Archives by Tag 'Onsen'

18. You can act as bait in the world’s most truly bizarre beauty treatment – Ooedo Onsen Monogatari

A toe-curling, heel-buffing experience. This spa treatment, sinisterly named ‘Doctor Fish,’ at Odaiba’s Ooedo Onsen Monogatari involves sticking your feet in a tub for half an hour, while tiny fish nibble away at your corns and calluses. Read the rest of this entry »

Ticking down slowly in Atami

Do you know what is “Sukiya Zukuri (数寄屋造り)” ? It is one of the Japanese traditional architectural style. “Sukiya” is not sukiyaki, it is built in the style of a tea-ceremony house. “Suki (数寄)” originally means delight in poems(waka), tea-ceremony, flower arrangement and those elegant pursuits. It means the house built accordance with their taste synonym for tea-ceremony house.

We stayed at Sukiya Zukuri hotel called “Seki-tei (石亭)” in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture. It is high class Onsen (hot spring bath) hotel. What a peaceful and beautiful place it is…

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“The Entetsu Hotel Empire” Reborn!

A 36-year-old hotel beside the Lake Hamanako revived under the New Name “The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako”

One of the famed resort hotels in Japan, the Entetsu Hotel Empire, stopped its business on January 6, 2009. The 36-year-old flagship hotel under the Entetsu Hotel Group had accommodated with over 10 million guests since its opening in 1972. On June 29, 2009 however, the old hotel was reborn as the Hotel Wellseason Hamanako after six months renovation work.

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Hakone Tenzan, Annex Bathhouse “IKKYU”

During the five years between the opening of expanded new Tenzan in 1987 and additional eating places in 1991, an important social and economy change in policy occurred. Since Japanese yen became stronger in 1885, the government had been encouraging consumers to spend their money domestically. In 1987, Resort Resolution was passed, which gave special tax exemption, to local governments to development of leisure resorts. Over 30 organizations jumped on the opportunity to develop resort hotels, golf courses, ski slopes, and onsen facilities. Read the rest of this entry »

Hakone Tenzan, Characteristic Three Restaurants

Architect, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa designed three characteristic restaurants for Unyu Tenzan in 1991, as I mentioned last time. It is quite interesting to see these restaurants in detail.

1^st Floor “NANASE” Barbecue House

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Reborn, Hakone Onsen “TENSEIEN”

One of the famed old Japanese Inns in Hakone Onsen, “TENSEIEN” was totally changed under the  joint-management with the  “MANYO-NO-YU” Group. The time honored inn reopened on December 16, 2009 after renewal construction started in 2008. New attraction of the Onsen is “TENKU-DAIROTEN-BURO” or Grand Open-air Bath under the sky that is built on the roof top this time. Why don’t you enjoy viewing of starry sky while taking Onsen? Read the rest of this entry »

New Style Barbecue Restaurant, Tea House, and Shabu-Shabu Restaurant were born at Unyu Tenzan in Hakone Onsen

Unyu Tenzan newly created very attractive three Japanese-style restaurants in 1991. As you mentioned, this Onsen had completed its expansion plan in November 1987, after almost 2 years of construction period. The attempt was quite successful and their renovated facility for one day trippers ignited for so called “Onsen Tour Boom” in Japan and was filled with rushed in bathers to capacity. Unfortunately, Tenzan had only one small barbecue hut as eating place, and therefore most guests had no chance to take their tables.

Additionally, three restaurants were built in a new building on one side of the spot garden, across from the main bathhouse in 1991. They replaced the old barbecue hut. Barbecue was quite popular among their guests so it was kept at the first floor after renovation and named “NANASE” or Seven Rapids. Tea House “SUISEN” or Fresh Greenery Spring was also laid out beside the Barbecue Restaurant. Characteristic Shabu-Shabu Restaurant was newly laid out on its second floor and named “RAKUTEN” or Optimistic Mind.

“MACHIYA” or an old shopkeeper’s style house in the Edo Period

When, Architect Mr. Ebisawa was about to work for Tenzan expansion design, he came across a newspaper article. It said one old merchant’s style house in Kand-sudacho, Tokyo was put on the market. The origin of the 100 ㎡ two story structure was used as a grocery store. The owner was the 17^th generation of the retainer under Hojo Ujinao. Ujinao was the 5^th generation of the historically well known Hojo clan. The clan had hold Odawara Castle long years but was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590. It is said that the retainer secretly brought Ujinao’s baby princess out of the castle and protected her in Edo (now Tokyo). He was afraid of the discovery of her real status and therefore had disguised as a merchant and kept her safely.

