Dōgo Onsen Honkan, Public bathhouse in Dogo Yunomachi, Matsuyama, Japan
Dōgo Onsen Honkan is a public bathhouse in Dōgo Yunomachi in the Japanese city of Matsuyama, standing three stories tall with a central tower made entirely of wood. The facility houses several pools of varying temperatures and displays intricately carved wooden details on walls and ceilings throughout.
The present bathhouse was completed in 1894 under mayor Isaniwa Yukiya, who took no salary to help fund its 135,000-yen cost. The carpenter Sakamoto Matahachirō built the three-story wooden structure. The Yushinden imperial bath and Tama no Yu wing followed in 1899, and the south and entrance wings in 1924. Four buildings were designated Important Cultural Properties in 1994.
The bath strictly separates men's and women's areas, following inherited rules of Japanese bathing culture. Before entering the hot spring pools, everyone washes thoroughly at designated spots beside the tubs.
The bathhouse stays open every day of the year except the year-end deep-cleaning day, and the morning bath from six o'clock, announced by the drum of the Shinshōkaku tower, is a local custom. The building is a five-minute walk from Dōgo Onsen Station on the Iyo Railway city tram. The west and north sides are now a stone-paved pedestrian plaza.
A special bath within the building was once reserved exclusively for the imperial family and sits apart from the public areas. This section offers greater seclusion and preserves the traditional furnishings from the time of opening.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,357 contributors worldwide.
