Oedo Onsen Monogatari

Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba has been described as an onsen theme park. I found that description really off-putting, so for years I avoided going. But this year I finally went with a group of friends, and I actually really enjoyed it.

First things first, it's a little more expensive than other onsen I've visited, and it feels a little less authentic. That said, I didn't think that negatively impacted my experience. This is an excellent option if you don't speak Japanese and/or it's your first time and you don't have anyone with onsen experience to go with. The staff can speak English (and I presume Chinese), and they are good at managing large groups. Tour buses often drop groups off, but it doesn't make the facility seem crowded or slow things down unnecessarily.

When you arrive, you immediately remove your shoes and leave them in a shoe locker. Then you go to the front desk and get a wristband that opens a locker and allows you to charge food, drinks, souvenirs, and various spa treatments to your tab. Next you're issued a yukata (cotton robe) and sent to the changing rooms. This is where things diverge from normal a little bit, though it's not that different from other spa-style onsen.

After changing into your yukata you enter an area that is themed like an old Edo village. It's actually very cute. There are lots of places to eat and buy souvenirs, and from here you can access the spa where you can sign up for different massages and treatments. This entire area is mixed sex, so if you're with a group you can hang out with everyone. Then when you're ready, you can head to the separate baths. In the second locker room you will be given towels, and get yet another locker (there are lots of keys to juggle) to change out of your yukata.

There are a nice variety of indoor and outdoor baths, and it's all very clean and beautiful. I will say that I've been twice now, and each time my skin smelled like chlorine after leaving. I suspect they are treating the water. This is not typical of onsen, but I suspect it is a cleanliness precaution taken because with a high volume of tourists it's possible people will make mistakes with the usual washing procedure. I did not notice any chlorine smell when I was actually in the baths, and I have a very sensitive nose, so I think it's probably quite mild. It shouldn't detract from your experience.

Afterwards you can put your yukata back on and return to the communal area if you'd like to eat, shop or rest more. If you're looking for a place to eat I highly recommend Yamagishi Taishoken. It's a branch of a very famous ramen shop that is credited with creating and popularizing tsukemen (dipping noodles). 

This is a really accessible onsen, and I really appreciate that fact. But if you're looking for something that feels a little more "deep Japan" Sayanodudokoro Onsen, Utsukushinoyu, or Spa EAS might be more what you're looking for.

Oedo Onsen Monogatari
Hours: 11:00 am - 9:00 am, last entry at 7:00 am Mon-Sun
Phone: 03-5500-1126
Address: 2-6-3 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Map

Oedo Onsen Monogatari

The Edo style village

Lots of great photo ops

Yamagishi Taishoken Ramen and Tsukemen

The noodles are SO good!

Beppu Getaway

Over the summer I took a short trip to Beppu, a hot spring resort town in Kyushu, with my friend Nicola. I can't believe it's taken me so long to write about it, but it was such a refreshing break from Tokyo. The scenery was beautiful, the food was delicious, and I never say no to a good onsen.

Before we left I had trouble finding very much information about the area in English. My old paper Japan guidebook doesn't even mention the town! I'm going to go a little heavy on details and photos, so brace yourselves. 

The biggest draw in Beppu is definitely the hot springs, and for the most part that means onsen, but there are also jigoku or "hells" - hot springs so hot they are meant to be viewed rather than bathed in. There are 7 jigoku, and you can easily take a bus to all of them, but we had the luxury of renting a car and going at our own pace because Nicola has a Japanese drivers license! Each jigoku charges 400 yen admission, or you can buy a 2000 yen pass that grants admission to all. The entire tour can be done in just a few hours, so I'd recommend doing all of them. If you're pressed for time though, Umi Jigoku and Onishibozu were the two most beautiful in my opinion. Additionally, Oniyama Jigoku breeds crocodiles - apparently they like the hot water - but we found it kind of cramped and depressing. Definitely skippable.

Of course, what I was really excited about were the onsen. But be forewarned, the waters in Beppu are hot! The onsen where we stayed was so hot that neither Nicola or I could actually get in the water. Several Japanese guests looked at us like we were insane as we yelped and leapt out of the water. But they did the same thing when they tried to get in, and then agreed with us that it was shockingly hot. After that experience I decided to go to Hyotan onsen, which is a big onsen complex geared towards tourists. I was excited that it included the chance for a hot sand bath, and because I thought it was most likely to have at least some water that was a tolerable temperature. Good news - I soaked in all the baths, and none of them were too hot for me.

