玉造温泉と三朝温泉ー山陰地方の名湯を訪ねる旅 Tamatsukuri Onsen and Misasa Onsen - A trip to visit famous hot springs in the San'in region(July 27, 2022-No.39）
玉造温泉と三朝温泉ー山陰地方の名湯を訪ねる旅 Tamatsukuri Onsen and Misasa Onsen - A trip to visit famous hot springs in the San'in region (July 27, 2022-No.39）
Tamatsukuri Onsen（玉造温泉） is a hot spring located in Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City（松江市玉湯町玉造）, Shimane Prefecture（島根県）. In the "Makura no Soshi," （枕草子；The Pillow Book）an essay written by Sei Shonagon（清少納言） in the middle of the Heian period (said to have been completed in 1001 AD), it is described as one of Japan's top three hot springs, along with Arima Onsen（有馬温泉）. Along with Kinosaki Onsen（城崎温泉）, Kaike Onsen（皆生温泉）, and Misasa Onsen（三朝温泉）, it is a hot spring resort that represents the San'in area（山陰地方）.
As for the effects of this hot spring, the quality of the spring is evaluated as having a moisturizing effect comparable to lotion, and it is particularly famous for its skin-beautifying effect.
There are many tourist attractions and historic sites near this hot spring. For example, there are the beautiful Lake Shinji（宍道湖） where you can collect delicious freshwater clams, the magnificent Izumo Taisha Shrine（出雲大社） that has long enshrined the god of marriage, the Adachi Museum of Art（足立美術館） with its beautiful Japanese garden, and Matsue Castle（松江城） with its national treasure castle tower.
Misasa Onsen（三朝温泉） is a hot spring located in Misasa-cho, Tohaku-gun（東伯郡三朝町）, Tottori Prefecture（鳥取県）.
The spring quality contains radium and radon, which is the alpha decay of radium（ラジウムのアルファ崩壊）, making it one of the world's leading radioactive springs. It is said that a small amount of radiation from radon can be expected to improve metabolism（新陳代謝）, improve immunity（免疫力）, and have an antioxidant effect（抗酸化作用）. There are several medical institutions in Misasa that provide hot spring therapy, and the hot springs are used for various treatments such as hot spring pool therapy, drinking hot spring therapy, and mineral mud therapy, depending on the spring quality.
Near this hot spring are Mt.Mitoku Sanbutsu-ji Temple（三徳山三仏寺）, Nageiredo（投入堂）, a national treasure, and the Tottori Sand Dunes（鳥取砂丘）, about an hour's drive away.
On April 24, 2015, it was certified as one of the first 18 properties of Japan Heritage（日本遺産） under the title of “Place of Purification of the Six Roots and Healing of the Six Senses - Japan's Most Dangerous National Treasure Appreciation and World-Leading Radon Springs -（「六根清浄と六感治癒の地〜日本一危ない国宝鑑賞と世界屈指のラドン泉〜 」）”
By the way, Rokkon Shojo（六根清浄） means to purify the mind and body. In Japan, there is a mountain worship that believes that gods dwell in the mountains, and Rokkon Shojo is used as a training call.
The “root” of Rokkon（六根の「根」） means the force that can be felt by the sense organs. In addition to the five senses of the eyes (sight), ears (hearing), nose (smell), tongue (taste), and body (tactile sense), consciousness is collectively called the six roots. Purifying these six powers, and thus the mind and body, is called Rokkon Shojo.
during the journey（旅の道すがら）
１．Hiruzen Plateau（蒜山高原）
This is a highland area with an altitude of about 500 m to 600 m, and is one of the representative resort areas in western Japan (also called Karuizawa in the Kansai (Chugoku) area).
This area was designated as Daisen National Park (now Daisen-Oki National Park)（大山隠岐国立公園） on February 1, 1936.
From the Hiruzen Kogen Center (top photo)（ヒルゼン高原センター）, you can see the majestic mountain range of Mt. Daisen (1,729m above sea level). Hiruzen Yakisoba（ひるぜん焼そば） with miso sauce is famous as a local gourmet dish.
The photo below is Kazenoha（風の葉）, which was designed and supervised by world-famous architect Kengo Kuma（隈研吾）. It is a wooden building that was once used in Harumi, Tokyo, as a model for effective utilization of forest resources and eco-friendly urban development. The building has been relocated here. It is said that timber from this area is used.
２． the Adachi Museum of Art（足立美術館）
The Adachi Museum of Art, located in Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture（島根県安来市）, is a museum that focuses on modern Japanese paintings. It is famous for its 130 works by Taikan Yokoyama（横山大観） and the Japanese garden.
