Guided by the Dragon God!
A Hidden Hot Spring Loved by a Tokugawa Lord
Hooked on Ravine Views and Hot Spring Soaks
This legendary hot spring awaits visitors at the foot of Mt. Gomadan, tucked into a ravine surrounded by deep mountains. It is known as Ryujin Onsen, or by its well-chosen mystical nickname, Ryūsenkyō (Realm of Dragon Sages).
According to the ancient text Kii Zoku Fudoki, this hidden spring was first discovered around 1,300 years ago by En no Ozunu, also known as En no Gyoja, the founder of Shugendo. About 100 years later, Kobo Daishi is said to have uncapped the spring after receiving a message from Nanda Ryuo, the dragon deity who brings the blessing of water, giving the hot spring its name.
There are several ryokan and guesthouses in the onsen town, but the easiest stop for any visitor is Motoyu, known for its free-flowing spring water straight from the source. The water is drawn from a natural spring that wells up in front of the facility, and has a mildly alkaline sodium bicarbonate content. Because it leaves the skin feeling smooth after bathing, it is considered one of Japan’s Three Beautifying Hot Springs. Its warming properties are especially strong, and many regulars come for therapeutic bathing, seeking improved circulation and relief from chills, joint pain, and stiff shoulders.
The bathhouse, with picture windows that frame the ravine scenery of the Hidaka River, has an open, airy feel and is especially beautiful in the seasons of fresh greenery and autumn leaves. In the outdoor bath, birdsong and the murmur of the river are soothing to the ear, making losing track of time a common occurrence.
A hidden hot spring among all hidden hot springs, loved and developed by Tokugawa Yorinobu, the first lord of the Kishu Tokugawa family. The indoor baths include a rock bath and a hinoki cypress bath, with the cypress made entirely from timber sourced in Ryujin Village. A room-only lodging facility is also located five minutes on foot from Motoyu.
37 Ryujin, Ryujinmura, Tanabe City, Wakayama
TEL：0739-79-0726
The Birthplace of Nanko Ume Takes on Plum Growing for the Future
It All Began with a Single Plum Tree
Nanko Ume is a premium plum variety that originated in the town of Minabe. The fruit is large, with thin skin and thick, tender flesh. When fully ripe, it gives off a fruity aroma reminiscent of peaches, making it ideal for umeboshi and umeshu.
The mother tree of this Nanko Ume can be found at Takada Kaen, a plum orchard in Minabe Town, now in its third generation. In 1903, the first-generation owner, Takada Sadagusu, planted 60 saplings of a variety called Uchinaka Ume. One of them began producing exceptionally large, beautiful fruit. He named that special tree Takada Ume, carefully nurturing it as a mother tree and propagating it. In time, the plum was recognized as an outstanding variety especially suited to the local climate and soil, and was named Nanko Ume. The lineage, beginning with a single tree, has grown into the Nanko Ume brand known and loved by everyone today.
Today, Takada Kaen cultivates Nanko Ume across nine hectares using regenerative organic farming methods, and also handles the processing and sale of its plum products. To carry on the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System known as the Minabe-Tanabe Ume System, the farm is deeply committed to every part of the process, beginning with the soil itself. Even the shiso used for its umeboshi is organically grown on its own farm. Long before the term “agriculture-welfare collaboration” became widely known, the farm was already working with welfare workshops to create employment for people with disabilities, pursuing advanced initiatives that balance flavor, safety, and sustainability.
“Feeling the effects of climate change, I feel more strongly than ever the need to raise environmental awareness,” says third-generation farmer Takada Satoshi. The farm offers a range of hands-on experiences, from making umeboshi and umeshu to harvesting and full-scale organic farming training.
849 Oshine, Minabe Town, Hidaka District, Wakayama
TEL：0739-74-2113