While we were in Beppu we decided to drive out to Yufuin, another hot springs town nearby. I think it has a reputation of being a little fancier and more sophisticated than Beppu. In any case, it was beautiful. It has a main shopping street filled with food and shops like many tourist towns, and if you follow that road far enough it ends at a pretty lake. Yufuin is also known for dairy production, so there are all sorts of ice creams, cheese cakes, and other delicious treats available.

I feel silly admitting this since I've lived in Japan for so long, but this trip was the first time I've ever stayed in a ryokan. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn with tatami (woven straw) floors, futon mattresses on the floor, and communal baths. Ryokans can be fabulously luxurious, but ours was definitely no frills. It's also common to eat breakfast and dinner at a ryokan, but we did not. I was surprised by how comfortable the futon was, but this was definitely a place to sleep, not to linger.

Nicola and I were both surprised by the size of Beppu and the main shopping streets. We'd worried there wouldn't be many restaurants, particularly open on Sunday night, but there were plenty of options within a short stroll of our ryokan. Our top recommendations are Genova, an awesome takeout ice cream shop, Torisutei Honten, a yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurant, and Kihei Cafe, an adorable coffee shop with a delicious breakfast. We also had delicious burgers in Yufuin at Yufuin Burger, and you can't go wrong with any of the ice cream in town.

Our little ryokan room

Steam vents and structures are visible throughout Beppu

The grounds of Umi Jigoku

Umi Jigoku

Girls' Trip

Oniishibozu Jigoku

Shiraike Jigoku

Chinoike Jigoku

Tatsumaki Jigoku

Delicious burgers

Yufuin

You can see steam billowing up in the mountains

Cheesecake ice cream

The drive to Yufuin is gorgous

Genova Ice cream
Hours: 3:00-Midnight Mon-Sat, 3:00-10:00 Sun
Phone: 0977-22-6051
Address: 1-10-5 Kitahama, Beppu, Oita
Map

Yufuin Burger
Hours: 11:00-5:30, closed Wednesday
Phone: 0977-85-5220
Address: 3053-4 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita
Map

Torisutei Honten
Phone: 0977-22-3787
Address: 1-15-11 Kitahama, Beppu, Oita
Map

Kihei Cafe
Hours: 8:00-6:00,
Phone: 0977-23-1134
Address: 6-30 Fujimicho, Beppu, Oita
Map

Hyotan Onsen
Admission: 750 yen, sand bath additional 330 yen + towel rental
Hours: 9:00 am - 1:00 am
Phone: 0977-66-0527
Address: 159-2 Kannawa, Beppu, Oita
Map

Nogamihonkan Ryokan
Phone: 0977-22-1334
Address: 1-12-1 Kitahama, Beppu, Oita
Map

Weekend Getaway to Hakone

Last month John and I went to Hakone for a weekend to celebrate our anniversary. Hakone is a little mountain hot spring resort town south of Tokyo, and it seems silly that we'd never gone before considering it's only 35 minutes away by shinkansen.

Like most vacation destinations in Japan, there seems to be a standard itinerary that allows you to see all the sights in a day - it involves different types of trains, chair lifts and even a pirate ship, and goes in a loop through the area. Passes are sold that significantly discount the cost of doing everything, but we decided to take it slower and only do a few things.

Hakone is most known for the many hot springs and the views of Mt. Fuji. We weren't sure if the weather would be clear enough, but we lucked out and had excellent views both day. And there was never any doubt about the onsen being good. We went every morning and evening at our hotel. If you're a little shy or just looking for some solitude, I highly recommend hotel onsen in the morning. Japanese people generally bathe at night, as do tourists that are dirty/tired/achy from their daily adventures. So both mornings I had the onsen entirely to myself (and snuck my phone in for a few quick shots).

Another huge highlight for me was taking a cable car up to Owakudani, an area with lots of sulfur vents. From the air we had a great glimpse of Mt. Fuji before clouds rolled in, and then started to see the sulfur billowing up from the mountains.

If you enjoy cable cars (or ropeways as they're called in Japan) there is another cable car that runs to the top of Mt. Komagatake. It's all steel and cement and looks straight out of the Soviet era, but the views from the top were the best views we had of Mt. Fuji all weekend.

Onsen at the Prince Ashinoko Hotel

Sulfur vents at Owakudani

The original Tokaido road - lined with cedar trees

Hakone Shrine and Mt. Fuji sighting from Lake Ashi

View of Mt. Fuji from Mt. Komagatake

Mt. Komagatake Ropeway - seriously ugly, but worth the view

Sayanoyudokoro Onsen

Sayanoyudokoro Onsen is a fantastic onsen on the outskirts of Tokyo. When my friend Sarah came to visit she wanted to be sure to visit one, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new place.

