談山神社

談山神社

3.20.2012

Relax at the open-air bath

We traveled through the Kyushu district from the east ( Oita city) to the west ( Kumamoto city) by a car.
The Kyushu district is in the west of Nara and it  takes  about one hour  by a plane.
There are many volcanoes in this region. When we were driving, I saw many smokes rose up from  surface of  many mountains.  I've never seen such smokes  in Nara prefecture.  There are a lot of wonderful  hot springs there. I think  hot water  will gush if you dig anywhere in this area.


This  greenhouse uses the heat of  a hot spring


Water lily


Smoking from Kujyu-mountain chain


At Kurokawa hot spring

Icy flower in Kujyu-mountain chain


We drove up a narrow continuous curving  mountain path and visited "Kurokawa hot spring". It was along headwaters among  the mountains and its open-air baths are made beside a mountain stream . It's so quiet.  When I closed my eyes I  listen to only the murmur of a stream and birds' chirp at the open-air bath.  It gave me  perfect relaxing.
The quantity of this hot water is sufficient so hot water is left overflowing from the bathtub.
This hot spring is sulfur spring though the smell is not strong  and it has many 湯の花(the element in the hot spring that doesn't melt into  the hot water) like a white fluff. I felt I got smooth skin from this hot spring.
Though it was pretty cold on that day, our bodies were warmed enough after bathing and they didn't cold easily.




A open-air bath of a guest room



As a clothes-changing basket


A brook run between guest rooms



I heard TV program are on location at the Japanese-style hotel we stayed.  It's the TV program( 朝だ!生です旅サラダ) that a middle-aged actor introduces the hotel or Mt.Aso and  this will be broad casted on March 24. Waitresses were excited for the location.
At the hot spring, I usually enjoy the open-air bath at least three time for overnight, just after arriving the hotel, just before going to bed and just after getting up next morning.
As usual just after getting up next morning, when I was gladly heading to the open-air bath without washing my face, throwing 丹前( a padded large-size kimono) on 浴衣(a informal cotton kimono for sleeping) I came across that actor. He wore a neat clothes with a small travel bag and seemed to leave the hotel. There were no staffs. He said "Good morning" politely to us. I thought courtesy need to keep popularity for actor,too.





a bus stop


We stayed  "Yufuin-hot spring",too. This hot spring  was very transparent and made my skin smooth.
after taking the bath. We could enjoy  the open-air bath,watching Yufudake-mountain that snow sheeted on its top. Yufudake-mountain is ht.1583meters and a land mark of Yufuin-hot spring.


The open-air bath at Yufuin hot spring. Mt.Yufudake has a little snow on its top


Camellia at the garden of Kumamoto-Castle

                      This post is linked Our World Tuesday



24 件のコメント:

Rahul Bhatia さんのコメント...

Absolutely marvelous post with such lovely pictures and description:)

Rurousha さんのコメント...

Oh but this is beautiful! It's so gorgeous that I relaxed just looking at your photos. Even the bus stop is beautiful.

The water lily looks as if it has a little lamp inside, shining with light.

I learned a new word - 湯の花 - hot water flowers. Perfect description.

Thanks for making me smile!

cosmos さんのコメント...

心身をリフレッシュしてくれるいい旅行だったみたいですね!
湧き上がる煙、見事な樹氷、湯布院の素晴らしいセッティング・・・どれも心を惹きつけます。美人の湯でさぞかし美しさに磨きがかかったことでしょうね(^ ^)読んでる私も温まってきました。

撮影隊が入るとやはり当事者はわくわくドキドキするものでしょうね。ちなみにその俳優さんはどなただったんですか?余談ですが、去年その「旅サラダ」の神田正輝さんに主人の会社の鮭をとりあげていただいて、注文が殺到したようです。テレビの影響力はすごいですね。私もその番組忘れずに見てみますね。

Arti さんのコメント...

Fascinating post as always.The water lily looks enchanting as if radiating a divine aura. The open air bath and the warm water sounds truly refreshing for a perfect relaxation. The scenery and the views are beautiful and I can hear the quiet through your post. Many thanks for sharing this sarah!

stardust さんのコメント...

お嬢様との家族旅行、美しく雄大な景色の中をドライブした後は温泉でのんびり・・・これ以上の贅沢があるでしょうか。日本は火山大国、日本全体がクリーンな地熱発電所に使えそうなはずですのに普及しないのには何かわけがあるのでしょうか。温泉湯に映っている青空が素敵です。

Tomoko さんのコメント...

