wading the warm waters of shibu onsen | HPUD

^{splendid front view of the 歴史の宿 金具屋 (rekishi-no-yado kanaguya)}

from nagano, we arrived at the historic shibu onsen. it is our last stop and accommodation for the day. here is what their website says about the place.

Shibu Onsen, located in Nagano Prefecture in the Honshu mainland of Japan, is a hot spring resort that has a history as long as 1,300 years. Cobblestone lanes are surrounded by traditional wooden ryokan (Japanese inns), which makes this quaint old town attractive to many visitors. You will feel the atmosphere of a Japanese onsen village while strolling on these streets in your yukata (light cotton kimono).

^source

yes, that is perfectly right. but, let us start from where we left off the last time.

after visiting zenkoji temple at daybreak, we headed back to nagano station to prepare ourselves to be transported back in time; "preparation" is just a big word for brunch in this case. we took an hour long train ride and arrived at yudanaka station.

^{the last stop of the nagano dentetsu-nagano line}

upon arriving at the station, right then and there one could feel the countryside life. this feels like a resort hideaway, a retreat of sorts. we had lunch around the area before our hotel picked us up like vips but on a budget.

^{view of hotel garden filled with snow}

it was a ryokan, a traditional japanese style hotel usually having tatami mats and communal bathing area. the staff walked us through the amenities and schedules of the inn. he informed of the 9 public baths around the area which we can access. this was a shocker to me. i had no idea that this was a thing in this area. pleasantly surprised and excited to dip in the hot waters.

^{green tea to relieve our dry throats}

we were greeted with ocha, or was it prepared by my fellow traveler. ryokans usually have teacups and teabags in the room ready for use. some even gives welcome snacks to warm the hearts of their guests.

^{room window view}

we rested for a bit, i must have snored to be honest. it was quite a long journey and we have not laid on a bed since we woke up the previous day (recap: we arrived via overnight bus in nagano). this bed felt like clouds, they took me to dreamland with ease. but even while awake, the view outside our window looks just like a dreamland: the wide blue sky above with snow covered houses beneath and the rolling mountains further away, this room is beyond expectations.

^{ryokan provided wear for strolling in and out in the streets}

it was finally time to enjoy the baths. we donned our yukata (light colored thin cotton kimono), topped with tanzen (full length outer robes), and finished off with a haori (yukata coats). snow has not yet thawed and it was getting dark, the night breeze is freezing. three layers of clothing is not an exaggeration. and the ryokan offered it so why not use them all, right? one is compelled to be poised and regal when donning this outfit.

^{changing room of the hotel bath. no one is around, it must be fine to take one snap.}

as advised by the hotel staff, we took our initial bath in the hotel before heading out. ryokans usually have communal baths and i am surprised to be alone at this hour. this dressing area is more than decent, what a great catch this hotel is.

^{a sneak peak of the public bath}

as a japan public bath etiquette, it is customary to wash your body first before dipping in the pool. and you don't go diving in that pool, slowly dip your way in and enjoy the hot waters of around 40 degrees celsius. and since we are at an onsen town, the waters from these pools come from natural hot springs. wood and stone blocks with that faint yellow light glow certainly made the ambiance extra special. for the weak of hearts afraid to share show their naked bodies, there are some ryokan which offers a private onsen area where you can enjoy the hot waters on your own or with a special someone (special at that moment someone is also fine). this ryokan happens to have that which is at a reasonable price.

^{small streets lined up with old styled houses and inns gives the place an added romance}

with 1300 years of history, i am at awe at how this place still operates. i'm sure most of the structures are already refurbished but the style of the buildings and livelihood of the people must have remained the same. the source of the hot spring waters must have remained the same for ages.

shibu onsen allows you to enjoy their nine public hot springs in just short walking distances from each other. these nine hot springs are believed to have medicinal properties. checking in in one of the ryokans around the area gives you free access to these nine public baths. we surely enjoyed them all, from the lukewarm to the hottest of hot. there were a couple where i could only dip knee deep for the waters are very hot for my liking but most of them are very enjoyable. with 1300 years of history, just thinking of how many travelers from way back when must have dipped in these same hot springs is the most intimate i can be with japan history.

^{back at rekishi-no-yado kanaguya where i can't help but strike a pose}

which brings me back to this ryokan. rekishi-no-yado kanaguya has 250+ years of history up its sleeves and is designated as a national cultural asset of japan. is believed to be one of the inspirations for the inn in the animated film spirited away. google said that studio ghibli never acknowledged it but whatever the case is, no one can deny how intricate those wooden beams are. and we have only perused it from afar, how much more awesome the inside structure could have been.

to sum it all up, here is a short clip of the beauty of shibu onsen.

ooops! by the way, i may have been writing lots but i am still a less-than-two-months old baby here in the hive community. still adventurous to try out everything new, i heard of "hive power up day". i still don't understand it much but since i could already spend 10 hive then why not give it a go. no harm in trying right? well if there is any, that will be part of learning. so here is to moving forward and learning all the stumbles in the hive community!

as always, stay safe everyone.
AMPING KANUNAY!