18.5.19 115 years for 2000 years

115 years for 2000 Yen

A day of history and endings. Start with the one mentioned above. Yesterday, I visited a 115-year-old onsen to end the day. It still looked surprisingly good. It was very simple. It has been run by a family for generations and the entrance fee was only 4 euros. Everything was there. Nice washing facilities, many hot springs, cold corners, but also a relaxation room. The best part was the huge painting of Mt. Fuji, the sacred mountain of the Japanese, at the hot springs. It was an awe-inspiring feeling to soak in the 40-degree warm water and look at this artwork. But at the end of May, it will be closed for good. Not because fewer people come, but because a spa landscape is being built right next door and they charge 2000 yen for entry. Competition. Very sad. These traditional onsens are very beautiful. They may not have 10 amazing baths and pools, but do you really need them.

Prior to that, I visited the Pokemon Museum and the National Museum. Both were very beautiful and interesting in their own way. The National Museum focuses on Hokusai and Buddhism and draws parallels. And the other one is about... Pokemon. I enjoyed both of them very much.