Resting up for the big game
The World Cup kicks off a year from tomorrow. Katarina Williams offers a fan’s guide.
One of the best things about following a Rugby World Cup is that you will have plenty of down time to explore all that Japan has to offer.
And there is plenty of incentive to get off the ‘‘Golden Route’’ that links Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
O¯ ita, in the south, will not only host an All Blacks pool match, but has also been handpicked by team officials as a pre-tournament training camp venue.
One of its big drawcards is its large number of hot springs, known as onsens. Like Ma¯ori, locals use the springs for bathing and cooking.
In nearby Beppu city, visitors can feast on what is essentially a Japanese hangi, where items like spinach, egg, potato, seafood, chicken and corn are cooked in geothermal steam. Food is put in bamboo flax baskets and placed in cooking steam ranges called Jigoku-gama.
I visited
where a large meal ordered using a vending machine cost ¥540 (about NZ$7.50).
One of the more quirky uses of the geothermal activity takes place at the
Visitors strip down to a yukata robe, lie down in a specially prepared area before being covered by heated black sand – your head positioned on a brick as you look out to the ocean.
Bathers then lie back and relax for around 15 minutes, before heading to a segregated onsen to shower, wash and bathe.
For those who want to experience nature, a visit to the
Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa Beppu Beach Sand Bath. Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden
should be on the to-do list. It’s home to about 1300 macaque monkeys that roam freely around the grounds.
Just a short stroll away is the
Umitamago – O¯ ita Marine Palace Aquarium
– which features a giant tunnel tank, walrus and dolphins.
For a more cultural experience, a visit to the which incorporates aspects of Shinto and Buddhism is a must-see.
Usa-jingu Shrine
It is the head shrine of around 40,000 around Japan dedicated to Hachiman – the god of war and military power – and was built in 725.
Those wanting to taste an authentic tipple should pay a visit to the award-winning
in O¯ ita. Founded in 1873, the company produces 100,000 bottles of Sake on site each year.
Sake Brewing Co Kayashima How to onsen respectfully: Naked ambition:
With complete nudity mandatory, stripping off in front of a group of strangers can be a disarming experience.
American James W. Taylor has earned himself the prestigious honour of being an ‘‘onsen master’’ – having bathed in every onsen in Beppu city. He says anyone shy about stripping off should not worry about it. ‘‘Almost all onsen are segregated. It’s rare you find one that’s mixed . . . it shouldn’t be any different than getting changed in the locker room at the gym.
‘‘I have decided it doesn’t matter. You could be tall, short, overweight, underweight – it really doesn’t matter.’’
Wash before you bathe:
Onsen bathers should scrub and wash themselves thoroughly before entering. Most Japanese baths have small stools where you can sit and scrub yourself clean.
When you enter the water, be sure to make a peaceful and quiet entrance without making a splash. Your hair should not touch the water.
Towel usage:
You may be given both a large and a small towel – but they both have distinctive uses.
The large one is used for drying yourself before entering the onsen, and should be left in the changing room. The smaller one can be taken outside with you, but it must not be put in the water.
Never wring out a towel, as this is considered rude – never rinse your towel in the bath or let it touch the water. Many bathers pop their towel on their heads while they are soaking in an onsen, but it’s acceptable to leave it on the side.
Visitors with tattoos may struggle to be allowed entry to onsen as they are still considered taboo to many Japanese because of their association with yakuza, or gangs.
Those with small tattoos were encouraged to buy a waterproof bandage to cover it up.
For those with lots of ink, it might be worth paying for a private bath called a kashikiri-buro, or search ahead of time for a tattoo-friendly onsen.
Ink and onsen: