Hiking Courses That Let You Have it All—Hiking, Fall Colors, AND Onsen

   Here we introduce two day trip hiking courses for those people who want a little more out of hiking than just, well, hiking.

Kitagawa Village Onsen “Yuzu no Yado”

In the outdoor bath you
can see falling stars during
 the night, and in the early
morning you can hear the chirping
of birds and the sounds of deer.

   Kitagawa Village has a population of around 1500 people and is surrounded by the majestic mountains of Shikoku and the serene Nahari River. The onsen can be reached in around 20 minutes from Route 55. The natural springs were discovered 80 years ago, and due to the abundance of sodium and carbon ions in the water, they have come to be called “Fountain of Youth”.

 

   During yuzu season, you can enjoy the “Yuzu Bath” (the time the Yuzu Bath is open changes depending on each year’s harvest of yuzu, so please confirm its availability ahead of time). The excellent service of the attentive staff adds another layer of appeal to this wonderful onsen.

 

 

Ryuga Onsen ~ Where ceramic tanukis greet you ~

The indoor bath
 (you can see little ceramic tanukis outside the window)

   The hot spring inn Ryuga Onsen can be found about one hour from Kochi City center by bus along Route 22, the road that leads to Ryugado Cave. A large ceramic tanuki that stands about five meters tall marks the entrance.

 

Kumo no Ueno Onsen

You are surrounded by great nature.

   Yusuhara is a small town located near the source of the beautiful Shimanto River and it is surrounded by the Shikoku Karst. “Kumo no Ueno Onsen” with fresh hot spring water stands among magnificent mountains, making you want to stop by when driving through.

 

   Its spring quality is good for washing off excess sebum and dead skin cells, and creating fresh, smooth skin. That is why it is called “Spring of Beauty” and there is a variety of hot springs to enjoy:

The season for Yuzu baths

   Winter is the best season for taking baths. When I come in from the cold outside and climb into a warm bath, I feel especially glad to be in Japan.

Onsen in overseas



Onsen in Turkey

   Japan’s onsens may be amongst the most famous in the world, but several other countries have their own hot spring culture. But one thing that each place has in common is that wherever hot water bubbles to the earth`s surface, humans have rarely ignored it’s curative properties. There is something about the soothing nature of hot water that leads people to seek it out for healing, relaxation and socialisation.

 

Use of onsen besides bathing

Eggs steamed by vapor from onsen

   How many uses of onsen do you know about besides bathing or drinking? I also realized that there are a variety of uses of onsen in Japan.

The Onsen as Social Lubricant

Kitagawa Village Onsen in Kochi 

   Getting naked could well be called Japan`s national pastime. Across the country in any one day, there must be many thousands of people who disrobe, bathe and casually chat with their fellow onsen-users as they soak away the day`s stress and sweat.

 

Onsen after climbing mountains

★Befukyo Onsen★
   While at the hot spring take in the views of the Shikoku Mountains like Mt Ishizuchisan, Mt Tsurugisan and Sanrei which is 1893 meters high.
   Address：452-8 Befu, Monobe-cho, Kami City
   TEL：0887-58-4181 Entry fee：¥600 for adult
   Web：http://www.befukyou-onsen.com/ (in Japanese only)
  Access: 1.5 hours by car from Kochi City via national road 195. About 45 min from JR Tosayamada Sta. by JR bus, then 35min from Odochi bycity-run bus and get off at Befukyo Onsen Mae.

Interview with a mountain lover

   I met with Mr. Hiroshi Kamohara (Culture and International Affairs Division) and talked with him about climbing mountains and what it is that particularly attracts him to the mountains of Kochi.

What is it you enjoy most about climbing mountains?

 

Momiji (Deer) Burger

  

   Momiji (Deer) Burger was developed to make good use of deer captured to prevent further damage to agricultural products and forests in Kochi. “Momiji”, which means red maple leaves in Japanese, was used as a code word for deer by olden-day monks who were not supposed to eat meat at the time.

Roadside Station Konoka

   Roadside Station Konoka stands along National Road No.194 leading to Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture. It is an excellent station for drivers traveling to Ehime and is also a good starting point for climbers because it is surrounded by the Shikoku mountain range.

My Best Onsen in Kochi - Matsubakawa Onsen

   We don't have many hot springs in Kochi compared with other prefectures. But I believe that the quality of the water here is as excellent as that of famous onsen resorts such as Dogo in Ehime Pref. and Beppu in Oita Pref.

Dos and Don’ts in Onsen

   Here are some basic things that you should refrain from or be careful of while in an onsen.

Onsen (hot spring) － Haruno-no-yu

Open air bath at Haruno-no-yu

   It’s located in Kochi City and one of the most popular hot springs in Kochi. There are a lot of different types of baths, and the sand bath is particularly worth trying. After lying down in the hot sand for 30 minutes, you’ll break out in a sweat and will feel that your body is lighter.

Onsen (hot spring) － Auberge Tosayama

Open air bath at Auberge Tosayama

   Are you tired from the summer heat? If so, why don’t you refresh your body by taking a hot spring? In Kochi there are a variety of hot spa facilities. Most of them warm cold spring water that gushes out from the earth, but the quality of the water is excellent. Surely enough your fatigue will be washed away and you will feel deep satisfaction.

Returning Bonito

   From the middle of September to November, the bonito that returns from the north is called "modorigatsuo", returning bonito. There is much more fat on the fish in summer, and it is said it is more delicious than bonito in spring (first bonito).