Monty Peter and the Quest for the Holy Onsen

I had one more day in Onomichi before I returned to Tokyo and what better way to spend it than to find a hot spring, an 温泉 (onsen). Unfortunately the nearest hot spring was quite far away according to my map. So I went to the bus station and asked the nice lady how to get there but after she had explained me how to change to the third bus I began to loose interest. But my guide book said that I could rent a bicycle in Onomichi and go there myself. So I was off to the nearby tourist office to make plans. It turned out that the onsen was actually 50 km away and that I had to cross three islands to get there... but if I can climb a mountain I can ride 50 km... on a rental bike... over three mountain islands... The next day I got up at 8:00 and went to the bike rental shop. The weather was beautiful, 20ºC and not a cloud in sight. All the bikes they had were of course too small for me, but I took the biggest I could get and after 500 Yen rental fee and 1000 Yen deposit I was ready to go. With three gears, a grandma saddle and a big basket on the handle, I looked pretty funny riding my small bike through town to find a convenience store and buy an o-bento (lunch box). The onsen was actually located on a bicycle-route called しまなみ海道(shimanami-kaidou, which means something like island-wave-ocean-road) and there were signs along the route so you could easily find your way. Anybody knowing me will of course already have guessed that I got completely lost at the very first island within 10 minutes from departure :-) I had deliberately started out early so I had time to get lost a couple of times during the day but believe it or not that was the only time. The ocean-road took me around the outskirts of islands and in beautiful sunshine I cycled my way through islands and bridges, said Konnichiha to passing school children and enjoyed the ocean air. After 5 hours on the bike with only a short ramen break at a local restaurant I finally reached my destination: 多々羅温泉(Tatara-onsen).


Tatara hot spring. The separated women and mens baths are in the two round buildings.
Only 200 Yen and I was in. The hot spring was indoor and only had one big bath but it was heaven to wash off all the dust and relax in the hot water. I must have spend an entire hour in the water and with prune fingers and peace in body and soul I went to a very small okonomiyaki shop next to the onsen. After dinner and a beer it was getting late so I got on my bike and cycled to a nearby harbour where I took the ferry all the way home to Onomichi.

I went to bed early that night :-)