We went to the Setouchi Triennale, held once every three years.
The Setouchi Triennale is an international contemporary art festival staged on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and most visitors likely use Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port as their base for reaching the festival’s venues.
Public art near Takamatsu Port — Julian Opie
Busshozan
The Busshozan Onsen we’re introducing here sits along the Kotohira Line (locally known as “Kotoden”), running from Takamatsu-Chikko Station, which is close to Takamatsu Port. It is the sixth stop from Takamatsu-Chikko Station, about 8 km away.
When you’re sightseeing or making the rounds of art in Takamatsu, it’s the perfect place to rest a tired body.
Busshozan StationIt’s a straight walk from the station, so you can’t get lost.
Busshozan Onsen
About 12 minutes on foot from Busshozan Station, a stylish-looking building appears on your right.
Busshozan OnsenAdults: 600 yen. Elementary-school children and under: 300 yen. As of August 2019.The interior is even more striking than the exterior.The used books lined up on the shelves are 200 yen each. You can even take them into the bath to read (though no one seemed to be doing so…)
The hot spring
Photography is not allowed inside the bathing area, so we can’t share images, but the quality of the water was a wonderful surprise.
The moment you slip in, the water feels utterly silky and slippery. So smooth it is genuinely moving.
Note: If you visit in summer, be careful bathing on sunburned skin.
The temperature of the main bath sits around 42°C, right in the sweet spot, and the two outdoor baths are both low-temperature (33°C), shaped so that you can lie back and stretch out. These low-temperature baths are so wonderful that a long-soak warning is practically guaranteed.
After the bath
After a soak, you naturally want to sprawl out and rest.
There are several lounge areas inside, and with a bit of room to spare, you can usually find somewhere to relax.
A rest area with an extensive food and drink menu.
August 2019 was extraordinarily hot, so we opted for kakigori (shaved ice) to cool off.
Kakigori · shiratama uji-kintoki (600 yen)You pour the syrup on yourself, adjusting to taste.
Besides food and drink, there’s a shop as well.
Plenty of lovely miscellany that tempts you as a souvenir — you might find it hard to choose.
The souvenir corner is well stocked.Bought an uchiwa fan (300 yen).
Comfortable and stylish, both inside and out.
A hot-spring experience we thoroughly enjoyed.
Fantastic — thank you!.
Overview
Busshozan Onsen
Address: 114-5 Otsu, Busshozan-cho, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa Prefecture 761-8079 · About 12 minutes on foot from Busshozan Station on the Kotoden line.
TEL: 087-889-7750
Hours
– Weekdays: 11:00 – 24:00
– Saturdays, Sundays, holidays: 9:00 – 24:00
Last admission: 23:00
Closed: Every fourth Tuesday of the month
Admission: Adults 600 yen (junior high school students and above), children 300 yen (age 3 and above)
Facilities: Rest area, restaurant
Bathing facilities: Indoor bath, outdoor baths (Japanese cypress and hiba) — all baths are pure flowing source water
Water quality: Sodium bicarbonate / chloride hot spring (therapeutic spring)
Under the former hot-spring name, the water is a sodium-bicarbonate spring known as “beauty water.” Please enjoy the silky feel.
Indications: neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, joint stiffness, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive disorders, hemorrhoids, sensitivity to cold, post-illness recovery, fatigue recovery, health promotion, cuts, burns, chronic skin conditions, weak constitution in children, chronic gynecological conditions
3년에 한 번 열리는 Setouchi Triennale(세토우치 국제 예술제)에 다녀왔습니다.
Setouchi Triennale는 세토 내해의 섬들을 무대로 개최되는 현대미술 국제 예술제로, 대부분의 방문객은 Takamatsu 역 · Takamatsu 항을 거점으로 예술제 각 회장으로 이동한다고 생각합니다.
Takamatsu 항 인근의 퍼블릭 아트 — Julian Opie
Busshozan
이번에 소개할 Busshozan Onsen은 Takamatsu 항에서 가까운 Takamatsu-Chikko 역에서 출발하는 고토히라선(통칭 Kotoden)을 이용해, 여섯 번째 역(Takamatsu-Chikko 역에서 약 8 km)에 자리합니다.
Takamatsu 관광이나 아트 감상 후에는 지친 몸을 Busshozan Onsen에서 풀어주시길 권합니다.
Busshozan 역역에서 외길이라 길 잃을 염려가 없습니다.
Busshozan Onsen
Busshozan 역에서 약 12분을 걷다 보면, 외관부터 세련된 건물이 오른쪽에 나타납니다.
Busshozan Onsen성인은 600엔. 초등학생 이하 300엔. ※2019년 8월 기준관내로 들어서면 세련된 인테리어에 놀라게 됩니다.진열된 헌책은 한 권에 200엔. 욕실에 가져가서 읽는 것도 가능합니다(그렇게 하는 사람은 보이지 않았지만……).
온천
욕실 내부는 사진 촬영이 불가능하여 이미지를 준비하지 못했지만, 수질이 놀랄 만큼 좋았습니다.
물에 들어가는 순간 매끄럽고 미끈미끈한 감촉. 지나치게 매끄러워 감동스러울 정도입니다.
※여름철에 방문하시는 분들은 햇볕에 그을린 피부에 유의하시길 바랍니다.
