Dogo Onsen

Dogo Onsen, known as a place associated with Meiji literature, has been a healing spot for many literary giants including Natsume Soseki and Masaoka Shiki. The town is dotted with stone monuments inscribed with haiku, and it is famously the setting for Soseki's novel 'Botchan.' Visitors can ride the 'Botchan Train,' soak in the waters of the 'Dogo Onsen Honkan,' and enjoy 'Botchan Dango' after their bath. The scenery that captivated Soseki still welcomes visitors today. The 'Dogo Onsen Honkan,' a grand three-story wooden structure with a large gabled roof rebuilt in the 27th year of the Meiji era, stands proudly at the center of the hot spring town. The 'Toki Taiko' drum, struck three times a day from the 'Shirasagikaku' tower at the top, continues to mark the passage of time in Dogo.