Dogo Onsen, worth the trip or not?

Hi all ,

ive searched on the forum about suggestions and opinions about Dogo Onsen, and i cant make my head around it .

im visiting Japan in jan and i love snow and onsens , plus the whole "possible inspiration to spirited away" really fascinates me !

what do you guys think ?!

thanks a lot

Paging Sal1980...

im visiting Japan in jan and i love snow and onsens ,

On Shikoku, maybe Iya Onsen?
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/shikoku/iyaonsen.htm

Honshu, maybe Okuhida?
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5942.html

Enjoy your trip!

Haha, thanks GC3.

We were in Shikoku in January, and visted Dogo Onsen. It's okay, but it is pretty much just an old, attractive indoor onsen. Admittedly, we were with my penpal who shouted us and didn't get a chance to experience the tour, but if it was the sole reason for visiting Matsuyama I'd have been a little disappointed. Our main goal in Matsuyama was to meet my wonderful penpal, as well as Dogo, take a daytrip to Uchiko and Uwajima, see another couple of original castles. Here's what Dogo looks like http://flic.kr/p/btwoaB - the Spirited Away inspiration isn't a visual thing... Google for indoor shots.
Here's a shot I took leaving the Iya Valley http://flic.kr/p/bt8jHV
It's stunning, and there was much more snow than we imagined. Niigata got 3.9m that same night we stayed at Iya Onsen, so it may have been a colder than average night.

Other than Shikoku, have you looked at Nyuto Onsen? You can bathe outside, surrounded by snow. It's unbelievably gorgeous. We visited the mixed outdoor one at Ganiba Onsen. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3650.html

Shibu Onsen (and the nearby snow monkeys) might interest you also. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6029.html

Ciao Sal ,

thanks a bunch for your info . the flickr of Iya Valley is AMAZING , im definetly going t o"study" it !

in my trip ive already booked GINZAN ONSEN , and and i might visit again JUDANAKA ONSEN and the monkey park .

cheers

No problem. I'm not sure where else you've been, but in our January trip we also visited the Kumano area in Wakayama Pref, and enjoyed the onsen there. Of particular interest was the senninburo in the river (which only exists in winter) and the UNESCO listed Tsuboyu Onsen at Yunomine Onsen. http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/onsen/index.html
The time we wanted snow scenery, we spent about 5 nights in Tohoku. There's a nice private rail scenic train running between Kakunodate and Takanosu too. From there we caught a train to Odate, then back down to Morioka. But yeah, Nyuto was a stunning daytrip. Also had a great time in Zao Onsen, Aizu-wakamatsu and Yamadera.

You would have been to Takayama and/or Shirakawago, yeah?