Dear Frenz,

 
(Click photos to enlarge)
Long time no see.  Today, I would like to share my special hot spring (onsen) experience with you.  Did you know that there is a “Hot Spring Law” (Onsen ho) in Japan?  A hot spring can only be called an onsen when it reaches certain standards regarding temperature and mineral composition.  Onsen is often used to treat chronic rheumatism, external injuries, and rehabilitation. 

Enough with the difficult stuff.  “Tsuki no Usagi” (Literally, ‘Rabbit in the Moon’), the onsen inn I went to, is located in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture.  I stayed there two nights.  As I introduced in a previous blog, Izu is famous for its hot springs, fresh seafood, and beautiful nature.

There is a beautiful bamboo grove.  They have 8 cottages that have their own private open-air bath facing the ocean.  Don’t you think it’s luxurious?  I can go in and take a bath outside whenever I like,
 24 hours!  


You can probably see a sake bottle and small wooden barrel floating in the water.  It’s a popular custom in Japan to drink sake while enjoying your onsen bath.  It's called yuami-sake.  I guess it can be translated as "Bath & Sake".  But be careful not to drink and stay in the hot water too much, because you’ll overheat yourself!  In Japanese, we call such a person a yudedako (boiled octopus) because your face becomes very very red. 


During my stay, I saw a squirrel family.  A son, mom, and dad.  The son in my picture chose the backyard of my cottage to eat his breakfast and snacks.  Everyday, he would come and sit on top of the fence in the same spot and nibble on kinkan (kumqwuat), a fruit in our yard.

When I woke up early and felt really sleepy, I plunged into the bath and became wide awake.  Taking a bath makes me hungry!  So it helps me get ready for my big breakfast!!  I usually don’t eat this much.  But after an onsen bath, I get really hungry.  Doesn’t this view take your breath away?  It sure woke me up!

For dinner... well, I can talk forever about dinner, so I’ll introduce just the highlights of my fabulous feast!  The photo on the left shows a sashimi dish on the top, and toubanyaki (vegetables and seafood grilled on a ceramic plate) on the bottom.  

The turban shells turned out great!
The bit salty and bitter flavor was a perfect match with cold sake! Yes, I drank sake AGAIN, like always...

This funny picture is the “head” of a kinmedai (literally: golden-eye sea bream).  Check out my past blog for more information on kinmedai.  
(My previous blog)

Since it was lightly fried, the bones and other parts were very crunchy and tasty.  Eating lots of calcium will make my bones stronger!!  Don’t you think I did a good job of eating it clean?  I used to be a very messy fish eater, but when it comes to my favorite, kinmedai, I can eat like an artist!   

I’m sure many of you living overseas feel uncomfortable bathing naked in a public bath with people you don’t know.  I’m one of them.  But recently, there are so many hot spring inns that have private baths.  So if you come to Japan, try it out!  I guarantee you’ll be addicted to it.

One more thing.
All my photos were taken with my new Canon EOS 7D digital camera.
Cameraman Lily hard at work.

Luv always,

Lily

P.S.
Lily performing Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight".