Onsen Research Project

"Konbanwa (hello)," I said as I stepped into the lobby of the Hokkaido Kaisha Onsen; located in Chitose, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. It is a resort that was built to take advantage of the hot springs located nearby. The resort's promotional material mentioned that a large hot spring was located uphill of the resort, and that they piped in the hot spring water that filled their baths and hot tubs.

A bellman quickly took my luggage and ushered me to the resort's reception counters. I signed in while the bellman waited patiently for me to complete the registration process.

"Sekimura-san, we have you here for one week. Is that correct?" the reservation clerk asked.

"Hai (yes), so desu. (that is correct)" I confirmed.

"Nihongo wakaremasuka (you understand Japanese)?" she asked.

I laughed politely, "Not really. I understand and speak very little. I hope that will not be a problem."

She smiled, "That will not be problem. All staff understand English." She replied as she completed my registration in their computer system.

"We put you in room 18 which is one bedroom. We hope you will enjoy your stay with us." And she handed the room key to me along with a welcome packet in English.

The bellman took my luggage and led me down a short hallway that led to a cluster of rooms.

"Sekimura-san, my name Kenichi. Please ask me if you have any questions." He advised as he opened my room and led me in.

He opened the drapes on the far wall of the room which revealed a floor to ceiling window. The view was amazing as I could see the entire valley laid out before us. There was a small river that ran along the bottom of the valley. Steam rose from the river. I guess it carried the run off from the various hot springs that dotted the valley.

"Wow." I mentioned.

Kenichi smiled, "Yes, is quite beautiful."

"Sekimura-san," he continued, "hotel provide you with Yukata to wear while you are here." And he opened a closet to show me the Yukata, a cotton robe that fastened with a stiff cloth belt. "Please wear underwear when you wear Yukata."

I laughed. "I hope no one has worn one without underwear. That could be embarrassing."

Kenichi laughed, "Hai. Very embarrassing. Also, hot spring baths are located on ground floor of hotel. Lobby on 2nd floor, so one floor down. Hotel also have private hot spring baths that may be reserved. Please call bell desk to reserve. You may also wear house slippers in hotel."

"Thank you," I told Kenichi before he departed.

Dinner would be served in about an hour. From the material provided by the front desk, the dinner would be a communal dinner along with all of the other guests. We would all be expected to be dressed in the Yukata's. As I had been traveling the better part of the last two days, I took a shower and shaved before dressing in the yukata.

As I walked down to the dining hall, I met a middle-aged Japanese woman who was also dressed in the hotel's yukata.

"Konbanwa," I greeted her.

She smiled and bowed slightly as she replied, "Konbanwa."

"I have to apologize because that's about all the Japanese that I know." I mentioned.

And that produced a laugh and a big smile from her, "If you started rattling off in Japanese, I was going to be in big trouble myself." She replied.

"What?" I smiled.

"Jennifer Kano." She replied and offered her hand.

I shook it, "Peter Sekimura, Honolulu."

"Oakland. Pleased to meet you Peter."

"Join me for dinner?" I asked.

She laughed again, "I think we're joining everyone else for dinner, aren't we?"

I nodded my head. "Yes. I heard that the dinners here are really good."

"Yes they are. I've stayed here on several occasions and I have always been impressed."

"You've been here before?"

"Yes. My grandparents came from Hokkaido so I started coming to visit the area four or five years ago. Just thought it would be interesting to do."

"Have you looked up any other family members?"

"No, I think that would be a little awkward. So I haven't tried. What about you? What brings you to Hokkaido?"

"Research."

"Research?" she asked. "What are you researching?"

"Onsens."

She laughed. "Bullshit."

"No, I'm really here conducting research on onsens. And the Hokkaido Kaisha Onsen is on the list of onsens that I wanted to look into."

"Really?" she asked. "You aren't pulling my leg?"

"Scout's honor. I'm really conducting research on onsens."

By then we had reached the dining room and were greeted by the receptionist.

"Name please?" the receptionist asked in English.

"Sekimura, Peter and Kano, Jennifer." I replied.

"Sekimura-san, Kano-san, please come this way. Would you like to sit together?"

I looked at Jennifer and she smiled and tipped her head.

