The following quotation, attributed to T.S. Eliot, aptly expresses one of my deeply felt beliefs about traveling: “The journey not the arrival matters.” Last weekend, with miles to go before reaching my goal of a "hidden" hot spring in the southern region of Mie Prefecture, I impulsively turned my car around to get a better look at a strange rock formation that I had glimpsed from the corner of my eye. And what a great decision that was. I had by pure chance discovered Shishiiwa (獅子岩), called Lion Rock in English, just before a miraculous event that happens only once or twice a year.
Shishiiwa is included in the the famous and sacred pilgrimage routes know as the Kumano Kodo (熊野古道), which became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2004.
Shishiiwa sits on the coastline of Kumano, Mie, a region with clean beaches and cliffs that powerful typhoons, winds, and waves carved into unusual shapes and caves.
Local myths tell of demons that lived in an area of caves, which were named Onigajo, (鬼が城), or Demon Castle. The Kumano Kodo is a network of walking routes that cross the mountainous Kii Peninsula. Buddhist, Shinto, and other pilgrims have been walking these rural trails since the 10th century. Due to its long history, present-day travelers have many opportunities to see and learn about traditional customs and historic sites that I will write more about later.
After, before, or between trips to the verdant mountains, cultural sites, and gorgeous waterfalls, one should take long breaks in the local curative Japanese hot springs. To learn more about two of these fantastic springs, click to read a two-part magazine article. But first, please enjoy one photograph of Yasuragiyu (やすらぎゆ), a remote hot spring that is accessible by miniature train, and Yunokuchi Onsen (湯の口温泉), a spring with crystal clear water and a river view.
Local myths tell of demons that lived in an area of caves, which were named Onigajo, (鬼が城), or Demon Castle. The Kumano Kodo is a network of walking routes that cross the mountainous Kii Peninsula. Buddhist, Shinto, and other pilgrims have been walking these rural trails since the 10th century. Due to its long history, present-day travelers have many opportunities to see and learn about traditional customs and historic sites that I will write more about later.
After, before, or between trips to the verdant mountains, cultural sites, and gorgeous waterfalls, one should take long breaks in the local curative Japanese hot springs. To learn more about two of these fantastic springs, click to read a two-part magazine article. But first, please enjoy one photograph of Yasuragiyu (やすらぎゆ), a remote hot spring that is accessible by miniature train, and Yunokuchi Onsen (湯の口温泉), a spring with crystal clear water and a river view.
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| A Mountainous Japanese Hot Spring with Its Own Miniature Train |
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| Hot Spring with Crystal Clear Water |
Excellent collection of onsen articles you have here! I just got back from the Jigoku- Tani Monkey Onsen myself with a stop off at a local hot spring for myself. Keep up the great posts and pictures and let me know if you need any good Nagano onsen suggestions.
ReplyDelete-Dan from AccessJ
Thanks Dan, I always look forward to hot spring suggestions. So please give me some.
DeleteI am in Nagano now so I can tell you plenty of places in North Shinshu. The onsen next to my house is called Yu-Ga-Hora (湯ヶ洞) and while its not super special, the water is good and its relatively cheap with a good variety of baths. I also like Matsushiro (松代) in Nagano City.
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