today we're once again traveling back in time and this time all the way back to TAISHO period

we are visiting a small onsen town called Ikaho in Gunma prefecture

where we will  discover the charm of TAISHO

romance so come along

Ikaho Onsen is a hot spring town located on the eastern  slopes of Mt. Haruna

it is especially known for its golden colored waters

and is one of the  most famous onsen towns in Gunma prefecture

old town area is mainly concentrated around the  long stone stairs

Ishidan

that are lined up by ryokans hotels, retro game centers and cafes

Ishidan has  exactly 365 steps

as it was the locals wish for ikaho to have the same bustling energy for 365  days a year

At the top of the stone steps is an ikaho shrine

that was built in year 825.

People here pray to god of medicine and hot springs

Ikaho onsen has been popular among japanese over many  eras

the first record of the onsen is from the 13th century

but the breadth of taisho  era especially is felt from every corner

in taisho era many famous artists and writers  visited the onsen for creative activities  

Ikaho Onsen still remains as one of the favorite  onsens to visit for various reasons

place that might immediately stand  out and take you back to taisho era  

is a ryokan called Yokote Kan

the building has four stories and  is built entirely from cypress  

the rooms are airy and with large windows  that allow in a lot of light

each room has a special name after a tree or flower

you can find  rooms with names like plum sakura or red leaf

many people say it reminds  them of the (Ghibli) "Spirited away" movie

what makes this ryokan special are the  private onsens where nobody can disturb you  

as a guest of the ryokan you get  a key for a small onsen room with  

all the amenities you need  and all the privacy you want  

the water in this onsen has a specific  golden color

and locals call it koganenoyu (the golden spring)

this water is soft and less irritable

it is said to help with blood circulation, muscle pains, pains in your joint,fatigue and even help with your appetite

after my bath the staff of the hotel  gave me a box of onsen manju to try  

the service here is just the best

delicious

filled with sweet beans

and it has the color of onsen

Brown

as you can see you can feel  nostalgia from every corner here  

i was wondering why the locals  traded their history so much  

the answer to that question  was given to me by akiko-san  

the master of tamaki yada ryokan that  has been in her family for over 70 years

How did you like Taisho Roman?

i could tell that the locals here  really value their traditions and they want to pass them into the next generation

i personally  felt a lot of nostalgia passing through these streets

and i really hope that the generation  after this one will still be able to enjoy the charm of this wonderful place

thank you very  much for watching

see you in the next episode

bye