"Yes, that would be appreciated." I told the receptionist as she guided us through the dining room and placed us next to each other. The height of the table was low so we sat on stadium type seat backs; but fancier and more comfortable.

"So what's with this research project?" Jennifer asked.

I smiled, "it is a little strange isn't it?" and she smiled.

"Well, I'm a writer and a photographer by profession and I'm writing a book about the Onsens (hot spring resorts) of Japan."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I plan to visit at least ten onsens over the next two or three months."

"What a job." She said as she smiled.

"Yeah, it's a tough job but someone has to do it." I kidded her, and she laughed.

"Is there a market for this stuff?"

"If you do it well, then the books will sell. And in this case, the onsens that I plan to visit have all placed pre-orders for the book."

"No kidding?"

"Yeah, I've been fortunate."

"You've done this sort of stuff before?"

"Yeah, I've done 17 books so far."

"17 books so far? On what?"

"Well, I completed a book last year on the top ten beaches of Hawaii."

"Hey, I think I have a book like that. Did it have a picture of a wave curl on the front?" she asked.

"Yeah, I took that one at Sandy Beach on Oahu. I had to rent a special waterproof camera for that shot"

"That was a nicely done book. I loved the pictures."

"Thanks. I think a well done picture speaks very loudly about a place or thing."

By then the other diners had filled the dining hall and the noise level of the conversations around us had risen considerably. A few minutes later waitresses began their beverage service offering beer, wine and sake to all of us.

"I think I'll try the sake," Jennifer said when the waitress came to take our order.

"Daigingo?" I asked.

"Hai. Junmai Daigingo." The waitress replied. "You want also?"

"Yes please." I replied. She brought a bottle of sake in an ice bucket for us.

"Sounds like you know something about sake." Jennifer asked.

"Love the stuff. But there are so many sake breweries that it's hard to settle on a favorite. A lot of them are regional sakes."

"So what's a Junmai Daigingo?"

"That is a grade assigned to a sake that is made from highly milled rice kernels with no additional alcohol added. It's a top grade sake."

"I've heard the name used at sushi bars back in California. And I've had a few."

"Were they good?"

"Yeah, they were pretty good. But each sushi bar had their own favorite."

I chuckled, "And I bet they all proclaimed their sake to be the best."

She smiled, "Yep."

Then the dishes began to appear starting with soup. The meal was delicious.

At the end of the meal Jennifer took out her phone and took a picture of the label of the sake bottle.

"You enjoyed the sake?" I asked.

"Yeah, that was especially good. It was really smooth and light. I'm going to see if I can't find it back home."

"Good luck. Local sakes are often not shipped outside the area."

"Why is that?"

"Don't know but knowing what our food and beverage manufacturers go through in the US, I imagine that the local sake breweries have to go through a lot of red tape to do so. Perhaps it's just not worth the effort for them."

"So what are your plans for tomorrow?" Jennifer asked.

"Well, I've made arrangements to photograph several of their spas in the morning and their kitchen in the mid-afternoon. I'll photograph their hot spring also."

"Can I tag along and watch?"

"Sure. I'd like that." I replied. Jennifer smiled.

The dining hall began to empty as the other diners were finished with their meal.

"So any plans for after dinner?" I asked.

"Well, I was planning on enjoying their hot spring bath."

I smiled, "Yeah, I was planning to do the same. See you tomorrow at breakfast?"

"Definitely." Jennifer replied as we left the dining hall and went our separate ways.

The resort had separate communal hot spring baths for men and women, and also several private baths that could be reserved.

The men's hot spring bath featured a dressing area where bathers could store their clothes in lockers and pick up wash cloths and towels. There was also a wash area where bathers sat down and washed and rinsed themselves. The hot spring bath itself which was a large, shallow pool whose surface steamed relentlessly.

After I washed and rinsed, I walked over to the hot bath and slowly immersed myself in the hot waters. Wow, this was fantastic. The hot water was so relaxing. Much better than any hot shower could do. Much, much better. Regardless of how the book did, I was definitely coming back to Japan to spend more time in an onsen.

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The next morning, I walked to the dining room and met Jennifer at the entrance.

"Were you waiting for me?" I asked.

"Yes."

"I hope it wasn't very long."

"No, I just arrived myself." She smiled.

