After about 8 hours of drive, ferry, bus and train ride, I get to the station of Beppu, Oita. Getting out of the station I find this little "Beppu Onsen", which is a bath for soaking hands. Warm water welcomes me warmly, and makes me feel I am really in a Onsen town! Well, I need to take a bath first, so I start walking for local onsen. I have heard there is one special onsen, kind of landmark of Beppu. So I pass a lovely onsen (which has turned out to be another old onsen), walk to "Takekawara Onsen", which was rebuilt about 70 years ago, and is now popular both locals and tourists. Its very photogenic outside and inside. The water is rather hot and it does warm you up through to your body's core. My fatigue melts into the hot water...Then I go back to the station to meet my friend, Kumi-san, eat at "Axolotl", kissaten which was originally an old Japanese inn in early Showa period. Their curry (mine is Indian curry) and coffee are good:)) Afterwards we just stay and relax; the time there feels like we were at grandma's house in the country in summer holidays.
Next we go for tiny-alleys stroll;)
petit relaxation : Hand Bath @ Beppu Station / Oita
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My first Onsen experience was right after an 11 hour flight to Narita, followed by maybe 5 hours of trains getting to Kumatori-cho, and after not sleeping due to jet lag! I know exactly what you mean when you say your fatigue melted in the water...that's the best way to describe the feeling!
ReplyDeleteWow, 11 hours in an airplane? And 5 hour train ride!! It must've been extra-tiring!! And you had jet lag, too. Didn't you get too hot and dizzy soaking yourself in onsen too long?;) In fact, I felt a bit sick because I felt too relaxed, melt in the hot water, and stayed in the bath a bit too long;D Well, after getting out of the bath and drank water, I got fine!
ReplyDeleteAh, I wish I could take onsen every day...!
For some reason I seemed to have more tolerance for the heat of the onsen than any of my friends. They'd jump in and out to cool down, and I'd just stay in. I thought it was perfect! hehe
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, I hear many people in the world don't like taking hot, long-time bath very much;D Maybe you are good at taking sauna, aren't you?;))
ReplyDeleteI... I'm perhaps not as patient of hot water as you;D