ま~~あ!道理で先日お会いした時に肌がピカピカだと思いましたヨ!温泉の効果大でしたね。
雪山を眺めながらの温泉。なんと心地良いこの上ない贅沢でしょう!湧き上がる煙、樹氷の写真は迫力満点!茅葺のバス停は映画のシーンの一こまみたいで魅力的です。
Have a nice week.
Tomoko

sarah さんのコメント...

Cosmos

The actor is Mr.Ibuki Goro who was playing Kakusan in the TVprogram Mitokomon. I don't know about him anymore. But he was guiding Kanazawa-city in tonight's TVprogram.
I will watch that program and research how a professional cameraman take those scene.

Gattina さんのコメント...

Thanks for the beautiful sightseeing tour ! very interesting !

Snap さんのコメント...

How beautiful! Lovely scenery.Beautiful blooms! I used to live in New Mexico and enjoyed the hot springs there.

Snap さんのコメント...

How beautiful! Lovely scenery.Beautiful blooms! I used to live in New Mexico and enjoyed the hot springs there.

ruma さんのコメント...

Hello, sarah.

 Your sweet message and works charms my heart.

 I thank for your usual and hearty support.
 The prayer for all peace.

ruma ❃

elena nuez さんのコメント...

just wonderful!

roxana さんのコメント...

Hello, Sarah!

Thank you very much for your visit and beautiful words on my blog!
Open-air bath in a hot spring sounds incredibly relaxing and enjoyable. I wish I could experience something similar...
I think the great landscape as a whole plays a key role in creating a soothing atmosphere, which offer the opportunity of perfect detaching and feeding out of the energies flowing around. We are so lucky for such gifts, nature give us unconditionally!

Warm wishes and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Tania さんのコメント...

WOW! So many beautiful shots! You have the most wonderful color of the water lilies. And you have to invite me to this mountain, hehe:-)What stone is this?

Hope you have a blessed weekend, hugs from Tania in north:-)

匿名 さんのコメント...

Fantastic pics from your journey.
I would love to have a bath in a hot spring and in such a beautiful landscape, too. But in Germany we do not have any hot springs...

The picture of the water lily is amazing!

sarah さんのコメント...

Tania

Which stone?
Is it the stone of mountain in the third picture? If so, Those are lava but they are covered by snow. So those are white.
Or is it the stones in the open-air-bath in the 12th of the picture? If so,they are big rock and are placed in the open-air-bath like pond. we can lean them,taking bath. The height of the hot water ia about 70 centimeter.

Thank you good question.

haricot さんのコメント...

Beautiful view from several hot springs! I'd like to visit Yufuin, where I missed the chance before.
It is southen part of Japan and warmer than here in Nara,I guess you had relaxing time there.
Thank you for sharing these scenaries.

LifeRamblings さんのコメント...

such beautiful landscapes to experience hot springs. your photos make me want to visit there right away. thanks for the virtual tour.

Indrani さんのコメント...

Nice to see your beautiful world.

JDC さんのコメント...

So jealous! But hope to be there soon

snowwhite さんのコメント...

湯布院は日本で一番美しい温泉、という人もおおいですね。本当に、のどかで山を眺めながらの入浴はさぞかし身も心もリフレッシュされたことでしょう。
中年の俳優さんとは、気になりますね。水戸黄門は見ていないからわかりません。
昨年、猿沢池で、三田村邦彦さん、大阪でロザンの氏原さんのロケを見たことがあります。お二人ともテレビよりずっと素敵でした。奈良、大阪の観光客増えたかも知れませんね。
keiko

Forest Dream Weaver さんのコメント...

Thanks for sharing this wonderful visit and lovely photos.The open-air bath at Yufuin looks amazing.
Cute bus stop!

Good luck with "The Natural"!
Ruby

ruma さんのコメント...

Hello, sarah.

  Your heartwarming work provokes my impression.
  The passion for the art.  It is universal.

  Thank you visit to the garden of the cherry blossoms.
  The prayer for all peace.

Have a good weekend. ruma ❀

Magia da Inês さんのコメント...

♫♫°º Olá!
¸.•°`♥✿⊱╮
Fotografias muito meigas e agradáveis.
Bom fim de semana!
Beijinhos.
Brasil
º°❤.•°º╮