This is now probably my favorite in the Tokyo area. It was about a forty-five minute train ride, but totally worth the time. From the station it's less than a ten minute walk, and passes a pretty park with a lake. The price is very reasonable at 1,100 yen on weekends and 870 on weekdays for adults, with an additional 310 for towel rental. At check in you'll be given a wristband that your charges will be billed to - you can buy drinks from the vending machines, toiletries, etc. with it. And at the end there are machines that scan your wristband and allow you to pay.

They have the most outdoor baths of any onsen I've been to, with several individual ones (that always make me imagine I'm soaking in a sake jug), several larger baths, benches to only soak your feet, and a very shallow area where you lie on heated stone - SO relaxing. We were in heaven. Indoors there are several different tubs with jets to massage you shoulders/back/etc, an ice cold bath, and stone seats where you still with water streaming down your back.

They also have a wet and a dry sauna. The wet sauna entrance is outdoors, and wow was it steamy! When you enter there is a basket of salt, and you can scoop up a handful of to exfoliate your skin. Each seat has a little hose to rinse away the remaining salt when you're done. The dry sauna entrance is indoors, next to the ice bath.

One of the things I liked so much about this onsen was how much it felt like a part of the community. It was busy, but not overly crowded, with everyone from little girls (and a few young boys) to old women. And as I write this I realize that doesn't sound any different from any of the others I've ever been to - but it was. It felt like a well-loved, authentic part of the neighborhood.

If you're looking for an onsen around Tokyo I highly recommend this one! I couldn't take any pictures inside, but this website and tripadvisor have lots of good photos.

The nearby park

Read about other Onsens
Spa EAS in Yokohama
Utsukushinoyu in Tokyo
Tokyu Hotel in Shimoda

Sayanoyudokoro Onsen
Hours: 10:00 am -1:00 am
Phone: 03-5936-3826
Location: 3-41-1 Maenocho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo
Map

Weekend Getaway to Shimoda

Last week we had a three day weekend, thanks to Sports Day, and took the opportunity to go down to Shimoda, a little beach town at the bottom of the Izu peninsula.

I've been interested in the Izu peninsula for a while because it's supposed to have some of the best beaches with any proximity to Tokyo. It's also a pretty historical area because Shimoda is where Commodore Perry first landed and demanded that Japan open it's doors to the outside.

We were definitely visiting in the off season, so the town was a lot sleepier and not everything was open. But John and I talked about it and we thought we might like it better that way. One of the best parts of getting away from Tokyo is getting away from the crowds.

While Shimoda is known for the beach it was drizzly two of the three days of our visit so we never made it to the famous beaches. Instead we walked around Perry Road, a shopping street along a canal that reminded me of Kyoto, explored the beach near our hotel, and took a cable car up to Mt. Nesugata. We went hiking on the one sunny day on a cliffside ocean path, which was absolutely fantastic. The views were gorgeous, though some parts of the trail can be quite steep. Don't be put off though, Raku was able to do it, and she's seven months pregnant. (Eeek! Did you guys catch that announcement? Raku's having a baby!)

We also had some really nice food and drinks. If you're looking for coffee shops Cafe Pepe is a very relaxed spot with a friendly shiba inu and Jashumon is a great old fashioned coffee shop with a nautical vibe. On our last night we had the best sushi that John and I have ever had at Mimatsu. The owner and his wife were so friendly, chatting with us, showing us a New York Times article they were recommended in ten years ago, and even showing us some photos of their children.

The one activity I wouldn't recommend is the black ship harbor cruise. It's very brief for the cost, and the ship is so crowded with tourists! The ones near us were much more interested in feeding crackers to seagulls than the actual scenery. From the ship however, we did spot a little island in the harbor that appeared to have caves in it. After getting off the ship we found our way there, walking out a long jetty people were fishing off of to explore the area. It's not a must do, but it was interesting. From there we were able to walk back to our hotel, most of the way right along the ocean, as the sun set.

We stayed at the Tokyu Shimoda Hotel, and being the off season we only paid $79 per night as oppose to the $200-300 they charge in the middle of summer. While the rooms were nothing special the amenities more than made up for it. They have two onsen with the most gorgeous outdoor baths I've ever seen. Sitting in the hot water looking out at the mountains jutting up from the ocean with palm trees swaying nearby we felt like we were in Hawaii. The hotel also has a pathway down to the ocean, and during the summer a nice swimming pool. Another great thing was the free shuttle into town that we used several times. If you'd rather not wait for their schedule the front desk is also happy to call taxis for you.