Unyu Tenzan is located in close neighbor of Hojo’s family temple, Sounji. Mr. Ebisawa felt something close relation with this old house and strongly recommended Tenzan management purchasing this “MACHIYA” It had been carefully removed and preserved, even including a new dirt floor area. The Edo Period style house was relocated on the Tenzan site finally.

Architect Mr. Ebisawa not only reused of this old merchant’s style house as a dressing room and salon for ladies, but also used as his design vocabulary. This old house influenced the overall look of the entire place. Simple traditional white walls framed in black or darkly lacquered beams and roof tops became the theme. Therefore it is considered to be a symbol of Unyu Tenzan.

Architect Ebisawa’s First Design for Onsen Facility

“Unyu Tenzan” is characterized by its open-air bath called “Ukiyo-buro” or “Floating World Style Bath” in the Edo Period (1603～1868). The designer Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa tried to employ the sprit of bathing culture from the Edo Period as its main concept for expansion plan. At an “Ukiyo-buro” or communal bath, everyone, no matter what their social rank, was considered to be equal, once they got undressed and entered there. The rustic existing outdoor bath was preserved as “Noten-buro” and additional facilities were built around it in his design concept. New buildings were built to surround the area of the open-air bath and walls of buildings protect bathers away from cold wind. Inner bath and the changing area were also additionally provided in the first floor of that building. The rest and relaxation area was laid out on the second floor. This formula was quite similar to “Ukiyo-buro” or communal bathhouses of the Edo Period. People mingled together and enjoy the scenery overlooking from above.

 

He intended showing the intermingling of people bathing and of people resting, the flow of communication among the crowed, is an atmosphere, recreated from the “Edo Floating World.”

Don’t wrongly go into “Ikkyu” as you visit “Unyu Tenzan”.

Soon after arriving to the site, you will see a large rectangular building. It looks like a residence of feudal lord in Edo Period or a historical Buddhist temple; anyway it is something very remarkable. This bathhouse is an annex of “Unyu Tenzan” named “Ikkyu.” We may not proceed into “Ikkyu” this time, but visit “Unyu Tenzan” first.

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Origin of Unyu Tenzan

Origin of Unyu Tenzan is discribed in Mr. Ebisawa’s book titled “Onsen.” It said; Unyu literally means to play among the clouds. Tenzan was drilled in 1966 as a remote sub-bath of Shunkoso Inn. Read the rest of this entry »

TENZAN TOHJI-KYO

 TENZAN TOHJI-KYO in Hakone Onsen resort is designed by Hiroshi Ebisawa, one of the leading architects specialized in Onsen facility. “Hakone Tenzan” started as an Onsen, provided only for day trippers, although, recently it added a few guest rooms for people who like to stay one or two nights.
Hakone is well known for its many hot-springs, easy access from Tokyo and beautiful scenery including view of Mt. Fuji.

 

It was about two decades ago that I first visited TENZAN TOHJI-KYO in Hakone while I had worked for one of the leading resort hotels in Japan as a staff for the planning section. The resort hotel that I had worked for was interested in Onsen business open for day-trippers at that moment. Hakone Tenzan was regarded as one of the good examples of this kind. I amazed in its good designed facilities located at the site between valleys along the river. Actually, this is the Mr. Ebisawa’s first design for Onsen facilities. I tried to make an appointment to see him through the chief engineer from a construction company. Since then I could kept close relationship with him.

Outdoor Bathing

Japanese chose to bathe in the ever changing nature
Architect Hiroshi Ebisawa, a specialist for onsen design, usually says that Japanese people believed in the onsen water’s medicinal and spiritual healing power. But the design scope of the onsen remained simple, as an outdoor bath. Japanese felt that grandeur architecture did not fit well with its culture. They chose to bathe in the comfort of the ever changing nature. Read the rest of this entry »

Common Manners of Bathing in Onsen

Sometimes, you come across the photo that beautiful young lady is bathing at hot spring bathtub in brochures or commercial TV scenes for Japanese inns. She usually put a large bath towel wrap around her beautiful body. You must not do this way when you enjoy bathing at onsen, even a quite many young Japanese ladies tried. They are just learned from TV commercials or variety shows and believed this is authentic manner in onsen.

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Why Japanese are crazy about hot spring?

According to the data from “The Actual Situation and Trend of Japanese Tourism in 2005” published by the Japan Tourism Association, onsen bathing is the most common activity for domestic travelers at their destinations. About 51.5% of Japanese tourists enjoy bathing in hot spring. 
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