北関東や東北地方には古くから続く温泉宿が多く残っています。
寂れた山奥のなかでひっそりと佇んでいるそんな温泉宿を見ると、とても懐かしい気持ちになります。
少し朽ちた壁や黒光りし歩くとみしみし音がする廊下。そこをぼんやりと照らす裸電球。
風呂場に入ると、長い歳月、温泉の湯がとうとうと流れたせいで、コンクリートの壁や床が茶色、白、黒のまだら模様のようになっています。
古くからの温泉宿は療養のための湯治場として機能していることが多く、そこに長く滞在している老人達の洗濯物が干してある窓や、野菜や食器が置かれた共同炊事場が独特の生活感を漂わせています。
霞がかったような人里離れた山奥の中で、そういった生活感のある風景を見ると仙人の生活のようで下界とかけ離れた別世界にいる気分にさせてくれます。
かつて中国の内陸部に、嫁入り前の娘はお風呂に入り体を清めるという習慣がある村がありました。
そこでは、水が大変貴重なため桶一杯分の穀物と引き換えに同量の水を手に入れ、風呂にためる水を集めたそうです。
また、別の地方では、水を浴び体を洗い流すために10日間歩いて湖まで行かなければならなかった人達もいました。そんな話を聞くと、お湯があふれて際限なく流れ続けている温泉はとても贅沢なものだと気付かされます。
古く寂れた温泉宿に、無尽蔵に流れる湯。慎み深い佇まいの中での贅沢なひとときが温泉の魅力です。
温泉や銭湯のような公衆浴場は日本独特の習慣のように思っていましたが、上記の中国でのエピソードが描かれている映画「こころの湯」では北京の古くから続く銭湯が舞台となっています。
私が以前、韓国のソウルに行ったとき、風呂のないドミトリーに泊まっていたのですが、近くには銭湯があり毎日そこに通っていました。また、トルコではハマムという公共のサウナがどんな小さな街にもあります。
どこも、ただ湯を浴びるためだけでなくそこに住む人たちの憩いの場として機能しています。
旅先でそういった場所を見つけるとつい足を踏み入れ長居をしてしまいます。
写真は、那須連山の山深いところにある「北温泉」で撮影しました。
江戸時代から続く歴史ある温泉宿で、つげ義春の漫画に出てきそうな味わいのある鄙びた雰囲気が魅力です。
歴史を感じさせる木造の風格のある建物、中に入ると骨董品のような調度品や置物をたくさん見ることが出来ます。それらは博物館のなかでガラスケースに収まっているのではなく、今も実際に使われその役割をはたしています。
長い年月の間、日々使われることで、醸し出しされた風合いは人の心を和ませてくれます。
新しいものを取り入れることがポジティブで、古いものを残し続けていくことはネガティブと捉えられがちですが、永く残し、使い続け、次世代に伝えていくことは、実はとてもポジティブで強い意思が必要だと気付かされます。

In regions such as Northern Kanto and Tohoku, there are inns that provide hot springs.
I have this feeling similar to that of longing, whenever I see inns that are located deep in the mountains with hardly any surroundings.

A wall that is slightly decayed, a corridor that gives a squeaking sound when walking, and a simple light bulb that vaguely lights the space.

When you enter the bathing area, you can see how the concrete based floor and walls show a spotted color of brown, white, and black. This is coming from the hot spring that has flowed over a long period of time.

Inns that are located in historical hot spring districts tend to origin itself for therapeutic purposes. This can be seen from the clothes elderly patients hang outside the window, and a shared kitchen space stacked with vegetables and dishes. These seem to release a unique sense of life that is far away from what we imagine when we hear hot spring districts.

When I look at this view located in the inner part of the mountain that is located far away from the town, I imagine a legendary wizard living in a separate world from us.

In a village located in inner part of China, there used to be a custom where a newly bride would take a bath to “clean” their body. Water at those places are valuable, so people would trade a bucket full of grain for a same amount of water. This was done to gain water that is enough to make a bath.

In other regions, in order to bathe and clean themselves, people had to walk to the nearest lake for ten days. When I hear stories like the ones above, I realize how luxurious it is to have hot springs that flow warm water endlessly.

One of the beauties of going to a hot spring is this luxurious time being spent in a humble yet deep atmosphere. Another point being the mood of a historic and somewhat deserted inn and hot springs that flow endlessly.

I used to think that hot springs and public baths were unique traditions that belong to Japan, but when you take a look at the Chinese movie called “Shower,” you can realize how it takes place in a public bath located in Beijing. By the way, this movie introduces the episode I wrote above.

In the past when I went to Seoul, I used to stay at a dormitory that did not have any shower, which made me go to a public bath nearby every single day. In Turkey, there are local saunas called Hamam everywhere including small towns.

Not only do all those places serve as a place to bathe, it also serves as a place where people gather around to relax.

Whenever I find these places while traveling, I just hop inside and stay there for quite a long time.

The photo is taken at “Kita Onsen,” which is located deep in the mountains of Nasu.
This is a historical hot spring district that dates itself from the Edo period, and releases a rustic yet attractive taste resembling that of Yoshiharu Tsuge’s comic.
There is a historical wooden building in the district, and when you get inside, you see a lot of antique goods that still serve its purpose unlike items that are located in the museum.

Items that are used for a long time seem to release a taste that eases people’s feeling. We tend to think taking in new things as something positive and preserving old things as negative. But when we come to think of it, we realize that preserving it, using it, and passing it onto the next generation is actually a positive action that requires strong intention.