20000518beppu

Japanese

May 18: Kannawa spa in Beppu, by Mie

　

May wind is refreshing. As the word says itself, we drove up to Mt. Yufu passing through the green forests of Hasama, Shounai, and Kijima town. There are many cars at the parking lot; many people may enjoy climbing the mountain.

We U-turned from Mt. Yufu and drove down to our today's destination Kannawa spa in Beppu City. Today, we will stay at Onsenkaku inn behind Eifukuji temple.
In the front of the temple is a tall sign that reads, "No.1 hot spa welling in Japan." I couldn't understand the meaning at that time.

On the back of the main building of the temple is a magnificent front of the inn that looks like swallowing refreshing wind. The large opening of the entrance tells, "Everybody that wants to get in is welcomed."

We were introduced to a Japanese room on the second floor. We soon walked out by wearing the sandals of the inn.

The slope in front of the inn is called "Spa welling street." As I have visited this area for the first time, everything is new for me.
Next to the inn is a small space called "Welling Point" from which a hot spring is actually welling up. This spa is members only.

Across the street of the Welling Point is "Bitter spa" open to public. The building is still new. I looked for the entrance fee but couldn't. I supposed it could be free.

I found an old building. All the windows have blinds. This is a city-run spa of Kannawa. I turned around to the entrance.

A new stone sign reads "Opened by Saint Ippen." I understand that this is similar to the tall signboard at the Eifukuji temple I saw a little while ago.

A large plate on the stone sign reads: In Kamakura era, Saint Ippen, the founder of the hot spring, visited this area on his way of pilgrimage around Kyushu Island. At that time this area was a huge wasteland of hot springs steaming up everywhere. He developed the area into a hot spring resort and made a stone-heated steam bath, a kind of sauna that had long been popular in Seto Inland Sea area. The sauna is filled with fragrant leaves of iris on the floor to make a special steam coming up from the stone. The sauna is especially good for cure of neuralgia, rheumatism, and arthritis. Steam bath is not only one of the representative excellent spas in Beppu but also the most popular bathing style spanning from ancient times to medieval era. This sauna is a cultural legacy handed down for a long time.

I asked a keeper of the sauna to take a look at it. She kindly taught me how to bath. This is the first time for me to inspect the inside of the stone cave. The entrance of the cave has a wooden door of 60 cm square. When I opened the door, hot steam blasted to my face. To enjoy the bath, please enter the cave and lay you on the grass heated with the floor, the keeper said.

　

This is an old-fashioned rice cracker in front of the sauna. The seller said she has been baking the rice cracker until a little while ago. The shop is filled with fragrance of citrus soybean paste. I got some of crackers for souvenir. She asked me "Did you try the sauna?" Well, after all, I must try it.

The sauna was so hot that I could endure only one minute and my husband for mere three minutes.
As I was soaking with sweat, I jumped into an ordinary bathtub to wash myself. I will try a little longer next time. The beer was really wonderful after the hot sauna.

　
I have had an unusual experience and felt Beppu spas have many things to see. We then walked out to look around the narrow streets.

In this theater, a new dance and music show is open at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. everyday. At the lobby, actors and spectators were chatting pleasantly.

This is a typical scene of a hot spring town. People walk around the streets in twos and threes wearing a Yukata and a short coat on it.

There are many small shops on the narrow allays such as greeneries, souvenirs, antiques, and others. Small inns are everywhere featuring hot spring bathing only, rental room, private houses providing bed and meals, and other kind of inns. In a nest under the eave are lovely three baby swallows waiting for their mother.

A repair work of hot spring pipes.

This is one of elegant building on the street. The design got Beppu mayor's award called "Hope." The prize is given to a design that contributes the beauty of the traditional streets. I hope to visit here sometime.

An antique doll was displayed at the corner of our inn.

continued

Mie　Home

May 18: Kannawa spa in Beppu, by Mie
May wind is refreshing. As the word says itself, we drove up to Mt. Yufu passing through the green forests of Hasama, Shounai, and Kijima town. There are many cars at the parking lot; many people may enjoy climbing the mountain.
	We U-turned from Mt. Yufu and drove down to our today's destination Kannawa spa in Beppu City. Today, we will stay at Onsenkaku inn behind Eifukuji temple. In the front of the temple is a tall sign that reads, "No.1 hot spa welling in Japan." I couldn't understand the meaning at that time.
On the back of the main building of the temple is a magnificent front of the inn that looks like swallowing refreshing wind. The large opening of the entrance tells, "Everybody that wants to get in is welcomed."
	We were introduced to a Japanese room on the second floor. We soon walked out by wearing the sandals of the inn. The slope in front of the inn is called "Spa welling street." As I have visited this area for the first time, everything is new for me. Next to the inn is a small space called "Welling Point" from which a hot spring is actually welling up. This spa is members only.
Across the street of the Welling Point is "Bitter spa" open to public. The building is still new. I looked for the entrance fee but couldn't. I supposed it could be free.
	I found an old building. All the windows have blinds. This is a city-run spa of Kannawa. I turned around to the entrance.
A new stone sign reads "Opened by Saint Ippen." I understand that this is similar to the tall signboard at the Eifukuji temple I saw a little while ago. A large plate on the stone sign reads: In Kamakura era, Saint Ippen, the founder of the hot spring, visited this area on his way of pilgrimage around Kyushu Island. At that time this area was a huge wasteland of hot springs steaming up everywhere. He developed the area into a hot spring resort and made a stone-heated steam bath, a kind of sauna that had long been popular in Seto Inland Sea area. The sauna is filled with fragrant leaves of iris on the floor to make a special steam coming up from the stone. The sauna is especially good for cure of neuralgia, rheumatism, and arthritis. Steam bath is not only one of the representative excellent spas in Beppu but also the most popular bathing style spanning from ancient times to medieval era. This sauna is a cultural legacy handed down for a long time.
I asked a keeper of the sauna to take a look at it. She kindly taught me how to bath. This is the first time for me to inspect the inside of the stone cave. The entrance of the cave has a wooden door of 60 cm square. When I opened the door, hot steam blasted to my face. To enjoy the bath, please enter the cave and lay you on the grass heated with the floor, the keeper said.
This is an old-fashioned rice cracker in front of the sauna. The seller said she has been baking the rice cracker until a little while ago. The shop is filled with fragrance of citrus soybean paste. I got some of crackers for souvenir. She asked me "Did you try the sauna?" Well, after all, I must try it.
	The sauna was so hot that I could endure only one minute and my husband for mere three minutes. As I was soaking with sweat, I jumped into an ordinary bathtub to wash myself. I will try a little longer next time. The beer was really wonderful after the hot sauna.
I have had an unusual experience and felt Beppu spas have many things to see. We then walked out to look around the narrow streets. In this theater, a new dance and music show is open at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. everyday. At the lobby, actors and spectators were chatting pleasantly.
This is a typical scene of a hot spring town. People walk around the streets in twos and threes wearing a Yukata and a short coat on it.
	There are many small shops on the narrow allays such as greeneries, souvenirs, antiques, and others. Small inns are everywhere featuring hot spring bathing only, rental room, private houses providing bed and meals, and other kind of inns. In a nest under the eave are lovely three baby swallows waiting for their mother.
A repair work of hot spring pipes.
	This is one of elegant building on the street. The design got Beppu mayor's award called "Hope." The prize is given to a design that contributes the beauty of the traditional streets. I hope to visit here sometime.
An antique doll was displayed at the corner of our inn. continued