Return to the hotel to enjoy a meal comprising many local specialties. One item is the famous Shiobara highland radish from a field nearby. The radish, which is cooked in kelp soup for four hours, is served with yuzu-miso and other toppings. Another dish is grated radish ponzu pot, where the radish is mixed with ponzu sauce and then poured onto a hot ceramic plate with local meats and vegetables. There is also tempura with chestnuts and shitake mushrooms. After dinner, relax in the hotel's outdoor bath before going to bed.
This week, we continue our search for more hidden hot springs in Japan. In Yokosuka, visit the 40-year-old Una-Hagi eel restaurant, which has a hot spring in its basement. Do note that the hot spring bath service here has been discontinued since last year. But fret not, take the opportunity to try out some eel dishes at the restaurant. The eel rice bowl set, for example, comes with grilled eel, sashimi and tempura.
One spa worth visiting in Yokosuka is Nobi Hot Spring, which features hydrogen carbonate in the water. Popular among local residents, the water here envelops your skin like a rich moisturiser. Yet another recommended hot spring is located in Kinugasa Onsen. It has been in business since 1925. Its distinctive alkaline-based water leaves your skin silky smooth. So head to Kinugasa and make your way to Abekura Hot Spring, which is located in the mountains. Travel by bus and alight at the Mount Ogusu Hiking Entrance. You will have to walk for about 25 minutes from here to the hot spring. Look out for the sign which says Yunosawa Ryokan. As you hike up the steep road through the residential area, you will soon see the Abekura Hot Spring situated in the middle of the mountains. This hot spring was discovered during the Kamakura period. Located in Miura Peninsula, it boasts a great view of Tokyo Bay. And Yunosawa Ryokan is a popular lodge for hikers going to Mount Ogusu. The meals served here include seasonal vegetables from the mountains and fresh fish. Its indoor bath is also open to day-trippers.
Next up is the Inamuragasaki Hot Spring in the city of Kamakura. Located in an inconspicuous location next to the coastline highway, it is very easy to miss its sign. However, it has become popular by word of mouth and attracts an upscale clientele. It features water which is as smooth as olive oil.
Our search for hidden hot springs continues at Yamanashi Prefecture. First, make your way to Minobu Station. This particular trip takes us to Narada Hot Spring and Nishiyama Hot Spring. You will have to take a bus from the station to the hot springs. Do note that only four buses depart from Minobu-cho for Narada Hot Spring per day, so do find out the bus timings in advance. These buses first stop at Nishiyama Hot Spring before going to Narada Hot Spring. If you have some time before taking the bus, go to Apple Eatery near Minobu Station for a bite. It specialises in tofu skin dishes. Choices include a tofu skin set meal, tofu skin pasta, tofu skin ramen noodles or even tofu skin spaghetti. For example, the tofu skin ramen noodles has a soy milk soup base and includes many pieces of Minobu tofu skin.
After your meal, take the bus to Nishiyama Hot Spring. The bus ride takes 1 hour 30 minutes and the bus travels via scenic Hayakawa-cho, renowned for its beautiful mountain brooks. Nishiyama Hot Spring has a history of over 1,300 years. Its spring water has been known to have medicinal benefits, and visitors used to flock to the hot spring even before there were buses. The bath here, located in an old building from the Edo period, is even open to customers without room reservations. Besides the transparent spring water’s medicinal benefits, visitors are also attracted by the stunning view which surrounds the bath. The bathtub is separated into three compartments with three different temperatures. The order of soaking varies depending on what medical condition you have.
After this refreshing hot spring, take a 40-minute hike to Narada Hot Spring. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings as you make your way to Narada. According to legend, Narada Hot Spring was discovered 1,300 years ago through a dream of the emperor at the time. That particular hot spring source is now situated at Hotel Shiranekan. The rooms come with a magnificent view of the mountains. The highlight of the hot spring here is the 7 Wonders Bath. The water is led directly into the bath from the hot spring source. It is touted as being good for one’s beauty, longevity and fertility, among other things. The fragrant water will also relieve your fatigue after a long day of travelling. However, do be careful when getting into the large cypress tub as the water is rather slippery.
For dinner, tuck into a feast of mountain dishes. Examples are wild boar in miso soup, deer tataki, soba-gaki made with local buckwheat, and fresh seafood from the lake such as smoked seasonal fish and rainbow trout. After dinner, you may wish to indulge in the hotel’s outdoor bath. The next day, roam around Narada, Yamanashi to discover more beautiful hidden places. The picturesque countryside scenery does wonders for your mind and soul. Observe how the self-sufficient residents plant their own vegetables. Honey has been a nutritional source in Narada for a long time, with many families keeping their own bees to collect honey. The Japanese honeybee gathers pollen from many different flowers, thus creating rich and full-bodied honey. This precious honey is on sale at the town's souvenir shops.
Our next destination is Nasushiobara in Tochigi Prefecture. It is 1 hour 40 minutes away by train from Tokyo. Shiobara Hot Spring has many hidden spots and we’ll be going to Inner Shiobara Arayu Hot Spring. From Nasushiobara, take a 40-minute bus ride to Shiobara Hot Spring Centre Street. A driver from Arayu Hot Spring will pick you up from here. If you have time before the driver arrives, you may wish to explore the town. Shiobara Hot Spring has a history of 1,200 years. Around 3 million visitors come here every year to enjoy the hot springs. For a delicious snack, drop by Fujiya, located at the corner of Centre Street. It used to be an ordinary fruit shop but now sells treats such as the Shiobara rice ball lunch set – at a cost of 500 yen (S$8). The rice balls are made from grains from Tochigi’s Koshihikari, Tochigi’s famous Japanese peppers and dried gourd shavings.
Arayu was discovered around the mid-Edo period, before the Meiji era. It is famous for its sulphuric hot springs which were used for medicinal purposes. Nowadays, guests stay for two to three nights to make full use of this therapeutic hot spring. Some even stay for up to 10 days. After driving along the scenic mountain road for 15 minutes, you will arrive at Inner Shiobara Arayu Hot Spring. Overlapping mountains surround Hotel Yusou-Shirakaba, hiding it from the world. And the first thing you will notice is the distinct and pungent smell of sulphur. The hotel is situated right behind the bubbling hot spring source. From your room, you can see a trail leading to an explosion crater, which is a symbol of Arayu. The crater was created 6,500 years ago after a volcanic eruption. Nowadays, it still bubbles like the earth's pulse, shooting out hot steam that pervades the air. This murky white spring water has many therapeutic effects, and is the main source of bath water for the hotel.
After relaxing in your room, take a walk to the explosion crater. You can even walk up to a deck where the crater can be seen from above. A rooftop structure is placed at the highest point from where the steam shoots out. Solid deposits from the steam, yunohana, are collected here. It is a strenuous task, involving spreading clay around the slanted walls of the crater, beating the clay while spraying water on it, and waiting for the yunohana to crystallise on the clay. So while previously there were seven shops here selling yunohana, now there is only one. This Arayu speciality sells at 1,000 yen (S$16) for 350g. The yunohana can be put in one’s bath at home to create something similar to a sulphuric hot spring.
Another thing Arayu is famous for is its communal baths. They each costs 300 yen (S$5) and are open from 7am to 6pm. However, guests staying at the hotels in Arayu can use them for free. One such communal bath is called Teranoyu (Temple Bath). As the name suggests, it used to be a famous bath inside a temple. The water in this bath is the most potent out of all three communal baths, and is said to improve one’s energy levels.
No comments:
Post a Comment