WaSIT Water Special Interest Tours Tokyo Gakugei University

(February 29, 2020)Feel Water with Your Whole Body: Japanese Culture "Onsen" Tour

A special interest tour on the theme of hot springs. This is a one-day trip to fully experience "Onsen" including the history and culture of Ikaho Onsen, the science of hot springs, gourmet food, and bathing experiences. Bringing Japan's Onsen Culture to the world!
Japan’s world-class hot springs, presented at Ikaho Onsen
Explore Japan's "Onsen Culture" in depth!
This tour will take you to Ikaho Onsen, a hot spring resort with a history of over 400 years, to learn about Japan's "Onsen Culture" from various perspectives. We will visit a hot spring town, rivers, drinking fountains, and hot spring sources to learn not only the culture and history of Ikaho, which developed around hot springs, but also the characteristics of the climate and topography, and the types and effects of volcanoes and hot springs. For lunch we will enjoy excellent udon noodles made with spring water, and a snack of Yunohana Manju, which originated in this area. Of course, the finale of the trip is the hot spring. You will warm up in a brownish sulfate spring that contains a lot of iron, which is unique to this area. This is exactly a special interest tour of Onsen! With the Olympic Games in mind, we planned this tour with the hope of "letting foreigners know about the charms of Japan."
Planners and Participants
Yota Shiozaki (Science Education) / Tomoaki Koike (Science Education) / Marin Sai (Home Economics) / Rina Shimizu (Home Economics) / Shiho Yabuki (Science Education) / Miyu Nakashiro (Environmental Education) / Risa Saiki (Environmental Education) / Satsuki Nakayama (Environmental Education) / Kyoko Suzuki (Researcher)

photos

Itinerary
8:05 Depart from Basta Shinjuku
10:37 Arrive at Ikaho Ishidan-gai bus stop
11:00 Walk around Ikaho Onsen (sightseeing guide)
Onsen town, drinking fountain, source, Yuzawa River, Kawaga Bridge, Ikaho Shrine, etc.
13:30 Lunch @ Yukian (Mizusawa Udon)
15:00 Onsen @ Kogane-no-Yukan, souvenirs
16:27 Depart from Ishidan-gachi bus stop
Photo contest held on the bus
19:05 Arrive at Basta Shinjuku
Impressions
The onsen tour reconfirmed my knowledge of Onsen and their charms, and I felt that I could pass on this information as an attractive point about Japan. (T.K)

I was interested to learn that there are differences in the composition of hot springs depending on the region. I also learned that the topography of the surrounding area is deeply related to the hot springs, and I would like to do a comparison of hot springs tracing the water system. (S.N)

I wasn't really interested in hot springs, but it gave me a chance to learn about things I had never imagined, like what makes them different from ordinary water, how they benefit the body, and how local people use them. (R.S)