On arrival at Dogo Onsen we were really disappointed with the hotel as Ian mentions. Every place we have stayed at has plus and minus points and the feast, albeit slightly overwhelming, was the plus point of this ryokan. I can’t believe that they put on this feast for both breakfast and dinner for all guests.
The reason for visiting Dogo was the Onsen which is a public bath that is a natural spa bath used for centuries from royalty to your every day jo bloggs like us. It’s kind of like going to the public swimming baths in the UK without the swimming. It’s a cross between the baths and a Jacuzzi pool in a leisure centre. You can pay for various levels of bath experience. Basic = go in, stuff in a locker, into the bath and out again. Level 2 = you get to bath in the same bath but get to relax in your robe with green tea and biscuits afterwards (we did this one). Level 3 = you get to bath in a more exclusive pool on level 2 but chill out where we did and Level 4 = the exclusive pool but with a private chill out room with tea and rice balls.
As it’s male and female segregated we paid for our tickets, took our shoes off and locked them up in separate shoe lockers on the ground floor as were escorted up to the level 2 chill out room, given a locker for our valuables, handed a towel and a robe. At this point a lady pointed Ian off to the male changing room and but personally showed me down to the ladies changing room. At this point I was on my own. It was literally as busy as the public swimming pools at home after school’s out. Masses of women getting changed between more lockers where your clothes go. I wish I had read up more on what to do next. I had to get the attention of a young Japanese lady next to me and ask for the direction of the washroom through a demonstration of washing and pointing. Fortunately she understood and pointed me towards a door. Still not completely ready I had to act out whether my robe should be on or off when entering the room, she kindly repeated my “robe off” actions. I thanked her in Japanese to which she replied “You’re welcome”. Either the comedy of my last few minutes acting had tickled her enough to let me carry on or “You’re Welcome” was just part of her very limited English, I’m hoping the latter.
Upon entering there were about 20 women showing on the 10in high shower stools I have mentioned before and another 10 or so soaking in the bath in the middle. I washed up, wrapped the mini towel around my head and gingerly stepped in. I can’t bear the heat in my bath at home for more than about 10mins and this was REALLY hot. After about 20mins and feeling like I was going to faint I had to get out, staggered toward the door to the changing room, robe on and popped upstairs for a cup of hot tea!
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