Dōgo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama is considered Japan's oldest and most celebrated bathhouse, with a history of over 3,000 years, though the current ornate wooden Meiji-era building dates to 1894. The three-storey structure with its characteristic white heron design is a national Important Cultural Property and is widely cited as a design inspiration for the bathhouse in Hayao Miyazaki's animated film 'Spirited Away.' Visitors choose from several bathing courses, including access to the historic Yushinden imperial bath once reserved for the Imperial Family. A major renovation project is expected to complete in 2024, with partial operations continuing.
- Type
- Venue
- Category
- Culture
- Season
- Year-round
- Month
- Year-round
- Region
- Shikoku
- Prefecture
- Ehime
- City
- Matsuyama
Highlights
- ◆Over 3,000 years of hot-spring history at a single site
- ◆Iconic Meiji-era wooden architecture designated an Important Cultural Property
- ◆The Yushinden imperial bath suite available for viewing
- ◆Widely said to have inspired the bathhouse in 'Spirited Away'
- ◆Traditional Botchan dango sweets and yukatas available in surrounding arcade