In 1994, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Dogo Onsen Honkan, it was created with the motif of the Shinro-kaku of the Dogo Onsen Honkan. The Botchan Karakuri Clock is located in front of Dogo Onsen Station.
From 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., every hour (every 30 minutes on weekends and holidays, March, April, August, November, year-end and New Year holidays, and Golden Week), the main body of the karakuri clock rises in time with the music. Characters from Soseki Natsume's novel "Botchan" appear from inside, welcoming everyone who has come to Dogo.
Next to the karakuri clock, there is a foot bath using the source of Dogo Onsen. The footbath spout is a hot water kettle that was actually used in the south wing of the Dogo Onsen Honkan.
It is a comprehensive park of about 8.5 hectares that has been developed from the ruins of Yuzuki Castle. It was designated as a National Historic Site in 2002 and is now maintained as Dogo Koen Park. Yuzuki Castle has been selected as one of the "100 Famous Castles in Japan" and Dogo Koen Park has been selected as one of the "100 Historical Parks in Japan".
Yuzuki Castle is a castle that existed for about 250 years from the first half of the 14th century to the second half of the 16th century. Yuzuki Castle, which was the residence of the Kono clan in the Middle Ages, was the political, military, and cultural center of Ehime Prefecture. In the ruins of the castle, the moat and earthworks of the castle remain as they were at that time. In the restored samurai mansion, you can see the state of life and furnishings at that time.
In addition to the ruins of Yuzuki Castle, there are many attractions in the park, such as the Shiki Museum, the observatory, Yugama Yakushi, and Iwasaki Shrine. From the observatory, you can overlook the city, Matsuyama Castle, and the Seto Inland Sea. In the park, cherry blossoms bloom in spring, water lilies in summer, autumn leaves in autumn, and camellia flowers in winter. Dogo Koen Park is a spot where you can not only learn about the history and culture of Ehime, but also enjoy the four seasons and nature of Japan while strolling through the park.
Shiki Masaoka (hereinafter referred to as Shiki) is a haiku poet and literary scholar from Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. The Shiki Museum was established to allow many people to become familiar with the history and literature of Matsuyama through the world of Shiki.
Shiki was born in 1867 and died at the young age of 34 years and 11 months. He wrote about 25,000 haiku during his lifetime, and his creative activities continued until shortly before his death. Haiku is a traditional Japan standard poem composed of 17 words of 5, 7, and 5.
Shiki is said to be the founder of modern haiku. He rejected the obsolete haiku of the past. He tried to innovate haiku and infuse it with a new beauty. To this end, he incorporated the method of "sketch," in which he expresses his emotions by depicting nature and things as they are seen, into his haiku. His short life had a particularly profound impact on the haiku world.
Matsuyama City is a city where haiku is thriving, having produced many haiku poets, including Shiki. Inside the museum, Shiki's friendships are introduced in an easy-to-understand manner through panels and videos.
Dogo Onsen is located in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, in the northwestern part of Shikoku. It has a long history of about 3,000 years and is a representative tourist attraction in Ehime Prefecture, which served as the model for Soseki Natsume's novel "Botchan" and Hayao Miyazaki's film "Spirited Away".
Get to know Dogo Onsen
Area guide
The symbol of Dogo Onsen is the egret. The symbol is an egret from the legend that the egret found the source. Dogo Onsen is a rare unheated and water-free Onsen in Japan. The soft and smooth water has a skin-beautifying effect. Dogo Onsen is a famous Onsen with a long history that has been loved by historical figures such as emperors and literary figures since ancient times.
There are three public baths (outdoor baths) in Dogo Onsen: "Dogo Onsen Honkan", "Asuka-no-Yu", and "Tsubaki-no-Yu". You can enjoy fresh hot water from the source at any public bath (outdoor bath), but each building has a different taste.
The central facility that represents Dogo Onsen is the Dogo Onsen Honkan. The Dogo Onsen Honkan is a three-story wooden building with a quaint large roof. This Onsen appears in Japan's oldest official history, the Nihon Shoki, completed in 720. It is also known for being the model for Soseki Natsume's novel Botchan, written in 1906, and Hayao Miyazaki's 2001 film Spirited Away. In 1994, it was designated as an important cultural property of Japan for the first time in a public bath in Japan. Inside the building, there is a "Botchan’s Room" where materials related to Soseki Natsume are exhibited.
In the center of the large roof is the Shinro-kaku, where egrets perch. The drum inside is a drum that tells the time. Three times a day, in the morning, noon, and evening, the drums tell the time. The sound of the drums, which creates an Onsen atmosphere, has been selected as one of the "100 Soundscapes of Japan to be preserved".
