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Deep and Remote Bathhouse Has Mythological Giant -Usubetsu Onsen in Setana-
May 3rd, 2015
CONTENTS
Utopia Usubetsu
Usubetsu Onsen (臼別温泉) is a public bathhouse in Taisei, Setana town located in the northwest part of Hakodate city. Usubetsu Onsen which has a history of 200 years is famous as a hot-spring spot since Ainu period. Here is a mythological giant (a creature of legend). In addition, In 1998, Mainichi Newspapers (毎日新聞) showed that the Usubetsu Onsen was one of 5 onsen (Motta Kaigan Onsen (モッタ海岸温泉) in Shimamaki, Horonai Onsen (幌内温泉 * closing) in Okushiri, Futamata Radium Onsen (二股ラジウム温泉) in Oshamanbe, Kunbetsu Onsen (薫別温泉) in Shibetsu and Usubetsu Onsen (臼別温泉) in Setana) with natural radium in Hokkaido.
Mythological Giant (大人伝説) in Usubetsu From Emishi-no-Saegi (蝦夷喧辞辨) Written by Masumi Sugae (菅江真澄)
A traveler went to the hot spring in Usubetsu with herring fisherman in old days. An old man said that the traveler with unknown background must not come to this hot spring carelessly. Because he doubted his talling, he brought his ear close to the mouth of the old man. The old man said that there was a giant in Usubetsu.
As for the giant, his mouth extended from ear to ear, and he is tall and is a monster with a fierce look. He drops big trees and big rocks from a high cliff. If we take a bath, it will be dangerous.
In addition, there is the giant who take the form of common person before we know when we take a bath in the hot spring. If we are careless, he pulls out our muscle. An old man whispered to a traveler, because such a monster lives in Usubetsu, he must never say about a giant and the death.
I took a bath while talking with a local 75-years-old man. Here seemed to be a accommodation called "hotel of lamp (ランプの宿)", and they discontinue their business, and this hot spring seemed to make use of bathtub facilities in old days. A bathing seemed to be possible for 24 hours. But this hot spring became too much popular recently, and a lot of bathers visited here, and he seemed to return home without taking a bath. He said "I did not mind because I could take a bath every day". He is a man of integrity very much.
There are 1 open-air bath, 1 indoor bath at a bathhouse. A view from the open-air bath is splendid. It had an atmosphere that the creature of legend might really appear. The hot springs were flowing freely, the hot springs were drinkable. When I drank the hot springs, it was mysterious taste such as soup.
The hot springs are sodium and calcium chloride sulfate spring, and are opaque and colorless and have salty taste and no smell. The sum total of the hot spring ingredients are 3.505 g. Shampoos and body soaps are not provided at the bathhouse. Bathers must bring those by themselves. A restroom (Japanese style toilet) is installed at a dressing room.
Atmosphere of Usubetsu Onsen Can Be Watched on Youtube
Movie of Usubetsu Onsen
| Types of Hot Springs | Sodium and calcium chloride sulfate spring (Type: Neutral, Osmotic Pressure: Low, Spring Temperature Type: Extra hot spring) |
|---|---|
| Water temperature of Hot Spring Source | 53.4 C |
| ph | 6.7 |
| Indications | Neuralgia, Muscular pain, Arthralgia, Frozen shoulder, Motor paralysis, Tightening of the joint, Bruise, Chronic digestive diseases, Hemorrhoid, Cold sensitivity, Convalescent convalescence, Relieving fatigue, Healthy increase, Chronic skin diseases, Cut, Burn, Chronic women's diseases, Weak child, Arteriosclerosis |
| Contraindications | Acute disease(when there is the heat in particular), Active tuberculosis, Malignant tumor, Severe heart disease, Respiratory failure, Renal insufficiency, Hemorrhagic disease, High anemia, Other diseases during condition of a patient progress generally |
| Indications of drinking | Chronic digestive diseases, Chronic constipation, Chronic cholecystitis, Cholelithiasis, Obesity disease, Diabetes, Gout |
| Contraindications of drinking | Kidney disease, High blood pressure, Diarrhea and diseases accompanied by edema in general |
| Facilities | Open-air bath(1), Indoor bath(1). * Sex-Segregated Bathhouse. |
| Entrance fee to the bath facility | JPY 100 |
| Business hours | 07:00-19:00 * It Seems to take a bath for 24 hours |
| Regular closing day | From November to April |
| Parking lot | A free parking is provided (30 cars) |
| Telephone number | +81-1398-4-5511 |
| Home page | Home page is here |
| Mapcode | 718 815 229*20 |
List of Accommodations
Refer to following websites for the accommodations around Usubetsu Onsen.
| Awabisanso(あわび山荘) | Booking |
|---|
JalanA page of Secret Onsen of Hokkaido is here
Secret Onsen of Hokkaido
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