Hot Spring Resort Experience
After my two days in Tokyo, I decided to get out of the city and go to a hot spring resort in Hakone (which is a town famous for it's thermal springs). As I think I've mentioned before, the Japanese love their baths. This particular bath resort where I went is called Kowakien Yunessan. Part of it is a hot spring "water park" where it is a co-ed, swim suited area. The other part is a more traditional, separated by gender, naked area. I decided to go to the more touristy water park area first and then relax in the traditional bath at the end of the afternoon.
In the water park part, you could bath in wine, sake, coffee, and green tea. There was also a charcoal bath, and other outdoor mountain baths. Another part included a kid-friendly Roman style bath. I did not stay to long in this area because it was more touristy and there were too many people for my liking. However, it was fun seeing the holiday and resort-like setting.
After that I moved on to the traditional style bath (also called "Mori no Yu," or bath in the forest). I stripped out of my swimsuit took a shower (as mentioned before, you clean yourself completely before entering the bath), and began going from bath to bath...in this area, it's separated by gender, and there are about 10 different baths to choose from: varying in temperatures and outdoor settings. Yes, this was an outdoor hot spring, and while it wasn't too cold outside of the water, there was a nice mountain breeze. I stayed a long time soaking in the different baths. However, I still do not have the Japanese mindset for long, meditative soaking. As an American, while we do take long baths occasionally, it is usually to just get clean and we get out before we get to wrinkly. In each individual bath, some people stayed as long as 10 minutes in each bath...looking at the mountains, the sky, and the flowers. The scenery was quite beautiful, but after a while, I decided to return to the locker room take one last rinse shower and then get dressed and find some place to eat lunch.
In my relaxed state of mind, I wandered up to the buffet-style café. I realized how much my stomach had shrunk when I realized that I could not eat as much as I used to at most American buffets. However, the food was good and I soon boarded the bus back to the train station in order to return to my hostel in Tokyo. When I return to Japan with friends/family, I will definitely go here with them: it is worth the money and time.
In the water park part, you could bath in wine, sake, coffee, and green tea. There was also a charcoal bath, and other outdoor mountain baths. Another part included a kid-friendly Roman style bath. I did not stay to long in this area because it was more touristy and there were too many people for my liking. However, it was fun seeing the holiday and resort-like setting.
After that I moved on to the traditional style bath (also called "Mori no Yu," or bath in the forest). I stripped out of my swimsuit took a shower (as mentioned before, you clean yourself completely before entering the bath), and began going from bath to bath...in this area, it's separated by gender, and there are about 10 different baths to choose from: varying in temperatures and outdoor settings. Yes, this was an outdoor hot spring, and while it wasn't too cold outside of the water, there was a nice mountain breeze. I stayed a long time soaking in the different baths. However, I still do not have the Japanese mindset for long, meditative soaking. As an American, while we do take long baths occasionally, it is usually to just get clean and we get out before we get to wrinkly. In each individual bath, some people stayed as long as 10 minutes in each bath...looking at the mountains, the sky, and the flowers. The scenery was quite beautiful, but after a while, I decided to return to the locker room take one last rinse shower and then get dressed and find some place to eat lunch.
In my relaxed state of mind, I wandered up to the buffet-style café. I realized how much my stomach had shrunk when I realized that I could not eat as much as I used to at most American buffets. However, the food was good and I soon boarded the bus back to the train station in order to return to my hostel in Tokyo. When I return to Japan with friends/family, I will definitely go here with them: it is worth the money and time.
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