Nekodaki Onsen

Nekodaki Onsen carries one of the more whimsical names in Japan's onsen tradition—Cat Cascade or Cat's Embrace—a name whose origin may lie in the shape of a local rock formation, the historical presence of wild cats in the area, or the particular sound the cascading thermal water makes as it flows over rocky terrain through a narrow mountain gorge. In Japan's rich tradition of descriptive spring naming, animal names often appear at springs where local wildlife has historically gathered to benefit from the warmth of thermal water—most famously the snow monkeys of Jigokudani—and cats too have been observed warming themselves near volcanic vents. Whatever its precise origin, Nekodaki's name adds a playful, unexpected character to the contemplative act of thermal bathing in the Japanese mountain tradition.