Onsen in Noboribetsu


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Asia » Japan » Hokkaido » Noboribetsu
November 6th 2013
Published: November 7th 2013
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Onsen



Toil and trouble leaving Sapporo. Panic! Thought I left my phone at the train station. Sweaty palms. Diana, thank you for finding it for me under the seat of the train. Fell out of my pocket. Lifesaver.

Checked in the Ryokan in Noboribetsu. Luggage brought to the room. Tatami mats. Tea set. Fresh coffee beans with a hand grinder. Sitting on the floor we drank coffee, ate mochi and made a plan for the day. Onsen(baths), dinner brought to the room, massage in room afterwards. Perfect.

Robes: Men blue, women red. Robe and towel in basket at onsen. Wash yourself first. Sitting down. Wash off the stool you were sitting on. Wash out your bucket. Don't spray anyone else. Don't stand up and wash. Relax. Or try to. Ok. First part is done. Now the baths.

Giant beautiful space with 10 different pools. All overlooking the hell of the thermal springs. Giant glass wall. Different pools. Some 38 degrees. Some 42 degrees. Some near the boiling point. Some cloudy and sulfuric, others clear crisp and cold. Small talk with a Japanese man. Kani wa tabimasu. No. Watashi wa kani o tabimasu. Hai. Oishii desu ka? A little English, a little Japanese, cultural contact made. Hajime mashite. Nice to meet you too.

Evening comes. Dusk. I am in the outdoor pools now. The night sky with the sulfur vents in the background. I order sake and umeboshi on a floating wooden tray. The sun sets. The steam rises from the pools. Faces and bodies hidden behind the steam. The foreigners peer at each other curiously through the misty air. My sake is finished, my skin is red from the waters and temperatures.

I return to the room. Tea, rest. At 7:00 our dinner is served in our room. A mesmerizing collection of 19 different small dishes. Each in its own bowl, plate, saucer. Some covered, some with flames underneath. Salty, sweet. Soft, hard. Creamy, crunchy. Hot, cold. Plum wine and hot tea. The girl in kimono comes back to serve a desert of fresh fruit. We finish and sit with a pot of hot tea. She clears the table and pushes aside the furniture on the tatami mats.

At 8:00 a boy comes in to make up the beds. Futons on the mats. We sleep.

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