As a weekend getaway, renting a car in Uwajima is the best bet as all onsen are accessible in one day. Rent a car at JR Uwajima Renta-Ka (0895) 25-2306. It�fs right next to the train station.

Getting Around:

In Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen is most easily accessed by tram. The tram ride from the JR Matsuyama Station takes about 15-20 minutes. Dogo Onsen is the terminal station of three tram lines. Around Uwajima, the most conveniently accessed are Tsushima�fs Yasuragi Onsen and Uwajima�fs Sagano Onsen, but if short on time, skip Sagano. Yasuragi is new and clean and the water is the best around. Locals say it even rivals Dogo�fs water, but Yasuragi still pays its respects to the venerable onsen giant of Ehime. One of Yasuragi�fs baths is called �eWhite Heron Bath�f, likely an allusion to the healing powers of Dogo lore. The most beautiful setting is Nametoko Gorge, the not to be missed hikers heaven, and the best place to stay are the lodges at Narukawa Valley. Stay in Uwajima the first night, rent a car the second day, explore the onsen and stay at either Narukawa Lodge or Mori no Kuni Hotel the second night.