Beginning from where we last left off in Izu, we surge ahead in our search for the best inns with unique baths in Japan.

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to leave Izu, as there are many other sites and features that are worth lingering around a little longer for. Heading to Nakaizu and transferring at Shuzenji, a 35 minute drive through the winter woods will see you arriving at the Joren waterfall for a refreshing view.

From the waterfall, cross over to Amagi and take a bus to the quiet spa town of Yugashima. Amagi is famous for wasabi and other seasonal foods, and hence, it’s a must to have a taste of the special Amagi wasabi role while there. Made of freshly grated wasabi and stems with their flowers still attached, the crunchy yet bitter ingredients make a great match with sushi rice. Plus, if you have a high tolerance for spicy food, do also try the grated and sliced wasabi on top of the sushi rice.

While at the Yugashima spa, be sure to visit the inn’s unique giant rock bath, which weighs a total of 53 tonnes and is 1.5 meters thick. Not only does the water of the bath make it a natural spa, fresh local wasabi leaves are also used for the bath creating a truly one-of-a-kind aroma.

After enjoying the wasabi to the full, head to the Kawazu Nanadaru Spa next, an inn that contains many suspension bridges over the Kawazu River. Originally running as a tea dealer, the inn’s unique bath is the powdered green tea bath. Using the luxurious homemade organic powdered green tea, taking a soak in the bath is supposedly akin to drinking the tea itself. Costing approximately four to five thousand yen (S$80) for 40 grams of tea, the tea bath is prepared in front of the customer and open-air bath is even available to be enjoyed privately. Surrounded by the sound of a stream and smell of the green tea, it truly can be said that this unique bath is a gift of the mild weather and plentiful water in Amagi. However, be warned, the green tea bath is limited to only 11 groups a day.

The next destination on the itinerary is Okuhida, which can be reached by a two hour train ride on the JR express train, Wide View Hida from Nagoya. Located in Takayama, which is a castle town in between mountains, townhouses still remain from the Edo era in Sanmachi Street, the most famous street in Takayama. The secret green hot spring, Okuhida Spa, is in the deepest place of the Hotaka Mountains, it is, however, accessible by bus from the Takayama station. The 70 minute bus ride will bring you to the Okuhida garden hotel, Yakidake, where visitors can also stay the night.

In addition to the spectacular and majestic view of the Hotaka Mountains, the highlight of the stay at this inn is also its natural chlorella hot spring. It is truly a rare thing to find chlorella growing in a natural hot spring especially since chlorella needs sunlight to photosynthesise. Changing colour depending on the weather, the green spa is a popular mixed bath especially loved by the local families.

Dinner at the inn is an equally enchanting experience, as guests would be delighted to know that its Okuhida’s custom to serve plenty of food to their guests. With even special dishes cooked specially with hot spring steam, this is one meal that you’ll surely not forget. Whether it’s the sesame tofu, char sashimi and rice porridge with soba seeds, or the sticky rice with chestnuts wrapped in Houba leaf, you’ll definitely be leaving the place satisfied. However, don’t miss out on the Hida beef and bean sprouts, the main ingredient for the dinner whose superb fat marbling due to it growing on good water and air is sure to work up your appetite.

Another good place to visit while in the area is Ippousui, a unique bus station that also has a foot spa service available due to the freezing cold winter and thick snowfall. From there, you can also easily take a 30 minute bus ride to Shin Hotaka Spa to see a great panoramic view of the north Alps.

With its ropeway station at 1117 meters above sea level, it’s a spectacular view as you ride and transfer ropeways all the way to the top to the Nabedaira highland station. At 1305 meters above the sea, there is also an open-air bath of natural hot spring called the Kamitakara no Yu. With the air temperature at negative eight degrees Celsius, the spa is a contrasting and soothing 50 degrees, a soothing way to keep warm. Furthermore, with everything covered in snow at 2156 meters high at the viewing spot, this will be a trip that will be hard to forget.
From the highlands and mountains, we next head to enjoy the ocean’s bounty of Ise and the superb view bath. Only eight minutes by train from Ise, the next blessing bath is in Futami, a town built in front of the Ise Shrine. Along the main street of Futami, there are many delicious specialties that visitors can savour including the salty Youkan (jellied bean paste). A speciality served with powdered green tea, it is best tasted in a shop called Izuzu Seigo An. But you’ll have to act fast as since everything is home-made at the shop, only 300 Youkan bars can be made per day.

Futami has also interestingly been producing salt for the Ise Shrine for a long time. Traditional salt production typically takes five days before it is being delivered to the shrine. Also in Futami town is the Mishioden shrine, which is dedicated to the god of salt. Despite using the same type of salt, the salt used by Izuzu Seigo is baked by the landlady of the inn, Iwato Kan.

A 15 minutes walk from the Futamino station, Iwato Kan is a ryokan that is located by the beach on Sando Street. The landlady of the inn is Ms. Chieko Momoki, whose salt production is also open to any curious guests or visitors. However, the highlight of this part of the trip is the inn’s unique bath of the ocean’s bounty. In this one of a kind bath, bittern, a by product of the salt production is added to this bath. Rich in minerals and being practically the essence of the saltwater, this bath is not good for your skin as it allows it to breathe. It’s even said that just merely breathing in the bittern steam through your nose does wonders for you as well!

The bath also comes complete with a healthy set lunch course which is naturally cooked with the salt and bittern, both of which are full of minerals. The original menu comprises an interesting dish known as soy milk flower. Putting home-made soy milk into a bowl with a bit of bittern, the dish is then seasoned with sesame and chilli oil. Ingredients like vegetables, rice crackers and pickles are then added to the milk, resulting in a perfectly blended taste that is both delicious and healthy. Also available on the menu are oysters with sweet miso and wild vegetables and seaweeds personally picked by the landlady which are then cooked into tempura, and served with the famous natural hand-made salt.

Finally, spend the night at Choko En which also has a unique bath in Ise known as Shiosai no yu (bath of the sound of waves). The view is simply fantastic as the sea of Ise is spread out right in front of the bath. Surrounded by a superb view, guests will surely enjoy the bath of warmed seawater which will warm your body from deep within. It’s not just by chance or whim that seawater is used for this unique bath. The story is told of how a long time ago, Ise worshippers used to purify themselves in the sea in Futami. Based on tradition, a lot of sea water was collected at high tide, and proceeded to be boiled every day. With the sea comforting the body, the superb view at the same time soothes the eyes and the spirit.

After the bath, enjoy a deluxe seafood course dinner in the eating room, where Ise’s seafood is cooked over charcoal. Releasing a wonderful smell of the sea, live lobster is cut into half and grilled with its shells on and can be savoured au natural without any sauce at all. Also be sure to try Ise’s specialty, the fatty Hiogi shell fish and other dishes including sea bream and turban shell sashimi.

Next, take the JR Sangu line to the fisherman’s town of Toba, in Mie prefecture in search of yet another unique bath. In the small town of Ousatsu, do try the seafood lunch at the women diver’s hut where divers warm themselves after work.

Yet another place where fishermen and female divers warm themselves up is the Arame (edible seaweed) bath, which is difficult to find these days. Fortunately, this bath can still be enjoyed on Suga Island, a fishing village with the population of 800. Only an 18 minute boat ride from the Sadahama port in Toba, the island is often filled with divers during the abalone-catching competition. At an inn, the unique Arame bath can be enjoyed as Arame is extracted out of the root and due to its high levels of iodine, a bath in it will definitely help to relieve fatigue.

The perfect way to end of our search for unique local baths in Japan - rejuvenated and ready for the next adventure!