Shima Onsen 四万温泉 acquired its name from Shima = which means 40,000. It is reputed that the healing effect of its water has the ability to cure 40,000 diseases.
The most famous Shima onsen is Sekinzenkan Kashoutei 積善館, whose fascade has inspired Studio Ghibli's anime Spirited Away. We were lucky to arrive on December 18th, on the cusp of the newly fallen snow early winter 2022.
It was lightly snowing on our way in. But the next morning, blue sky greeted us with spots of snow on the ground.
