Ashizuri Onsen

This hot spring area is located at Cape Ashizuri in Kochi Prefecture, known as the southernmost cape in Shikoku. Its history goes back a long way, and it is said to have begun Approx. 1,200 years ago, when Kobo Daishi soaked in hot water flowing from a valley to relieve his fatigue while founding Kongofukuji Temple. The mildly alkaline water containing natural radon is popular as a therapeutic spring said to help with neuralgia, sensitivity to cold, and joint pain.

This hot spring area is home to a wide range of accommodations, from budget-friendly to luxury. All of them have spacious public baths and open-air baths, where you can enjoy a soak while taking in the vast Pacific Ocean, beautiful sunsets, and star-filled skies. The local cuisine is also highly regarded, featuring Tosashimizu’s proud fresh seafood such as “Shimizu saba,” landed alive and fresh enough to eat as sashimi, and the regional specialty “katsuo no tataki.”

“Manjiro Footbath,” with Hakusan Domon, one of Japan’s largest granite sea caves and a designated natural monument of the prefecture, spreading out right in front of it, is a free natural hot spring footbath facility. It is loved as a stopover spot to soothe your tired feet after visiting nearby attractions such as Cape Ashizuri, Kongofukuji Temple, and the Ashizuri Seven Mysteries.