YOLO Journal Issue 12 - Flipbook - Page 33
The sun rises over the rolling
pampas-covered hills of Aso and streams
in through the wrap-around windows of
our Toyota HiAce. Her name is Gogo.
Outfitted with a platform bed in the
back, she is our home away from home,
a shelter on wheels as we explore the
immense natural beauty of Kyushu,
Japan’s southernmost main island. With
its mild winters and early spring, Kyushu
is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts
full of scalable mountains, surfable coasts
and plentiful onsen hot springs.
Japan is laced with fault lines and
punctuated by volcanoes, and such
volatile ground yields an abundance of
natural onsen. Located on a subduction
zone, where magma heats reservoirs of
rainwater enriched with minerals from
volcanic gases, Kyushu is richly concentrated with onsen. Styles range from
raw and unattended hot springs found
at the edge of the ocean, on the banks
of rivers, and hidden in the mountains,
to luxurious private baths sequestered
within exquisite ryokans. But the
majority of Kyushu’s onsen are organized
into family-friendly, unpretentious
bathhouses frequented by local residents
and visitors. These communal baths are
separated by gender (though young boys
can accompany their mothers). Bathing
suits are generally prohibited and after
disrobing and storing one’s things in a
cubby, guests proceed to a shower area to
lather up before entering the baths.
Onsen enthusiasts travel to experience regional differences in these healing
waters. Bubbly carbon dioxide springs
are said to improve blood circulation,
while clear chloride springs heal wounds
and muddy-red iron ones are thought to
treat anemia and chronic dermatological conditions. I’m particularly fond of
the sulphur springs at the base of the
Taisen and Kujū mountain ranges, home
of Kyushu’s highest peaks. With body,
mind and spirit renewed from hours on
the trail, a long soak in these hot springs,
named sankeinoyu (meaning mountain
blessing of hot water), is manna for tired
soles. As I gaze up at the very mountains
I spent the day traversing, my sore
muscles release their exhaustion to the
milky pools that dilate peripheral vessels,
enhancing circulation and rejuvenating
the skin. As warm steam opens the lungs,
every cell of my body feels purposeful and
alive. A road trip in Gogo and a few days
spent hiking and soaking always brings
me home relaxed, recharged, and detoxed
from digital life. Aso-Kujū National Park
is a personal favorite, but the geological
forces that give us hot springs ensure
that there are majestic mountains to
summit near each of Kyushu’s celebrated
onsen towns, including Kurokawa,
Yufuin, Beppu, Kirishima and Unzen.
33