The dining room had been rearranged in a western style for breakfast. Tables and chairs of "normal" height that we were used to. And a breakfast buffet that we could help ourselves to. Which we did.

As we ate I asked Jennifer, "So tell me a little about yourself."

"Let's see. I guess I should tell you that I used to work as a chemist. It was interesting work but after a while, it got a little frustrating. So I'm taking a break from work."

"A little frustrating?"

"Yeah. I guess working for a large chemical company didn't appeal to me. Entry level jobs for chemists tend to be quality control type of work. Not much in the product development arena."

"Which is what you wanted?"

"I was hoping to be more involved with that sort of work."

"Who did you work for?"

"Monmouth Chems. I worked out of their Bay area facility but I had to tour their plants around the Midwest. At first it was interesting but after a year or so it began to be monotonous. All I did was review the lab work being done."

"What would you really like to do now?"

She paused before answering. "I really don't know. At this point in my life, I'm rethinking everything."

"Take your time and don't rush the process. I was kind of where you are right after I got out of school. I was a journalism major and landed a job as a writer for a major west coast daily. At first it was exciting but after a year or so the 'business' of putting out a daily newspaper was more important than the story itself."

"That's how you ended up publishing books?"

"In a round about fashion, yes."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was helping my cousin at this senior rec center and she was teaching the residents how to put memory books together. And she roped me into helping."

"You published memory books for seniors?"

"Ha Ha! No. That would have been ..... I don't know ...... weird? A lot of them had dementia so the memory books were a way to help them remember family and friends."

"Yeah, that would have been a little weird."

"Anyway, I saw how the pictures in the memory book affected the seniors and the family members who contributed the pictures and stories that went into the books. So I wondered if a book of pictures and stories could also hold the attention of others."

"So that led to you publishing your first book?"

"Ha Ha, not quite. But it got me thinking of the possibility. It wasn't until several years later when I had a blow out with my editor that I thought seriously about photo journalism and publishing books. And that led to my first book."

"So what was your first book on?" Jennifer asked.

"You're going to laugh." I stated.

She smiled, "only if it's funny or ridiculous. But I'll try not to."

"It was on babies."

"Babies! Oh! I recall seeing a book on babies at the book store. It was adorable! My girlfriends and I loved that book. It almost made me want to go out and find a random guy and get pregnant."

"No shit?"

"Oh, don't' repeat that. I'll find you and kill you if you do. But that was one powerful book."

"Well if it was my book, then you'll remember the cover. It was a remarkable shot."

"I remember the cover of the book that I saw. It was a picture of a baby sleeping against the side of a big dog."

"Yep, that was my first attempt."

"That book was really good. I bought it and have it at home."

I laughed at the thought. "Thanks, I got lucky and picked a subject that few people could have had a problem with."

"Gawd, those babies were sooooo cute and adorable. Where did you find them?"

"Where do you think?"

"I don't know." Jennifer replied as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Where can you find a lot of babies in one place?"

"Ah, the maternity ward in a hospital?"

"Bingo. Buy that lady a cigar."

"Ugh, no cigars."

And I laughed. "Yeah, I hung out in the waiting room at maternity wards for a couple of weeks. The nurses thought I was a pervert until they saw some of the early photos that I took."

Jennifer commented on the photos; "Peter, I recall that those photos were really well done. You took some really awesome pictures."

I blushed a little, "Thanks. Some of that's the equipment and some of that's the software. And a lot of that rides on just being lucky."

We finished breakfast and were walking back to our rooms when I asked if she really wanted to accompany me as I took pictures and notes on the onsen's facilities.

"Yeah, I'd like that. I've never seen a commercial photographer at work. And maybe I'll get some tips from you at the same time."

"Cool. Bring a camera if you have one. And wear shorts if you have a pair as we might get a little wet in the process."

So we agreed to meet up in the hallway in half an hour. Enough time to freshen up, change our clothes and for me to assemble my gear.

I changed into a t-shirt and shorts and rubber slippers, and made sure that I had an ample supply of batteries for the day. I hauled out the luggage that held my camera gear and went out to the hallway to find Jennifer just leaving her room.

"Perfect timing." She said as we met up. She took my hand as started walking down the hallway.

I looked at her with a smile and gave her hand a squeeze which she returned.

"Hey, I like you, ok?" she answered. "And I hope you're single."