It's taken us so long to visit because Shimoda isn't the most convenient place to get to in terms of trains. The odoriko is the only direct train from Tokyo and it stops running by 4:00 in the afternoon, making it impossible for a Friday night departure. There are a number of different options to get there, so it's probably best to use google maps or Jorudan to find the best route and price for your trip. If you are able to take the odoriko, try and get the super view train - we caught it on the trip home, and the enormous windows make for a really beautiful ocean view.

Reccomendations:
Tokyu Shimoda Hotel
Suzaki Hiking Trail
Cafe Pepe
Jashumon
Mimatsu

Garden at the top of Mt. Nesugata

Jashumon Coffee Shop

Perry Road

Floating Torii Gate

Ocean Cave

The beach near our hotel, once the sun came out the colors were amazing!

View from our hike

The Tokyu Hotel's outdoor onsen (super against the rules, but we were the only ones there)

Onsen selfie

Utsukushi no Yu Onsen in Takaido

While Ellie was visiting back in June we went to an onsen I'd never visited before. We chose Utsukushi no Yu because Ellie wanted to be sure to go to one that had outdoor baths.

Utsukushi no Yu is a little bit of a trek from central Tokyo, but the facilities and proximity to the station are great. Admission is 900 yen for adults and 700 yen for children on weekdays. On weekends the price is 300 yen higher but you also get access to their swimming pool. There is an additional charge for towel rentals.

On the women's side there are three indoor baths, one with water jet massage stations, and three outdoor baths as well. From the outside baths you can also access the sauna. I obviously couldn't take pictures inside the onsen, but you can see pictures on their website. We went on a rainy day and I was worried that might mean the outdoor baths were closed, but that wasn't the case. It was actually really pretty to be outside in a rocky pool of hot water with a gentle rain falling.

If you visit Utsukushi no Yu it's about a three minute walk from the station. (Conveniently with a Mr. Donut in-between. Ellie and I definitely stopped for donuts on our way home.) There's no English signage for the onsen, but there is a sign for NAF Wellness Club. Turn into the entrance, ignore the lockers that are immediately visible and walk up the stairs, at the top you'll see the doors to Utsukushi no Yu. Once inside you'll need to leave your shoes in a shoe locker immediately to the right. Lockers cost a 100 yen refundable deposit.

Once you've dropped off your shoes you buy admission and towel rental tickets from a vending machine, which you then take to the counter. The vending machine is only in Japanese, but even if you can't read Japanese you can figure it out. (I've labeled a picture below) The orange buttons in the upper left are for admission. This is where knowing the admission price comes in handy - you can just match the price to the ticket you should buy. The purple buttons are for towel rentals - 110 yen for a bath towel (レンタルバスタオル）and 60 yen for a face towel（レンタルフェイスタオル.) I recommend both towels, the bath towel for drying off afterwards, and the face towel for modesty while walking around.

After you've purchased your tickets, take them to the front desk. They'll take the key to your shoe locker and give you a key for a locker in the locker room as well as issuing your towels. Then it's time to get naked! Remember it's important to scrub down thoroughly before getting in the water, and that while you can carry your modesty towel around with you it needs to stay on your head or at the side of the pools while you're in the water, it's not supposed to be submerged. If you're looking for a full guide on how to use an onsen I highly recommend this video - I made sure Ellie watched it in preparation. 

I thought Ellie was so brave to try an onsen! I wasn't nearly that brave when I was 17. I'm not sure if I've said this before, but as incredibly self-conscious as I can be about my body there is something really wonderful and healing about hanging out with a bunch of other naked people. Even as a curvy foreigner, by the end of the experience I always feel like bodies are just these great tools that let us live our lives instead of objects (often of disappointment) by which we should judge our self worth. So, if you're even considering going to an onsen - do it! It's an amazing experience.

The front of Utsukushi no Yu

The entrance to the onsen is up these stairs

Drop your shoes off here

Buy your admission tickets here. Enjoy!

Utsukushi no Yu Onsen

Hours: 9:30 am - Midnight

Phone: 03-3334-0008

Location: 2-3-45 Takaido-nishi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo

Map

Looking for Other Onsen?

Spa EAS in Yokohama

Spa EAS in Yokohama

I mentioned the other day that John and I were going to the spa in Yokohama. I was sure that I'd written about it before, but I can't find anything about it on my blog, so let me correct that! Sadly I couldn't take any pictures there (get ready for a text heavy post). But their floor guide has lots of great pictures. 

