Hondani Onsen

Hondani Onsen is a hot spring in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, situated in the mountainous interior of Saijo, a city famous for the extraordinary phenomenon of uchikomachi, the natural artesian springs that bubble up through the streets and courtyards of the historic town center, where residents use these free-flowing cold mineral waters for drinking, cooking, and cooling their homes and shops. Saijo's thermal springs complement this remarkable tradition of natural spring abundance, and the sulfurous and simple mineral waters of Hondani Onsen add a hot thermal dimension to the city's exceptional relationship with underground water resources. Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku is home to the famous eighty-eight temple pilgrimage circuit associated with the Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi, and the restorative hot springs of Hondani provide a place of physical renewal for pilgrims and visitors traversing the mountains of this sacred island.