"Yes, I'm single, and I like you also." And she squeezed my hand again.

"I hope you're single also." I added.

She laughed, "I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't."

I had arranged to meet the onsen's manager in the lounge area in front of the entrance to the hot spring bathing area. And Mr. Ogata, Ogata-san, was there waiting for us.

"Sekimura-san, ohaiyo gozaimasu (good morning)."

"Ohaiyo gozaimasu Ogata-san." I said as I bowed. Jenny bowed as well.

"Ogata-san, this is Kano Jennifer who will be with me today."

"So-so. Baths will be empty shortly. Then we will clean quickly and then you may take pictures."

I nodded my head in understanding. I took out my voice recorder and started to interview Ogata-san. How many baths, wash cloths and towels provided along with body soaps and shampoos, temperature of the water, who designed the rock gardens that surrounded the baths, and other unique features. By then the baths were ready for me to photograph. And Ogata left us to attend to other matters.

So I began taking pictures; entry ways, locker rooms, wash areas, then the hot baths themselves. It was hot and steamy in the bath areas. I was especially taken by the dense bamboo forest that grew next to the hot bath and its rock garden. I tried to take a shot from the far side of the bath however I couldn't frame it the way I thought it should be. So I took off my slippers and eased myself into the bath along with my tripod and made my way across the hot bath. Fortunately, this bath, like most hot baths, was just about waist deep so I was able to walk all the way over.

To my surprise Jenny had done the same and stood next to me in the hot bath with the water up to her waist. She had her point in shoot camera with her also.

I set up the tripod in the water and took several pictures of the edge of the bath that bordered the rock garden and the bamboo forest. And Jennifer took a couple of pictures with her camera.

"That looks good." I mentioned.

"I like the view point. All you need now is a pretty girl taking a bath in the picture."

I looked at Jennifer, "That's a good idea. And we have a pretty girl right here but she would need to bare her shoulders for the picture."

She blushed and slapped my arm. "No. I'm not taking my top off."

"Well no one would see your face in the frame. Just your back."

She looked hesitant as she shook her head.

"Have you ever dreamt of what it would be like to be naked in a forest, all by yourself?"

She laughed and blushed, "But you're here so I wouldn't be alone."

"So what? We're friends aren't we?"

She laughed. "If I take off my top, then you have to take off your bottom."

"Are you trying to bluff your way out of this?"

"No," she said as she tried to live up to the challenge that she had made. "You take your bottom off and I'll take my top off."

I smiled at her, "Ok."

"What?" She screamed.

I laughed. "I'll take my bottom off if you take your top off and pose for me."

"Shit. Me and my big mouth."

I laughed, "Jennifer, look, you don't have to do this. I think the picture will do as is."

"Ass. You made me sweat bullets." And she laughed while she grabbed my arm. "but I think it would have been exciting to do."

I looked at her, then reached down and took off my shorts and underwear.

She looked at me and laughed, "nice." Then took off her top and bra leaving her in just her shorts.

"Very nice." I said as her pert breasts were revealed to me. "Beautiful." My erection confirmed what I said.

She reached over and took my dick in her hand and gave me a squeeze, "nice." Then walked over to the edge of the bath and leaned against the edge of the bath with her back to me.

I went to her and positioned her so that her hair hung over one shoulder, baring her shoulders. I turned her head so that her face wouldn't show, then returned to my camera.

That photo became the opening photo for the spread for that onsen. And Jenny was pleased with how it came out.

"Gawd, this water feels so good," she mentioned as I was taking my frames. "I could stay in here all day."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Last night was heaven. I think I stayed in the bath for more than a half hour myself."

After I told Jennifer that I had taken enough pictures she stood up and walked over to me, displaying her beautiful breasts to me. She hugged me, taking my erection in her hand as she did. I hugged her back and kissed her. She returned the kiss and placed one of my hands on her breast. I slowly caressed her breast as we kissed again.

"Nice." She whispered before kissing me again.

"Really nice," I replied. "More than nice. More like wow."

She smiled and we hugged each other for a while.

"I wish we could do more but you have a job to do."

I laughed. "Yep, but this is unfinished business."

"For sure."

She squeezed my dick while I suckled her breasts for a minute. Then we dressed, packed up my gear, and moved to the next bath to take more pictures.