Boiling Eggs at Yunomine Onsen, Japan

Halfway along the World Heritage listed pilgrimage, the Kumano Kodo in Japan lies the little village of Yunomine, in a very small valley cut by a stream with geothermal properties. I spent 5 days with a mate on this trail, with 2 nights and 1 blissful day in Yunomine to enjoy the local onsens (hot spas) and relax.

Down by the river, there was a vendor selling eggs in small nets, that could be hung in one section of the river that had been cordoned off. The water was boiling there, and so a pilgrim could hang and boil the eggs in readiness for the following days journey. What a great idea!

Another aspect on the outer edge of this drawing, is that of the downstairs onsen at the ryokan we were staying in. There is an expectation that all onsen (hot spa) users thoroughly wash themselves before entering the baths, in order to keep the water as clean and hygienic as possible. So every onsen has a wash station, with stools, mirrors, buckets, products and tap. It's all very organised...