The garden is divided into 6 areas, including the dry landscape garden（枯山水）, the white sand and green pine garden, the moss garden, and the pond garden, covering an area of 50,000 tsubo（about 41acres）.
In the ranking of Japanese gardens (Shiosai Ranking) conducted by the Journal of Japanese Gardening, an American magazine specializing in Japanese gardens, it has been selected as the "Best in Japan" for 19 years in a row since 2003.
In order to keep such a large-scale Japanese garden always beautiful, it seems that ordinary efforts are not enough. I can feel the strong spirit of beauty of many people involved.
３．Yasugibushi (Song of Yasugi) （安来節）
Yasugi Bushi is a folk song from Yasugi City, Shimane Prefecture. Including the humorous dance called ``loach dance,'' it gained nationwide popularity mainly during the Taisho period as a comprehensive folk performing art. At Tamatsukuri Onsen, a special stage was built along the river, and performers enthusiastically performed Yasugi Bushi.
Yasugi Bushi is a famous folk song in Japan, but I feel like I heard all the songs for the first time during this trip. I hope that this kind of pleasant performing arts will continue to be passed down in the future.
Izumo Taisha is a shrine located in Kitsukihigashi, Taisha-cho, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture（島根県出雲市大社町杵築東）. The enshrined deity is Okuninushi no Okami（大国主大神）.
The foundation of Izumo Taisha is described in the "Kojiki" (712 AD, said to be the oldest history book in Japan 古事記), "Nihon Shoki" (720 AD, the oldest official history in Japan 日本書紀), "Izumo no Kuni Fudoki" (A.D. 733, the only surviving Fudoki that is almost complete 出雲国風土記) describes the tradition. Fudoki refers to records of the culture and geography of a province.
According to these legends, the enshrined deity, Okuninushi-no-Okami, is a regional deity who overcame many difficulties to pioneer the land of Izumo, and the land is the central deity of Heaven. It is said to have been handed over to Amaterasu Omikami（天照大御神）. Izumo Taisha is said to have been built as compensation for the transfer of land.
The regional deity is thought to be local rulers who pioneered and ruled the land, and the central deity is thought to be the Yamato regime（大和政権） pushing for the unification of Japan.
Also, Izumo Taisha is said to be the deity of marriage, which originates from the legend that Okuninushi no Okami and Suserihime（セスリヒメ神 Princess Sesuri）, who made an eternal vow as husband and wife, are enshrined at Izumo Taisha.
One of the pleasures of traveling is being able to think about Japan in the age of myths while visiting this beautiful and magnificent Izumo Taisha.
The photos show, from top to bottom, the fourth gate (copper gate) and the worship hall（四の門（銅の門）と拝殿）, the Yatsuashimon gate and the main hall（八足門と本殿）, the innermost Soganoyashiro shrine（素鵞社 そがのやしろ）, Okuninushi no Okami and the white rabbit of Inaba. Statue（因幡の白兎）, Kaguraden and Japan's largest shimenawa rope（神楽殿と注連縄）, and the approach to the shrine lined with souvenir shops
５．Matsue Castle and samurai residences（松江城と武家屋敷）
Matsue Castle is an Edo period Japanese castle built in present-day Tonomachi, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. Also known as Chidori Castle. The castle is said to have been built in 1611. It is one of the five castles designated as national treasures (the others being Inuyama Castle, Matsumoto Castle, Hikone Castle, and Himeji Castle).
The castle tower has four layers on the outside, five floors on the inside, and one underground floor. When you climb the steep stairs to reach the top floor, you can see the city of Matsue and Lake Shinji. The majestic yet quiet appearance of the castle reminds us of the ideal samurai.
6．the Tottori Sand Dunes 鳥取砂丘
The Tottori Sand Dunes are a vast area of gravel that spreads over the Sea of Japan coast in Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture, and are a typical coastal sand dune. Designated as a special protection area of San'in Kaigan National Park, it stretches 2.4 km from north to south and 16 km from east to west.
I have visited these sand dunes more than 40 years ago, and nothing has changed since then. Blue skies and blue seas, green pine trees, distant islands, vast sand dunes, and tourist camels... Even so, it's hot! ! Don't forget to hydrate frequently!
I am keenly aware that things that do not change are also important
７．Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter（倉敷美観地区）
The Ohara Museum of Art is one of Japan's leading private art museums, with a large collection of masterpieces including El Greco's Annunciation（エル・グレコの「受胎告知」）.
There are many fruit parlors in this area, offering delicious fruit parfaits. Peaches are especially sweet and delicious.
