Yamaguchi & Hagi- Part I

I've always been fascinated about the Japanese Hot Spring Bath, called "Onsen". Not like that I want to strip off my clothes and be naked in front of Nihon-jin (Japanese). The idea of being naked in front of other people makes me turn red and shy.

So I asked around and discovered that we have a choice to choose the private room, called "Kazoku buro" in Japanese meaning bath for family. It doesn't cost much about 1500 yen ($15) per 5o mins. Not bad huh....

We arrived Japan in winter time so it was a perfect time to go to the Onsen. Hey, what are we waiting for, let's go to the Onsen!

We were looking for the place nearby Hiroshima we were recommended to go to Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi is another prefecture which is next to Hiroshima, about 2 hrs drive on the express way. It was also a perfect trip to test our RX8 performance. Woo hoooo.



When driving this beast, we actually felt bigger and stronger with so much power and style. On the expressway it was hard to control ourselves to drive slowly and it was like the car had a life of its own and asking us to go faster. At one point I was even reached 170km/h! Sorry mum, we wont do it again.

The first night we checked into the Japanese Traditional Hotel, called "Ryokan". We stayed at "Yuda Ryokan " in Yamaguchi. It was a bit expensive (18,000 yen per person ($180) but as I possess a real practical skill in negotiation and beat the hotel manager down to 15,000 yen per person. Well it was still a bit expensive but it came with a stomach bursting dinner and breakfast.

This is what our room looked like. "Tatami room"

At the ryokan they provide you with a night dress called "Yukata". You can wear this dress and walk around the ryokan. It is like a uniform as each ryokan has their own fabric design. There is a correct way of wearing this dress, which is the left-side needs to be on the top of the right-side. I was doing it wrong back then if you can see on the photos, I was wearing with the right-side sitting on the top of the left-side. Below photos showing the incorrect way.

After dinner we got ourselves a private hot spring bath room. This is what it looked like. One thing that we need to do before get into the bath is we need to wash ourselves first. I mean in Japanese style. You have to sit down and wash yourself. Take a look the photos.

We're all clean so let's get inside the bath, it's freezing outside!!!

Kimochi.... This is so relaxing. Ahhh.


Next morning, we drove to the place, called"Kozan-koen " where the five storey pagoda is next to the lake in Yamaguchi city.

To be continued (tsuzuku)