2012年03月31日
Natural Hot Spring Spa
Being a volcanic country, Japan has plenty of natural hot springs, many of which have been turned into spas. There is a great one in Takamatsu, too: Busshozan Onsen. A Japanese friend and self-proclaimed expert on hot spring baths claims that this is the best in Kagawa. He has tried all of them so I'm willing to take his word for it.
Busshozan Hot Spring at night
Busshozan hot spring was discovered when scientists were investigating an underground crater 4 km in diameter and 2 km deep that lies beneath this area. They believe it might have been formed thousands of years ago by a meteor strike. The bath opened in 2005 and the design is very sleek and simple, a nice combination of modern architecture and Japanese tradition.
More than the design, however, it's the quality of the water that keeps our whole family going back. It has a slippery feel caused by a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate (7g/kg) and it leaves your skin feeling smooth and silky for days afterwards. Be careful not to slip in the bathtub, though!
The water also has a high concentration of sodium chloride (4g/kg), which promotes circulation and keeps your body feeling warm for several hours. In other words, the water is good for the health and for beautiful skin.
There is an indoor bath made of stone and several outdoor cedar baths. In winter, it's best to warm up in the indoor bath first. One of the outdoor baths is only lukewarm but the water is full of fine bubbles, like carbonated water, which are especially good for the skin.
The bath is also very reasonably priced: only 600 yen/person (300 yen for children 3 years and older) compared to some of the super spas.
How to use the bath:
Take your shoes off and put them in the lockers.
Buy tickets (600 yen/adult, 300 yen/child 3 years to 12 years) from a vending machine beside the shoe lockers and give the ticket to the person at the counter. Bring your own towel, soap and etc. If you forget something, they sell pretty much everything you would need, including T-shirts.
Men's and women's baths are separate and are distinguished by blue writing (for men) and red writing (for women) on the curtain over the entrance to the changing rooms. Take off your clothes in the changing room and put your belongings in a locker.
Before getting into the bath, wash your body at one of the showers that line the side of the room. Enter the communal tubs once you are clean and enjoy a nice long soak.
You can relax on the tatami mats in the lobby after the bath and enjoy a snack or meal at the restaurant.
Hours: 11:00-24:00 (9:00-24:00 on weekends and holidays)
Closed: every 4th Tuesday
Access:
It's about a 10 minute walk from Busshozan station on the Kotoden line.
Address: 114-5 Ko Busshozan-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa
Website: http://busshozan.com/ Go to the bottom of this site for a map (Japanese only).
Busshozan Hot Spring at night
Busshozan hot spring was discovered when scientists were investigating an underground crater 4 km in diameter and 2 km deep that lies beneath this area. They believe it might have been formed thousands of years ago by a meteor strike. The bath opened in 2005 and the design is very sleek and simple, a nice combination of modern architecture and Japanese tradition.
More than the design, however, it's the quality of the water that keeps our whole family going back. It has a slippery feel caused by a high concentration of sodium bicarbonate (7g/kg) and it leaves your skin feeling smooth and silky for days afterwards. Be careful not to slip in the bathtub, though!
The water also has a high concentration of sodium chloride (4g/kg), which promotes circulation and keeps your body feeling warm for several hours. In other words, the water is good for the health and for beautiful skin.
There is an indoor bath made of stone and several outdoor cedar baths. In winter, it's best to warm up in the indoor bath first. One of the outdoor baths is only lukewarm but the water is full of fine bubbles, like carbonated water, which are especially good for the skin.
The bath is also very reasonably priced: only 600 yen/person (300 yen for children 3 years and older) compared to some of the super spas.
How to use the bath:
Take your shoes off and put them in the lockers.
Buy tickets (600 yen/adult, 300 yen/child 3 years to 12 years) from a vending machine beside the shoe lockers and give the ticket to the person at the counter. Bring your own towel, soap and etc. If you forget something, they sell pretty much everything you would need, including T-shirts.
Men's and women's baths are separate and are distinguished by blue writing (for men) and red writing (for women) on the curtain over the entrance to the changing rooms. Take off your clothes in the changing room and put your belongings in a locker.
Before getting into the bath, wash your body at one of the showers that line the side of the room. Enter the communal tubs once you are clean and enjoy a nice long soak.
You can relax on the tatami mats in the lobby after the bath and enjoy a snack or meal at the restaurant.
Hours: 11:00-24:00 (9:00-24:00 on weekends and holidays)
Closed: every 4th Tuesday
Access:
It's about a 10 minute walk from Busshozan station on the Kotoden line.
Address: 114-5 Ko Busshozan-cho, Takamatsu, Kagawa
Website: http://busshozan.com/ Go to the bottom of this site for a map (Japanese only).
My Profile
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
Cathy Hirano キャシー ヒラノ
I've lived in Japan since 1978. After graduating from a Japanese university with a BA in cultural anthropology in 1983, I worked as a translator in a Japanese consulting engineering firm in Tokyo for several years. My Japanese husband and I moved to Takamatsu in 1987 to raise our two children in a slower-paced environment away from the big city pressures. We've never regretted it. I work as a freelance translator and interpreter and am involved in a lot of community work, including volunteering for Second Hand, a local NGO that supports educational and vocational training initiatives in Cambodia, and for the Takamatsu International Association. I love living in Takamatsu.
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