{"id":110299,"date":"2026-01-19T13:10:39","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T04:10:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/?p=110299"},"modified":"2026-01-19T13:10:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T04:10:43","slug":"animal-onsen-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Traces of Animals Across the Land<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>No matter where you travel in Japan, you\u2019ll always manage to come across hot springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These areas usually have inns to stay in, nearby souvenir shops, coffee shops, and cafes often run by families for generations. They\u2019re designed for one or two-night stays, making enjoying the hot springs in a short visit an ease. This setup offers a fantastic way to experience local travel with convenience and comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through our travels, we\u2019ve noticed that many hot springs are linked to animals. Deer, bears, boars, cranes, and even mythical creatures like Kappa have ties to these hot springs. Sometimes the animal\u2019s name is part of the hot spring\u2019s name, and other times it\u2019s reflected in the names of local places. This connection offers a glimpse into a time when people in Japan likely had a closer relationship with animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this series, we won\u2019t be focusing on just the famous onsen often featured in the media, but on the ones with connections to the beloved critters of the land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br><strong>To the Inn Marked by a Dove<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Roughly three hours from Tokyo on the expressway, the Asamakakushi Onsen district lies at the foot of Mt. Asamakakushi, named because it appears to \u201chide\u201d the famous Mt. Asama behind it. As you drive deeper into the mountains, following the course of the crystal-clear Nurugawa River, you\u2019ll spot a bridge bearing the name Hatonoyu \u014chashi, or \u201cGreat Dove Hot Spring Bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The setting may feel a bit more remote than expected, but follow the signs a little further, and the facade of a classic hot spring inn gradually comes into view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image2.jpg 900w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image2-768x1024.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After checking in and crossing the covered walkway, you\u2019re shown to a room that feels like stepping back in time. The traditional Japanese-style space is outfitted with just the essentials: a wall-mounted fan, a floor fan, a low tea table, a small vanity, and a dispenser-type thermos bottle for making tea. Even the screen doors are wooden-framed, adding to the nostalgic atmosphere. The air is cool, just 23\u00b0C, and through the screens you can hear the murmur of the stream and birds chirping outside. Everywhere you look, there are signs of this place being a refuge from the summer heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image5.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image5-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image5-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br><br><strong>The Legend of the Three Doves<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>This hot spring takes its name, Hatonoyu, from the image of an injured dove bathing in its warm waters. It\u2019s a familiar kind of legend often associated with hot spring origins, but in this case, the dove in question is a Yamabato (or Kijibato), a wild oriental turtle dove known for its late-night call, \u201choo-hoo-hoho.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The name of the inn, Sanky\u016br\u014d, is said to come from an old Japanese proverb: \u201cA dove shows respect by perching three branches below its parent(s); a crow returns the favor by feeding its parents.\u201d In other words, it\u2019s a lesson in honoring one&#8217;s parents. The image of a dove in the wild, paired with this moral teaching, feels like a perfect match to an onsen tucked deep in the mountains like this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image7.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image7-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image7-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image7-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A glass-walled panoramic bath. Though modest in size, it offers the rare pleasure of having the entire view to yourself. Closed during winter months due to lower water temperatures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image1_01.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The indoor bath has cedar planks laid across the surface of the water. Guests slide them open before entering and close them upon exiting, a method that helps retain the natural hot spring\u2019s temperature, keeping it steadily between 42\u00b0C and 44\u00b0C. The spring water is carbonated, gentle on the skin, and its clarity shifts with the weather\u2014sometimes crystal clear, other times more opaque.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image4-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image4-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image4-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image4.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">On the wall, a set of guest instructions from the Meiji era still remains. Blurred behind the rising steam, it invites a slow read.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To cool down after the hot spring, follow the sound of the river outside. In less than a five-minute stroll, you reach a clear stream. Naturally, it\u2019s empty of people. The sense of release, far from the crowds of the city, makes it tempting to wade right in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image3-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image3-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image3-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image3.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"last\">Alternating between the quiet river and the hot spring is encouraged. As time slips by here, the old tale of the mountain doves, supposedly just a charming legend, starts to feel quite plausible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-110310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image6_01.