Asuka-no-Yu incorporates the architectural style of this period from records of the imperial family's visits to Dogo Onsen during the Asuka period (592-710). Under the theme of "Ancient Dogo," the building presents legends and stories related to Dogo Onsen in collaboration with traditional crafts from Ehime Prefecture and cutting-edge art.
Tsubaki-no-yu is a relaxing Onsen for the citizens of Matsuyama, with camellia as a symbol. Tsubaki-no-yu is located in the center of the Dogo shopping street (Dogo Haikara Street). The building has a calm atmosphere in the style of a storehouse. The bathroom is made of granite, and there is also a hot water kettle unique to Dogo Onsen.
There are souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants, etc. in Dogo Shopping Street (Dogo Haikara Street), and it is recommended for walking.
Access
Dogo Onsen can be reached from major cities in Japan via plane or bullet train. Time is faster on planes.
By plane, you will be taken to Matsuyama Airport and transferred to a bus. There are limousine buses and regular route buses. It takes about 40 minutes by limousine bus and about 50 minutes by regular route bus from Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen. You can go directly from the airport and put your suitcase in the trunk, so we recommend the limousine bus.
On the Shinkansen, transfer to the limited express at Okayama Station and go to JR Matsuyama Station. Next, transfer to the Iyo Railway tram and get off at the nearest station, Dogo Onsen Station. It takes about 3 hours and 10 minutes from Okayama Station on the Shinkansen to the nearest station, Dogo Onsen Station.
Iyo Railway, which operates trams, is the second oldest privately owned railway company in Japan. Since trams run only in a limited number of areas in Japan, traveling by tram is a good memory of your trip.
From Tokyo
<Airplanes / buses> Haneda Airport → Matsuyama Airport →< Bus >→ in front of Dogo Onsen Station (about 2 hours 10~20 minutes) It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Haneda Airport to Matsuyama Airport. From Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen, it takes about 40~50 minutes by bus.
<Shinkansen / Train> < Shinkansen >→ Tokyo Station→ Okayama Station→< Limited Express Shiokaze >→ JR Okayama Station→ JR Matsuyama Station→< Iyo Railway Tram >→ JR Matsuyama Station→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 6 hours 30 minutes) From Tokyo Station to Okayama Station, it takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes by Shinkansen.
From Nagoya
<Airplanes / buses> Chubu Centrair International Airport → Matsuyama Airport →< Bus >→ in front of Dogo Onsen Station (about 2 hours) It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes from Chubu Centrair International Airport to Matsuyama Airport. From Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen, it takes about 40~50 minutes by bus.
<Shinkansen / Train> < Shinkansen>→ Nagoya Station→ Okayama Station→< Limited Express Shiokaze >→ JR Okayama Station→ JR Matsuyama Station→< Iyo Railway Tram >→ JR Matsuyama Station→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 4 hours 50 minutes) From Nagoya Station to Okayama Station, it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes by Shinkansen.
From Osaka
<Airplanes / buses> Osaka International Airport → Matsuyama Airport →< Bus >→ in front of Dogo Onsen Station (about 1 hour 30~40 minutes) It takes about 50 minutes from Osaka International Airport to Matsuyama Airport. From Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen, it takes about 40~50 minutes by bus.
<Shinkansen / Train> < Shinkansen >→ Nagoya Station→ Okayama Station→< Limited Express Shiokaze >→ JR Okayama Station→ JR Matsuyama Station→< Iyo Railway Tram>→ JR Matsuyama Station→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 4 hours 50 minutes) From Nagoya Station to Okayama Station, it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes by Shinkansen.
From Okayama
<Shinkansen / Train> < Shinkansen >→ Okayama Station→< Limited Express Shiokaze >→ JR Okayama Station→ JR Matsuyama Station→< Iyo Railway Tram >→ JR Matsuyama Station→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 3 hours 10 minutes) It takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes by limited express from Okayama Station to JR Matsuyama Station. Transfer to the tram and it will take you about 25 minutes to Dogo Onsen.
From Fukuoka
<Airplanes / buses> Fukuoka Airport → Matsuyama Airport →< Bus >→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 1 hour 30~40 minutes) It takes about 50 minutes from Fukuoka Airport to Matsuyama Airport. From Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen, it takes about 40~50 minutes by bus.
<Shinkansen / Train> < Shinkansen >→ Hakata Station→ Okayama Station→< Limited Express Shiokaze >→ JR Okayama Station→ JR Matsuyama Station→< Iyo Railway City Railway >→ JR Matsuyama Station→ Dogo Onsen Station (about 5 hours) From Hakata Station to Okayama Station, it takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes by Shinkansen.
Water quality
Dogo Onsen is an Onsen that is neither heated nor watered, which is rare in Japan. From the fresh water that fills the bathtub, you can feel the effects of the Onsen ingredients to the fullest.
