Onsen

Seismic activity is so ingrained in Japanese life that folklore tells of Namazu, a giant catfish who lives beneath the country and is restrained by the god Kashima. However, when Kashima lets down his guard, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes. To live in Japan is to see this activity as part of daily life. But, as with all things, we must make the best of what comes our way, and here this takes the form of onsen, the hot springs that the ‘catfish below the earth’ arouses through this volcanic country. What is an onsen? An onsen is probably best described as a hot spring bathing spa. There is evidence that the Japanese have enjoyed these baths since time immemorial; excavations in Ehime Prefecture uncovered three-thousand-year-old pottery where the site of Dogo Onsen now stands. It is unknown when these spas were first used for their perceived restorative quantities, but during the warring times of the Sengoku Period (1467-ca.1600), Buddhist monks propagated the healing properties of the mineral-laden waters, and warriors injured in battle would make their way to an onsen for rejuvenation and rehabilitation. Today, onsen are not the sole preserve of soldiers, as they have become the…