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:90px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sanky\u016br\u014d, Hatonoyu Onsen, Asamakakushi Onsen-kyo<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/sankyuro.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/sankyuro.com\/<\/a><br>Address : 3314 Motojuku, Higashiagatsuma, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-0933<br>Hours : Check-in: From 15:00\u3000Check-out: By 10:00<br>Rates : From \u00a55,000 per night (room only)<br>Phone :\u00a00279-69-2421<br>Fax : 0279-69-2778<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scattered across the mountainous islands of Japan are numerous hot springs. Renowned for their ability to heal wounds and alleviate fatigue, these hot springs are cherished as part of a long-standing cultural tradition. Exploring the history of these hot springs reveals deep ties with animals, with some locations even named after creatures like deer or bears. In this series, we\u2019ve curated a lineup of hot springs with connections to animals, pairing them with title graphics designed by Ryu Mieno. For part 03, we head to the Asamakakushi Onsen district in Gunma Prefecture, known for its legend of the three doves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":110314,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[119,117],"tags":[1710,1873,8127,9838],"place":[212],"writer":[],"class_list":["post-110299","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-guides-en","category-culture-en","tag-gunma","tag-onsen","tag-animal-onsen-en","tag-dove","place-gunma-en"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals - PAPERSKY<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Scattered across the mountainous islands of Japan are numerous hot springs. Renowned for their ability to heal wounds and alleviate fatigue, these hot springs are cherished as part of a long-standing cultural tradition. Exploring the history of these hot springs reveals deep ties with animals, with some locations even named after creatures like deer or bears. In this series, we\u2019ve curated a lineup of hot springs with connections to animals, pairing them with title graphics designed by Ryu Mieno. For part 03, we head to the Asamakakushi Onsen district in Gunma Prefecture, known for its legend of the three doves.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals - PAPERSKY\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Scattered across the mountainous islands of Japan are numerous hot springs. Renowned for their ability to heal wounds and alleviate fatigue, these hot springs are cherished as part of a long-standing cultural tradition. Exploring the history of these hot springs reveals deep ties with animals, with some locations even named after creatures like deer or bears. In this series, we\u2019ve curated a lineup of hot springs with connections to animals, pairing them with title graphics designed by Ryu Mieno. For part 03, we head to the Asamakakushi Onsen district in Gunma Prefecture, known for its legend of the three doves.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PAPERSKY\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1665\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Akira\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@paperskyonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@paperskyonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Akira\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Akira\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe\"},\"headline\":\"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\"},\"wordCount\":759,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"gunma\",\"onsen\",\"animal onsen\",\"Dove\"],\"articleSection\":[\"LOCAL GUIDES\",\"CULTURE\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/\",\"name\":\"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals - PAPERSKY\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00\",\"description\":\"Scattered across the mountainous islands of Japan are numerous hot springs. Renowned for their ability to heal wounds and alleviate fatigue, these hot springs are cherished as part of a long-standing cultural tradition. Exploring the history of these hot springs reveals deep ties with animals, with some locations even named after creatures like deer or bears. In this series, we\u2019ve curated a lineup of hot springs with connections to animals, pairing them with title graphics designed by Ryu Mieno. 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For part 03, we head to the Asamakakushi Onsen district in Gunma Prefecture, known for its legend of the three doves.","og_url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/","og_site_name":"PAPERSKY","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/papersky","article_published_time":"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2500,"height":1665,"url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Akira","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@paperskyonline","twitter_site":"@paperskyonline","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Akira","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/"},"author":{"name":"Akira","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/7f7d2856215ca469e9a7515ab0df97fe"},"headline":"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals","datePublished":"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/"},"wordCount":759,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg","keywords":["gunma","onsen","animal onsen","Dove"],"articleSection":["LOCAL GUIDES","CULTURE"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/","url":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/","name":"Exploring Hot Springs Loved by Animals - PAPERSKY","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/en\/animal-onsen-03\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/papersky.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/main_phone.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-19T04:10:39+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-19T04:10:43+00:00","description":"Scattered across the mountainous islands of Japan are numerous hot springs. Renowned for their ability to heal wounds and alleviate fatigue, these hot springs are cherished as part of a long-standing cultural tradition. Exploring the history of these hot springs reveals deep ties with animals, with some locations even named after creatures like deer or bears. In this series, we\u2019ve curated a lineup of hot springs with connections to animals, pairing them with title graphics designed by Ryu Mieno. 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