Shikoku Hot Springs - One of Japan's Three Most Secret Hot Springs: Iya Onsen

#hotspring #100 ways to travel In early April when it was drizzling, I visited #IyaOnsen in Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, known as one of the three most secret places in Japan, and stayed at a traditional hot spring hotel #IyaHijinnoyu. It is an old hotel hidden in a deep mountain valley, and it seems even more mysterious and hazy on rainy days. Iya Onsen is located at the bottom of the Iya Valley 170 meters below. To take a bath, visitors need to take a cable car and go down a 42-degree cliff. After about 5 minutes, they will reach the Iya Open-Air Bath. Surrounded by lush forests and the sound of gurgling water, it feels like taking a bath in the deep mountains. The Iya Hikyō-no-Yu Hotel consists of two buildings, the main building and the annex, as well as an independent hot spring building, with a significant height difference. The hot spring water is of good quality. There are two pools, indoor and outdoor. The skin is very smooth after soaking. The most basic modern Japanese-style room in the annex has three tatami mats and is approximately 20 square meters. It costs about NT$6,000 for two people with one night and two meals. The food is typical hot spring kaiseki cuisine, the taste is pretty good, and the breakfast is also rich, but the overall building is a bit old, after all, it is an old hotel. Iya Gorge is very beautiful, and even more dreamy during the spring or autumn rain. It is a well-known secret spot for cherry blossom and maple viewing in Shikoku, but it is located quite deep in the mountains, so it would be more convenient to drive there. #Shikoku Hot Springs #Tokushima #Iya Gorge #Hot Springs #100 Ways to Travel