Getting off the beaten track is one of the best ways to see and experience the culture of Japan. The beautiful mountain village of Dorogawa Onsen, high in the mountains of Nara, is as far off the beaten track as anything can be before getting there becomes a hassle. Here are 6 things to enjoy on your trip to Dorogawa Onsen:
Dorogawa Ryusenji
Ryusenji Temple, not be confused with the temple of the same name in Kyoto, was founded around the year 700 as a base for practitioners of Shugendo Buddhism, a form of mountain asceticism that asserts that one must tap into the invisible power of nature around them in order to achieve enlightenment. The temple sits right at the foot of a mountain where the Tatsu no Kuchi, “Dragon’s Mouth,” spring emerges from the rocks. The temple's garden and grounds are a a delightful place for a stroll especially in the autumn when the leaves reach their fiery peak.
The Menfudo and Goyomatsu Limestone Caves
Exploring the underground world of a cave is a unique and exciting adventure and Dorogawa Onsen has two that are easy to visit, the Menfudo and Goyomatsu Limestone Caverns. Both caves feature lighting and other amenities to help make exploring the stalactites, stalagmites and the many chambers a fun and safe experience. Visitors to the Goyomatsu Cave, the wilder of the two caves, are accompanied by a guide for their tour. Even getting up to the caves is an adventure as they are accessed via hill-climbing monorail “slope-cars,” or, in the case of the Menudo Cave, a scenic hiking trail that offers views of the whole of the town of Dorogawa Onsen.
The Kari-gane Suspension Bridge
Being a mountain town, Dorogawa Onsen is home to a number of hiking trails. One of them loops around through the mountains on the west and north side of Dorogawa Onsen. The 120m long 50m high Kari-gane Suspension Bridge is one of the most exciting places along the route. It’s stable, overlooks the whole of Dorogawa Onsen and its valley, and the tall chain link fencing on both sides of the walkway prevent falls while preserving the spectacular view.
Hike the Mitarai Gorge
The Mitarai Gorge is a canyon and hiking trail following the Sanjo and Amano Rivers. The Mitarai Canyon itself runs from just below Dorogawa Onsen to the Sanjo River’s confluence with the Amano River a few kilometers downstream. The gorge features waterfalls, steep mountain walls, glorious scenery and spectacular colors in the autumn, and is one of the most scenic locations in Japan’s Kansai region.
Traditional Hot Springs and Hot Spring Ryokans
Dorogawa Onsen is home to a large village owned and operated bathhouse, and about 20 traditional hot spring ryokan inns on Dorogawa Onsen’s main street. They all feature lightly alkaline baths that are rumored to be effective at alleviating the symptoms of rheumatism. Traditional Japanese meals and authentic lodgings are available to those who wish to spend additional time in the mountains.
Experience Shugendo Worship and Test Your Courage on Mt. Omine (Sorry, Men only)
Mt. Omine is the holiest mountain in the Shugendo Buddhist faith. The hiking trail to the summit of the mountain is just a few kilometers above the end of Dorogawa Onsen’s main street. The asceticism of the Shugendo faith requires that all practitioners refrain from engaging in all “worldly desires,” which is why women are asked to refrain from entering Mt. Omine (the nearby Mt. Inamura is the women only Shugendo practice mountain). The hike to the summit of the mountain is about 6km each way. Near the summit hikers have the chance to go the easy way or subject themselves to the 3 Shugendo “Tests of Courage.” The first is the Kane Kane Iwa, a 10 meter (~30 foot) tall rock wall with an overhanging section at the top that climbers must scale with nothing more than a chain for support. The second test is the Nishi no Nozoki cliff (the Confession from hell for the acrophobic) where new disciples are dangled over the edge of the 61 meter (~200 foot) cliff by their ankles and on a rope by experienced Shugendo practitioners and asked to confess to and repent their sins. The third and final test, done only by special request and with huge caution, is Byodo Iwa (the Equality Stone), where climbers must traverse from one side of a cliff to the other using only the natural projections in the wall. The rewards for reaching the summit of Mt. Omine are the mountaintop holy temple of Ominesanji, views that extend as far away as Kobe City on a good day, and the chance to experience the world of Shugendo Buddhist worship.
Dorogawa Onsen is accessible by bus from Shimoichiguchi Station on the Kintetsu Yoshino Line. There are up to 6 buses a day in each direction. The ride takes about 78 minutes and costs ¥1,280 each way.
Works consulted:
http://www.oominesan-ryusenji.jp/ (Japanese)
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%BE%8D%E6%B3%89%E5%AF%BA_(%E5%A5%88%E8%89%AF%E7%9C%8C%E5%A4%A9%E5%B7%9D%E6%9D%91) (Japanese)
http://www.vill.tenkawa.nara.jp/#dorogawa (Japanese)
http://www1.plala.or.jp/CUE/cave_goyomatu.html
http://guide.travel.co.jp/article/3062/
http://small-life.com/archives/15/06/0120.php
http://www.dorogawaonsen.jp/sightseeing/184/
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E5%B3%B0%E5%B1%B1
http://www.narakotsu.co.jp/rosen/index.html
Photo credits
“Town of Dorogawa Onsen.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Kansai Explorer is freely available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dorogawa,_Tenkawa,_Nara.JPG under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Dorogawa Onsen Ryokan Street at Night.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Snap55 is freely available at https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Dorogawa_spa2.jpg under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Start of Mt. Omine Hiking Trail.” This Wikipedia creative commons image from user Mass Ave 975 is freely available at https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Omine4.JPG under the cc by sa 3.0 license.
“Bridge in the Mitarai Gorge.” This Flickr creative commons image from user Tamago Moffle is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamago-moffle/5467293677/in/photostream/ under the cc by a 2.0 license.
“Dorogawa Onsen Ryokan Street.” This Flickr creative commons image from user Tamago Moffle is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamago-moffle/5467935734/in/photostream/ under the cc by a 2.0 license.
“Under the Mitarai Gorge Bridge.” This Flickr creative commons image from user Tamago Moffle is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamago-moffle/5467894188/in/photostream/ under the cc by a 2.0 license.
“Waterfalls and Foliage in the Mitarai Gorge.” This Flickr creative commons image from user Tamago Moffle is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamago-moffle/5467293315/in/photostream/ under the cc by a 2.0 license.
“Mitarai Gorge Autumn Leaves Around Waterfall.” This Flickr Creative Commons image is from user Tamago Moffle and is freely available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/tamago-moffle/5467893370/in/photostream/ under the creative commons cc-by-sa 2.0 license.