Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
Take the tram that runs through the city to Dogo Onsen Station. It's a wonderful town to be in, with Dogo Onsen, one of the best hot spring areas in Western Japan, located just a leisurely 20-minute ride from Matsuyama City Station. You can enjoy the hot spring town on a day trip without staying the night. You can take a leisurely stroll around the town, visiting shrines and shopping in the shopping district. There are plenty of gourmet options, including citrus specialty shops, Ichiroku tarts, and Botchan dango.
The symbol of the town is the Dogo Onsen Main Building, built in the Meiji era.
Dogo Onsen is a historic hot spring town that is mentioned in the "Nihon Shoki," was visited by Prince Shotoku, and was also beloved by the famous author Natsume Soseki.
Dogo Onsen Main Building, located in the center of the town, is a distinctive building with a three-story, solid wooden structure and a turret, making its presence known throughout the hot spring town. In 2009, it received three stars in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, and is visited by many people as an attractive spot that draws in tourists from both within Japan and abroad.
It is currently undergoing conservation repairs, but a careful schedule has been put in place to allow it to be used as much as possible during the repairs. Therefore, the repairs took a long time, about seven years, and the facility was open for business in parallel with the construction. The official website updates the operating status of the main building as well as introducing nearby outdoor baths, so be sure to check it out before visiting.
Take the tram to Dogo Onsen.
Dogo Onsen Station is a restored version of the old station building built in 1911. The Iyotetsu City Tram "Botchan Train" stops next to it.
This is a mechanical clock in front of the station. Every hour (every 30 minutes during special periods), the protagonists of Natsume Soseki's "Botchan" appear accompanied by lively music. When the time comes, many people gather in front of the clock. There is also a foot bath right next to it!
Dogo Onsen Main Building. This public hot spring bath has been renovated with time and money since the Meiji era. It is no exaggeration to say that it is this main building, as well as the quality of the water, that made Dogo Onsen famous.
The sophisticated silver roof tile has a "treasure jewel" mark on it. This mark, which is often seen on temples, can be seen all over the hot spring town. It is also a symbolic sign of Dogo, and has various meanings, such as the appearance of hot spring water gushing out.
Another commonly seen motif is the "white heron." The motif is based on the legend of the white heron that discovered Dogo Onsen.
The "kengyo" (fish-shaped structure) attached under the roof expresses the hot springs gushing forth with a dynamic sculpture. The reconstruction of Dogo Onsen was designed by Master Carpenter Sakamoto, who was a carpenter for Matsuyama Castle.
The "Firebird" can only be seen at Dogo Onsen, which is currently under construction. As part of the Dogo Reborn Project, the Firebird object is on display and nighttime projection mapping is taking place.
Dogo Onsen Main Building has been designated as an Important Cultural Property, a Heritage of Modern Industrial Development, and the sound of the drums being struck from the tower is one of the 100 Japanese Sounds that should be preserved. It is constantly evolving so that it will continue to be a beloved place.
Enjoy visiting shrines and temples! A relaxing stroll around the town in your hot spring yukata.
The shrines and temples in Dogo Onsen also have a long history. Among the many, Isaniwa Shrine is a prestigious shrine that was already mentioned in books from the Heian period. The main hall has a rare shape nationwide, with two connected buildings that look like the letter "M" when viewed from the side. The vermilion-painted shrine exudes a stately atmosphere that evokes the characteristics of the Azuchi-Momoyama period and is definitely worth a visit.
Also, Yujinja Shrine, an indispensable shrine to any hot spring resort, is located in the center of Dogo Onsen town, and its splendid shrine building gives a sense of history. The shrine enshrines Sukunahikona no Mikoto, the god of hot springs, and will surely watch over Dogo Onsen for many years to come.
A little further inside, Enmanji Temple is very popular with young women. It is said that praying to the beanbag-like amulet "Omusubidama" will bring good fortune in finding a good partner, finding love, and having a happy marriage.
We set off to visit the shrines and temples in the hot spring town. First, we start with some tough stairs!
The stairs are long and you will be out of breath by the end. Halfway up the stairs, a pair of stone lions sits quietly, hidden by the greenery.
"Isanami Shrine", the vermilion-painted tower gate came into view directly in front of the stairs. The inscription reads "Hachiman Shrine".
Isaniwa Shrine was formerly known as "Yuzuki Hachiman." From the tower gate, corridors lead to the left and right.
This tower gate, painted vermilion and featuring brilliantly colored intricate work, is a valuable cultural asset that was built in 1667.
This is the corridor. It continues to the back and surrounds the main hall in a U-shape.
Going through the tower gate and further inside, we could see the plaque of "Yugetsu Hachimangu Shrine." The "Kamata" (frog legs) were also colorfully decorated.
