Sunday, December 7, 2008

Onsen Action






Japan is famous for its onsen, natural hot springs.  Since my arrival, I have heard of nothing but these onsens, so finally I have experienced what everyone is talking about. We took the kids to an onsen hotel in Hakone this weekend. We decided to train it since Conor really loves riding the trains and I thought it would be less work, sit back and enjoy the scenery...MISTAKE. We had two squirmy little guys who would not sit still and wanted to run all over the train. At least in a car, they could be strapped in the back and maybe even fall asleep. Lesson for next time.  After we got off the first main train, we took a second local train that meandered up the mountains to the hot springs area. You know you have arrived when the smell of sulfur assaults your senses (smoking areas in the mountain pictures). 

Our hotel was very traditional yet very modern. Each room had a private tub off the balcony, so of course we all jumped in and had a very refreshing outdoor soak. Conor had an ongoing joke in the tub where he would take the wooden bucket and put it over Paddy's head and ask, "Is this a hat?..No, its a bucket." It gets old after the 10th time. After that, I asked Paddy about all the etiquette involved in the public onsen and ventured outside to explore, dressed in my yukata, slippers and bath basket that had a face towel and bath towel. There were written instructions about what one should and should not do with the face towel.  The so called face towel is actually the "private parts" towel that one discreetly covers with before sliding into the onsen. However it should never go into the water. Go figure, because your private parts are in the water...so what's the difference? Anyway, after being shown which one was the men and women's onsen (signs not so clear by the way), I timidly entered to find full on nudity walking around me in all ages, shapes and sizes. What happened to the so called face towel?? There are young women friends. There are grandmother friends. There are mothers and daughters. This strikes me as funny because Japanese people are so modest that you wouldn't think that they love onsen so much. The other funny thing is that there are quite a few boys running around with their mommies. Some are probably a little too old and should be with their daddies. This particular onsen had a misty room with many open stalls equipped with little stools and showers where one scrubbed before entering the onsen. There was both an indoor and an outdoor onsen, which had a protective roof for discretion so one was not actually looking at sky but there were natural rocks and waterfalls and maple trees to help you relax. I was definitely the oddball tiptoeing around with a towel wrapped around me before actually entering the water. Hey, it's my first time. 

After that we had an early dinner in the hotel in a traditional sunken table which winded up being another challenging time with the boys since no high chairs equals free for all to run around. They were the worst behaved children as far as I could see. Next to us were twins who looked 2yo who were quietly sitting eating their shabu shabu. Then to rub it in, one even fell asleep on his sitting pillow after he had eaten. Next to them in the next sunken booth, similarly well behaved Japanese children. Then there are the Hogan boys escaping into the hotel lobby foyer to run up and over the fake bridge again and again. We basically had to take turns eating. Then to top off the end of the night, Conor ran into the elevator and before I could rush in, the doors closed so there he was in there by himself, screaming. Since the hotel is only 5 floors, we found him in the hallway of the 5th floor, of course crying hysterically. Incidently we were staying on the 5th floor so I wonder if he knew to get off on that floor, but the 5th button was too high...so mystery remains.  He needed to do a few elevator rides to regain his confidence. 

The next morning we all took another outdoor bath and then headed to breakfast and again were shown to a sunken table (my heart sank, I was praying for a normal table), but luckily there was a sliding door where we could trap the kids inside. The Japanese breakfast is like a mystery food tour. I don't know what half the items are. There are all very small and pretty though. Most likely pickles and tofu, yummy. And lots of fish and egg. So of course, Conor ate nothing but Pringles for 24 hrs.  Tough to take that kid anywhere.

To end the trip, we went to the Open Air Museum on the way back, which I had gone with my sister and mother and Conor in September. With the leaves gone and the grass yellow and the air crisp and cool, it was a different experience.  Conor enjoyed running amidst all the sculptures.  Luckily, the boys were better behaved on the train back and we were back in Tokyo by 1p Sunday.  And straight to McDonalds for you know who!

1 comment:

anna said...

sounds great lien!! My back needs to be soaked in one of these!! xx, anna