DOGO ONSEN
Dogo Onsen (道後温泉, Dōgo Onsen) is one of Japan's oldest and most famous hot springs, located to the east of central Matsuyama. The area is popular with tourists for its beautiful bath house and many ryokan. Dogo Onsen has also been a frequent destination for Japan's most prestigious guests, the Imperial Family.
Dogo Onsen Honkan (道後温泉本館, Dōgo Onsen Honkan) is the symbol and main attraction of Dogo Onsen. The charismatic bath house was built in 1894 during the Meiji Period. Its wooden interior is a maze of stairways, passages, and rooms, usually bustling with activity by staff and guests. Dogo Onsen Honkan is said to have served as inspiration for the award-winning animated film "Spirited Away" by Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli.
The Honkan offers two gender-separated, old-fashioned public baths made of stone. The main bath on the first floor is called Kami no Yu (Bath of the Gods), while the smaller but more distinguished Tama no Yu (Bath of the Spirits) is on the second floor. Large communal tatami rooms on the second floor and smaller private rooms on the third floor provide bathers with space to rest and enjoy a snack. Four different admission plans provide visitors with varying levels of access to the Honkan's facilities (see details below under "Hours and Fees”).
A special section of the Honkan, called Yushinden, was constructed and set aside for the Imperial Family's visit in 1899. Today, visitors with the appropriate ticket can join a short guided tour of the Yushinden and view the facilities reserved for visiting emperors.
These include a lavishly decorated room with a coffered ceiling and a bath and toilet for the emperor's exclusive use. No emperor has actually used the Yushinden since 1952.In a corner on the second floor, there is, furthermore, a small exhibition of historic documents related to Dogo Onsen, such as old admission tickets for the local baths, that include small pieces of wood (yufuda) used as tickets in the past.
You may also notice some paintings and statues of a heron around the Honkan which are related to a legend in which a white heron's injured leg was healed by the local waters.
DOGO ONSEN BATH PRICES
Level 1 pricing:
410 yen, 6:00 to 23:00 (entrance until 22:30)
Includes access to the Kami no Yu bath. Stay for up to 60 minutes.
Level 2 pricing:
840 yen, 6:00 to 22:00 (entrance until 21:00)
Additionally includes a rental yukata and access to a public tatami room on the second floor for relaxation, tea and crackers. Stay for up to 60 minutes.
Level 3 pricing:
1250 yen, 6:00 to 22:00 (entrance until 21:00)
Additionally includes access to the Tama no Yu bath, a rental towel and a tour of the Emperor's bathing facilities. Stay for up to 60 minutes.
Level 4 pricing:
1550 yen, 6:00 to 22:00 (entrance until 20:40)
Additionally, includes access to a private tatami room on the third floor for relaxation. "Botchan Dango" sweets are served instead of crackers. Stay for up to 80 minutes.
Tour of the Emperor's bathing facilities only:260 yen, 6:00 to 21:00 (entrance until 21:00)It is also possible to just participate in a tour of the Emperor's bathing facilities.Dogo Onsen Honkan is closed one day in December at the end of the year cleaning.
The Dogo Onsen area also features many other attractions such as a shopping arcade, the secondary bath house Tsubaki no Yu, interesting temples and shrines, Dogo Park and a museum about Masaoka Shiki, one of Matsuyama's most celebrated figures. Ryokan guests often walk around the streets in their yukata, giving the onsen town a very pleasant atmosphere.
