Onsens Japan

Onsens

In the evening we were introduced to our first experience of Onsen a natural hot spring with therapeutic mineral waters that benefits diseases of the nervous system, intestines, skin problems and arthritis. We wore yukata a light weight kimono, stripped naked, soaped ourselves with oils and soap, showered and then after much hooing and hawing and much nervous laughter threw caution to the wind and went in naked into the hot steaming spa. Blissful! The atmosphere is not sleazy. We had great fun  as we massaged each other with glauosomine cream. A small towel was provided and could be draped across strategic parts of the body, placed on your head while in the pool  - said to prevent fainting. A steaming sand bath was also part of the experience at Ibusuki. We were buried in hot sand up to the neck for 15-20 minutes. The sweat streamed from our bodies. We got used to this treatment and we had several baths. We even wore the kimonos to dinner and played Bridge in them forming a new Bridge Club - NNC!

Japanese Gardens

We took a ferry to Kumamoto and visited the castle. The highlight was a visit to the Japanese Garden of Suizenji with its numerous bridges over 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     fish filled streams, cascading waterfalls and well-trimmed shrubs.    They grow only a few flowers but many evergreens, arranged with rocks and pools to look like a whole landscape of mountains and lakes in miniature.  It was 34°C. We were exhausted as we hadn’t slept well the previous night on the futon - a floor mattress. Sleeping on the floor is not for us.

 

We traveled through a plateau 550 m above sea level along small country villages with stunning views of forested mountains, rich agricultural land of maize, rice fields, green tee plantations, sweet potato and sunflowers to the island of Aoshima which is joined to the mainland by a bridge.  We swam in the Pacific that evening and watched the sun go down.