The main hall is a designated important cultural property of Japan. The two shrine buildings are built side by side in the "Hachiman-zukuri" style, which is rare even in Japan. The main roof is made of cypress bark and is of a dignified appearance.
Leaving the shrine behind and going down the stairs, we could see Matsuyama Castle in the distance.
There are stairs to Yujinja Shrine as well. These are the stairs you use when heading in the opposite direction to the Dogo Onsen main building side, but you can get there from either side.
Before going to Yujinja Shrine, we visited Nakajimajinja Shrine. The god here is the "god of sweets." This shrine enshrines the god of sweets, who was separated from Hyogo Prefecture. There are eight million gods, and one of them is the god of sweets.
The plaque was donated by Sadatake Hisamatsu, an honorary citizen of Matsuyama City who has served as governor of Aichi Prefecture, among other positions.
The large roof of Yujinja Shrine is a must-visit shrine if you visit a hot spring resort.
The oxidized silver roofing tiles commonly seen in this region are called "Kikuma tiles." They shine a bright silver in the sunlight.
We walked around to the side to view the main hall. The copper roof's green-blue hue gave us a sense of the history of the shrine.
The last of our introductions to shrines and temples is Enmanji Temple, where you can make a wish by putting on a cute "Omusubidama" (ball of a string).
This temple is said to grant prayers for good relationships, marriage ties, and marital harmony.
The Buddha hall houses a vibrant Jizo statue. It is made of wood and is said to have been carved out of a large tree. You can pray here as well as at the main hall.
It's cute like a beanbag. You write your wishes on the knotted ball. It's round and made of crepe paper of various colors and patterns. There are lots of knots tied together, so I chose one for myself!
When the hot spring water at Dogo Onsen stopped flowing, people prayed to the Jizo statue at Enmanji Temple and the hot spring water began to flow again, which is why the hot spring is also known as the "Great Hot Spring Jizo."
There's a mandarin orange juice specialty store and a stylish cafe! The hot spring town is full of things to see.
Try different mandarin orange juices at "10FACTORY" near Dogo Onsen Station!
Ehime Prefecture is number one in Japan in terms of both shipping volume and variety of citrus fruits. This shop sells a variety of products, including juice, ice cream, and dried fruit, making it a great place to choose souvenirs. For just 500 yen, you can try a menu that allows you to compare three different types of juice. If you want to deepen your understanding of citrus fruits, this shop in Ehime is the place to be. You may discover new charms of citrus fruits, which are constantly being improved and new varieties are being developed.
"Ichiroku Honpo" is a cafe located right in front of the Dogo Onsen Main Building, where you can see the main building in a panoramic view from inside the cafe. You're at the same eye level as the overlapping heavy roofs. I enjoyed Dogo Onsen to the fullest with a set of Ehime specialties, Ichiroku Tart and Botchan Dango.
The hot spring town has a lot to offer, including a shopping street stretching from the station, outdoor baths, and foot baths.
At "Dogo no Tamaya" in the shopping arcade, you can get "Mikan Onigiri". This is an onigiri cooked in mikan juice. It has a sweet, sour and citrus taste, similar to vinegared rice. The design is also very cute, and it's enough to satisfy your hunger.
Speaking of mandarin oranges, there's one more thing: "10FACTORY" is a specialty store that stocks a wide variety of freshly squeezed juices.
A 500 yen tasting trial of three different types of beer. A menu unique to Ehime Prefecture, which has a wide variety of citrus fruits.
The menu for this day was "Iyokan, Unshu, and Kiyomi." All citrus fruits were grown in Ehime Prefecture and were carefully squeezed to avoid the skin getting in.
The flavor of each citrus fruit is displayed on a five-point scale at the sales floor, so you might be able to find a citrus fruit that you like that you didn't know existed before.
By the way, speaking of Dogo, there is Natsume Soseki's novel "Botchan." The "Botchan Dango" was inspired by the dumplings that can be eaten at Dogo Onsen, which appears in the novel.
Ichiroku Honpo, located in front of the Dogo Onsen Main Building, is a cafe on the second floor where you can enjoy tea while looking out at the overlapping roofs of the main building.
The "Ichiroku Tart" features a citron-flavored bean paste that forms a "S" shape. Wrapping bean paste in castella dough must have been a revolutionary idea at the time. The Botchan Dango consists of three small dumplings filled with matcha, egg, and red bean paste, skewered together.
Enjoy some matcha tea while looking out over the city bustling with tourists.
The seats with panoramic glass are the best seats.
Asuka no Yusen opened in 2017. It is a convenient place to stop by as a rest area as well as a hot spring. Dogo Onsen is a tourist destination where you can enjoy a variety of things, from visiting the hot springs to touring the town and eating your way around.
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