The temperature of Dogo Onsen is around 42 degrees Celsius. The 18 Onsen from which the Onsen are pumped range from 20 to 55 degrees Celsius, and the temperature range is between the appropriate temperatures. Therefore, there is no need for heating or watering, and the source can be blended to create an Onsen of about 42 degrees. Blending is carried out by specialized source management staff and hot water is sent.
The quality of the spring is alkaline simple hot spring. It is a colorless and transparent smooth hot water with little irritation, making it ideal for hot spring healing and beauty. It is effective for neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, fatigue recovery, sensitivity to cold, chronic digestive diseases, etc.
Hot springs with a small amount of chemical components contained in Onsen are called simple hot springs. Simple hot springs are suitable for everyone with low irritation. Among them, Onsens with a pH of 8.5 or higher are called alkaline simple hot springs. Alkaline simple hot springs have a skin-beautifying effect that exfoliates the skin. The higher the pH value, the greater its effect.
The pH value of Dogo Onsen is about 9. With an outstanding skin-beautifying effect, it exfoliates the skin and creates new skin like a baby.
The hot water is soft water that is gentle on the skin and hair and has a good soap lather. After being soothed by the soft water in the bathtub, you can gently rinse your body with a generous amount of lathering soap.
Water with high hardness is hard water, and low water is soft water. If you wash your hair and body with hard water, your skin may become tight and dry due to the action of calcium and magnesium. Dogo Onsen is soft water and contains almost no calcium or magnesium.
After bathing, the skin feels smooth and refreshing. The ionic composition of Dogo Onsen produces almost no water-absorbing calcium chloride or magnesium chloride, which makes you feel jittery after bathing. Because it is a simple hot spring, salts do not adhere to the surface of the skin. Therefore, it is an exhilarating Onsen bath.
History
Dogo Onsen has a long history of about 3,000 years. Dogo Onsen is one of the three ancient Onsen in Japan, along with Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture and Shirahama Onsen in Wakayama Prefecture. The Three Ancient Springs of Japan are three of the most historic and venerable Onsen in Japan.
The legend of Dogo Onsen dates back to the time when the gods ruled Japan. When the gods Okuninushi-no-mikoto and Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto came to Ehime Prefecture, Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto became seriously ill. When Okuninushi-no-mikoto pu Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto on his palm and warmed it with the hot water of the Dogo Onsen, he immediately became energetic and danced on the stone. This stone is called "Tama-no-ishi" and is dedicated to the north side of the main Dogo Onsen building. It is surprising that the jade stone also has footprints.
In ancient times, many members of the royal family visited Dogo Onsen. When Prince Shotoku visited Dogo Onsen in 596, he saw that Dogo Onsen benefited everyone equally. In Dogo Onsen, beautiful camellias were in full bloom. Prince Shotoku is said to have praised the situation as being like an ideal country. Prince Shotoku was a member of the imperial family and politician who promoted a centralized state under the Emperor.
In the Middle Ages, it is said that Ippen Shonin wrote the six characters of "Namu Amida Butsu" on the orb of the hot water pot of Dogo Onsen. Ippen Shonin is a monk born in 1239 in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. He preached the teaching that anyone can go to paradise by chanting Namu Amida Butsu," and he proselytized while wandering around the world.
This kettle was used as a spring outlet for Dogo Onsen until 1894. It is said to be the oldest yugama in Japan, and is currently dedicated to Dogo koen Park as Yugama Yakushi.
In the early modern period, the Onsen facilities were enhanced by Sadayuki Matsudaira , the lord of the Matsuyama domain.
Sadayuki Matsudaira was appointed lord of Matsuyama in 1635. In the following year, Sadayuki Matsudaira divided the bathtubs into those for warriors and monks, one for women, and one for commoner men. In addition, it is recorded that a 15-sen* bath, a 10-sen bath, and a therapeutic bath, as well as a horse bath downstream, were established. *100 sen was equal to 1 yen
In modern times, the Dogo Onsen Honkan was renovated by the first mayor of Dogo, Yukiya Isaniwa. In addition, Soseki Natsume visited Dogo Onsen, and the novel " Botchan," written by him became a bestseller.
In 1890, Yukiya Isaniwa, who became the mayor of the town, worked on the renovation of the Dogo Onsen Honkan, which had deteriorated. Undeterred by numerous voices of opposition, he achieved this feat in 1894 with the belief that "it is meaningful to create something that cannot be imitated even after 100 years."
