It was our second time to visit the hot spring in the countryside. There was scarcely any traffic, so I was comfortable during the 90-minute drive.
The train was passing through Hokke Guchi Station of the Hojo Tetsudo Line.
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Luckily, we were waiting for the traffic signal to turn blue while this one-coach-train was passing in front of us. I was very fortunate to take a picture of the short train.
"Tachan's restaurant"
There was only one restaurant, very noticeable, in the middle of the rice fields. I felt that the place we saw on the way was more remote than the place where we live.
On our way to the hot spring, I noticed this wooden board with a drawing of an old man. It says "Go left to the hot spring. It is 1.2 kilometers from here."
To my surprise, there were already many cars parked at the parking lot. We had a hard time to find a slot, but we were finally able to park our car. My husband took a picture in front of the sign which says " perennial youth and long life."
This hot spring owner grows its own Chinese herbs, which the staff members put in the bathwater. The herbal bath is said to be good for the body. We can relax by taking the bath. It is believed to give us a longer life.
Their herbal park is located next to the spring, and visitors can go there for free. We walked around the park for 10 minutes or so.
Here's my husband taking a picture of the herbal garden's map.
Plant Name: Yaburan or Liriope muscari
Herbal Medicine Name: Dai-You-Baku-Mon-Tou
Effective parts: Roots
Effective Use: Nourishing tonic, removing phlegm
Plant Name: Shiran or Bletilla striata
Herbal Medicine Name: Bya-Kyu
Effective parts: the surface of stems
Effective use: bleeing, nose bleeding
Effective Use: Nourishing tonic, removing phlegm
These boards particularly interested me.
I have been easily irritated by petty things these past few years, maybe because of my menopausal age. My doctor recommended some Chinese herbal medicine that is supporsed to be effective in solving this problem. I've been taking the prescribed medicine every day. If I forget to take it on a given day, I get easily irritated about small matters the next day. That's why I was interested in the information printed on the boards.
The building contains the hot spring and the restaurant.
We went insie the building. During the silver week, customers who are over 65 were given bath free of charge. I saw many senior citizens there.
Both my husband and I had to pay the admission fee because we were below 65.
I noticed one old lady who was asking for free admission at the front desk. A female staff member replied "Please show us your driver's licence or health insurance card so that we can check your age."
However, the lady looked obviously over 75 years old to me. I thought it was foolish to ask her to show her driver's licence. She cannot probably drive because of her age. For her health insurance card, her family may have advised her not to bring it to a crowded place. She may lose it easily. Her hands were full with bags which may contain her bath towel, and new clothes for changing.
She couldn't show her ID card there, so she had to pay the admission fee. I felt a pity for her.
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