Takaragawa Onsen
We decided to take a walk in the immediate area, though the staff were warning about a bear sighting.
We walked back along the road, and saw an older road that carried on up the valley.
This old road did not look heavily travelled, and bear concerns were an issue...
So we turned back, where we came across this tree casually splitting this rock!
On a short side trail near the onsen parking, we came to this small shrine. It was obviously no longer in use, and it featured a large collection of deer droppings!
It was apparently the private facility of the onsen's founder, who owned the entire valley. It was built by him to assist in his worship.
It had been obviously decommissioned. The stone lanterns were disassembled, and the steel cable used to do so was still on the lantern top section on the right.
The stairs to this building were also destroyed. It looked like whatever equipment was used to dismantle the stone lanterns then drove onto the stairs, crushing them.
Another bear sighting!
We walked back through the big gates, then past the day-use entry building. The onsen were available for day-pass use, with visitors using the same bathing outfits and yukata.
Overflow parking... Literally!
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