Today, I plan to take the streetcar back to Dogo Onsen, where I reached yesterday.

While waiting for the bus to take me to the Ichibangai bus stop to transfer to the streetcar heading to Dogo Onsen, it was raining a little. I suddenly realized that the lady next to me had her umbrella over me. When I thanked her and told her that Takanoko Onsen was great, she said, “Yes, we go there often because it’s our home town. The onsen is great, the nature is great, and my friend who often visits Matsuyama envies me :)”

I looked around the main building of Dogo Onsen and found sign posts for the pilgrims. Although no one except those who are doing the pilgrimage would care about it, it was a bit interesting to find sign posts in such a famous sightseeing place. I also learned for the first time that Dogo Onsen has a rather large hot spring facility called Tsubaki-no-yu as well as the main building.

After leaving Dogo Onsen, I felt some discomfort in my right thumb for a while, so I took off my shoes and was examining them. Then an elderly lady suddenly came to me and offered me some money so that I can have some tea. She said, “It must have been hard for you in the mountains because of the snow, good luck.” I felt uncomfortable about being treated to money by a complete stranger, but at that same time, I thought this Osettai is very heart warming culture.