Spa EAS is a really fantastic spa in Yokohama that I've been to three times now. They have a number of saunas and steam rooms including one really amazing room where a person pours a bunch of herbs and water over the hot rocks and then beats the air with a towel to raise the temperature and humidity. You're only allowed to be in for 8 minutes because they raise the temperature to 70 c (that's 158 f!) I never knew I could sweat so much, but it feels amazing! Once you've enjoyed all the saunas on the top two floors there are a bunch of different baths including salty mineral water, sparkling water, several temperatures of hot water, and ice water accessible through the locker rooms. There are a couple of steam rooms inside the bathing area, but the other saunas are co-ed, except for a small ladies area on the 7th floor. I've been twice with a group of female friends and once with John, and I really enjoyed both experiences.

Reading katakana is helpful, and kanji would be even more helpful, but even if you can't read or speak that doesn't mean a visit would be out of the question, it will just take a little preparation beforehand. I've never heard anyone speak English there, and there are only a few English signs (and I've actually never seen another foreigner there) but this place is too great to miss!  The spa is a quick walk from the West Exit of JR Yokohama Station or Exit 9 of the Metro, on the 4th floor of a big complex that also has a bowling alley and a Pasela karaoke.  You'll need to take off your shoes at the entrance and put them in a locker before going to the front desk. At the front desk they will give you a wrist band that opens your locker and can charge any purchases for the rest of the day, including the drink machines. After getting your wrist band walk up the stairs to the 5th floor. At the desk you can pick your spa clothes (there are two choices for ladies and one for men) and a get floor guide brochure. Just point to the color and tell them what size (I was comfortable in an M). They'll give you a bag with your outfit, a big towel, and a small towel. Once you've got your bag you can go in the locker rooms to get changed. The wrist band you got on the 4th floor has a number on it - that's your assigned locker, and it's magnetic - just push it against the little gray button and your locker should pop right open. (That took me waaaaay too long to figure out). Once you've changed you're ready to go enjoy yourself on the sixth and seventh floors. The floor guide will show pictures of the different steam rooms, relaxation rooms, and other services so you should be able to find your way around even if you can't read. I like to bring a kindle or my phone inside my bag to read in the relaxation rooms. A lot of people bring their towels to lie on in the saunas too.

The really hot sauna on the 6th floor happens on the hour, usually at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, and 4:00. It's important to get in line about 20 minutes beforehand because it's really popular and it fills up super fast. People will just sit on the floor waiting until they let you in. If you can read Japanese you can check out the schedule to pick which hour sounds best (they have different essential oils like herbs, orange, bergamot etc.) but if you can't, don't worry. Just pick a time and be sure to get in line early.

There are a number of restaurants that serve noodles and curries as well as a juice and smoothie bar, and also places that do massages, facials, acupuncture, and aromatherapy. Obviously you have to pay for all of that, but you can just charge it to your wristband. There are also lots of drink machines and an ice cream vending machine. I've never tried any of the extra services, but John got a massage and he was really happy with it. All the signs are in Japanese, but if you look at their website with google translate ahead of time you should be able to figure out what you want.

Once you're done with the saunas you can enjoy all the different baths. The first time I went I was really nervous about the whole naked thing, but everyone else acts like it's completely normal, and I promise that after a minute or two you'll adjust. If you've never been to an onsen before you leave your big towel in the cubbies just before the baths and bring your little towel with you. You can hold it in front of you to cover up the most important bits if you want. It's important to shower (thoroughly) at the little booths before getting in the water. If your hair is long you can get a hair tie at the same place you get your spa clothes. Most people keep their little towels folded up on the top of their heads while they're soaking in the water.  They have lots of hairdryers and fun face products you can try, so you leave looking at least as nice as you did when you arrived. At the end turn your clothes and towels back in where you got them, and then take your wristband down to the 4th floor to pay.

The normal price is 2600 yen (200 yen upcharge on holidays) but every Tuesday is Ladies Day, and then it's only 1600 yen as long as you're in a group. If you go by yourself they only give you 500 yen off. Friday is men's day, but as far as I can tell it's just a free drink, not reduced admission. 

Whew!  If you've made it this far, thanks for sticking with me. I realize I wrote a ton and went really in depth with the details. It's the sort of place that might be intimidating without knowing what to expect ahead of time or being able to communicate very well, but I've just had such a great experience here, and I hope other people can too.

Spa EAS
Hours:10:30 am - 9:00 am
Phone: 04-5290-2080
Address: 2-2-1 Kitasaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Map

Looking for Other Onsen?
Utsukushi no Yu in Takaido