The following year, in 1895, Soseki Natsume was transferred from Tokyo to Matsuyama Junior High School in Ehime Prefecture as an English teacher. He lived with his friend Shiki Masaoka for about 50 days and visited Dogo Onsen. Soseki Natsume lived in Matsuyama for only about a year, but in 1906 he wrote a novel called "Botchan", set in Dogo Onsen.
In modern times, indoor baths at each ryokan have been realized, leading to the current prosperity of Dogo Onsen. In addition, the Dogo Onsen Honkan was designated as an important cultural property of Japan, and Tsubaki-no-yu and Asuka-no-yu were newly established. The names Tsubaki-no-Yu and Asuka-no- Yu come from Prince Shotoku's visit to Dogo Onsen in the Asuka period (592-710), where camellias are in full bloom.
At Dogo Onsen, the development of the source of the Onsen has been promoted since around 1940 due to the increase in the number of bathers, but it has been busy only distributing hot water to the outdoor bath. Tsubaki-no-yu was newly established in 1953 in conjunction with the holding of the National Sports Festival. With the acceptance of national athletes, the need for indoor baths at each ryokan and hotel has become more and more felt at Dogo Onsen.
In the midst of all this, Iwaji Shioda, the founder of a boring company, set out to drill a new source of Onsen. In 1955, Iwaji Shioda dug a new source and succeeded in securing a stable amount of hot water. The following year, in 1956, a "hot spring supply facility" was completed that collected the source of the water and sent it to various facilities and inns, and indoor baths were realized at each inn.
In 1994, the Dogo Onsen Honkan celebrated its 100th anniversary and was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. In 2017, Asuka-no- Yu opened. The Dogo Onsen Honkan is still in business as an active public bath without being converted into a museum, following the will of Yukiya Isaniwa, who looked ahead to the development of Dogo Onsen 100 years from now.
Attractions
Botchan Karakuri Clock
In 1994, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the completion of the Dogo Onsen Honkan, it was created with the motif of the Shinro-kaku of the Dogo Onsen Honkan. The Botchan Karakuri Clock is located in front of Dogo Onsen Station.
From 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., every hour (every 30 minutes on weekends and holidays, March, April, August, November, year-end and New Year holidays, and Golden Week), the main body of the karakuri clock rises in time with the music. Characters from Soseki Natsume's novel "Botchan" appear from inside, welcoming everyone who has come to Dogo.
Next to the karakuri clock, there is a foot bath using the source of Dogo Onsen. The footbath spout is a hot water kettle that was actually used in the south wing of the Dogo Onsen Honkan.
Dogo koen Park（Ruins of Yuzuki Castle）
It is a comprehensive park of about 8.5 hectares that has been developed from the ruins of Yuzuki Castle. It was designated as a National Historic Site in 2002 and is now maintained as Dogo Koen Park. Yuzuki Castle has been selected as one of the "100 Famous Castles in Japan" and Dogo Koen Park has been selected as one of the "100 Historical Parks in Japan".
Yuzuki Castle is a castle that existed for about 250 years from the first half of the 14th century to the second half of the 16th century. Yuzuki Castle, which was the residence of the Kono clan in the Middle Ages, was the political, military, and cultural center of Ehime Prefecture. In the ruins of the castle, the moat and earthworks of the castle remain as they were at that time. In the restored samurai mansion, you can see the state of life and furnishings at that time.
In addition to the ruins of Yuzuki Castle, there are many attractions in the park, such as the Shiki Museum, the observatory, Yugama Yakushi, and Iwasaki Shrine. From the observatory, you can overlook the city, Matsuyama Castle, and the Seto Inland Sea. In the park, cherry blossoms bloom in spring, water lilies in summer, autumn leaves in autumn, and camellia flowers in winter. Dogo Koen Park is a spot where you can not only learn about the history and culture of Ehime, but also enjoy the four seasons and nature of Japan while strolling through the park.
The Shiki Museum
Shiki Masaoka (hereinafter referred to as Shiki) is a haiku poet and literary scholar from Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture. The Shiki Museum was established to allow many people to become familiar with the history and literature of Matsuyama through the world of Shiki.
Shiki was born in 1867 and died at the young age of 34 years and 11 months. He wrote about 25,000 haiku during his lifetime, and his creative activities continued until shortly before his death. Haiku is a traditional Japan standard poem composed of 17 words of 5, 7, and 5.
Shiki is said to be the founder of modern haiku. He rejected the obsolete haiku of the past. He tried to innovate haiku and infuse it with a new beauty. To this end, he incorporated the method of "sketch," in which he expresses his emotions by depicting nature and things as they are seen, into his haiku. His short life had a particularly profound impact on the haiku world.
Matsuyama City is a city where haiku is thriving, having produced many haiku poets, including Shiki. Inside the museum, Shiki's friendships are introduced in an easy-to-understand manner through panels and videos.
