Hakone Yuryo Onsen
Onsens - Japanese
hot springs - are a staple of Japanese culture. The benefits in Japan are no different than those in the US:
better blood circulation, stress reduction, skin softening, pain relief. The culture surrounding them, however,
is quite different. Hot springs in Japan come in many forms, but most share the same basic etiquette: (1) no clothes
allowed; (2) wash before you enter; (3) no tattoos. (Very few people in Japan have tattoos as it is strongly
associated with the yakuza and other organized crime.)
We took a day to relax at an onsen in Hakone. We chose Hakone because it's
an hour outside Tokyo (close enough for a day trip on the JR train, and far enough for the semblance of peace and solitude),
but also because it's close to Mount Fuji and provides a good view on a clear day. Hakone is
also known for its black eggs - eggs boiled in the hot springs and turned black due to the natural sulfur. Eating
one is said to add seven years to your life. (Unfortunately, it was not a clear day so we couldn't see Mount Fuji,
and we weren't able to find anywhere to eat the eggs, but this didn't take away from the experience.)
Yuryo Onsen was accessible and relaxing.
At Yuryo, you can choose to book one of three types of private rooms for an hour, or access the public hot spring.
We had called a few days before to book a private room, as the public springs are separated by gender, and we weren't
sure we wanted to each be alone and naked with a bunch of strangers. We checked in, got our robes, slippers, and key, and headed to the
room. The room was simple and calm. It had a sink, table, and unidentifiable wrapped item - we couldn't tell
if it was soap or food. The onsen was in the back facing a wooded area. We alternated between relaxing in the tub
and cooling off in the room, and did feel very relaxed at the end of the hour. But the soak isn't the end of the
onsen experience. Afterwards, we had lunch at the attached
irori restaurant. There were many choices, including sake
with a fish soaking in it, but we went with the package of seafood and vegetables. Like many other restaurants
in Japan, you cook the food here yourself.
