For any westerner, the idea of walking into a public bath completely bare is a daunting prospect. The Japanese tradition of the onsen is not for the feint hearted, and it took a lot of our guts to hop meekly into the first hot pool as opposed to strolling proudly like the Japanese women. But once the initial horror is done, the hot springs are an incredible experience unlike anything else in the world, totally worth the agonising hesitation before hand. A beautiful rock pool in the middle of the mountains, with views of the river rushing past. The water was so hot that the cold breeze was welcome, and so clean that you could feel the minerals soak into your skin. Onsen are known for their healing properties, and I really did feel revitalised and reconnected with nature's great source of Qi. I spent a lot of time here curled up in the warm water, contemplating the white peaks around me, and felt, for the first time since leaving England, a complete and total sense of calm. After reluctantly leaving the baths, we walked through the surrounding village, still covered in snow. The trees are just about ready to start shaking off their branches, and I wish I could be here to see the flowers bloom along the mountainside in summer, and watch the leaves turn gold in the autumn before falling from the heights and tumbling down to meet the water below.
