湯河原 x 湯バル: Onsen Writer's Residence
The Arrival
I arrived in Japan in August 2023 for a research trip spanning from the north to the south of the country in search of its healing waters. The topic I was researching was for a book I had been working on for several years about onsen and architecture: a visual compendium of Japanese hot springs. The idea was to spend three weeks going throughout the country by car, train, bike, and boat to reshoot various onsen throughout the country to refine and update the book that I was working on with my publisher, the esteemed Dutch Art and Architecture book publishers nai010.
After the trip, I came back to Tokyo to research the local sento, which were also very interesting:
The Chance Encounter
It was during this trip that I met Jun at an event. He introduced himself as a developer, both software and architecture, which was intriguing. I approached him and started a conversation.
I mentioned my book to him, and he told me that he had just finished renovating an onsen ryokan in a town called Yugawara, and asked if I would like to see it and be the inaugural writer in residence. Yugawara, it turns out, has a long history of writers and poets traveling to steep in its famous onsen water while working on their novels and poetry:
Best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, Yugawara was an inspiration for him, and the setting of his final novel, Mei-an
A famous author who was inspired by Yugawara's natural beauty and mild climate
A great writer in the Meiji era who often visited Yugawara and wrote works about it
Yugawara
I enthusiastically agreed to this exciting opportunity to follow in the literary footsteps of the legendary authors that had dipped in Yugawara’s waters. A few days later, I arrived in Yugawara station, where Jun picked me up and took me to the beautifully renovated onsen ryokan called EXP._Co-onsen, which is also available for rental:
https://exp.is/experiencing/co-onsen
I quickly familiarized myself with the historic town and its friendly people. First enjoying the local cuisine, which is world class, including the top ramen spot in the entire country as well as Wanchan, the Katsudon King:
Yugawara's sights are equally amazing, beautiful in any season
The Book
The book I have been working on is called Towards a Nude Architecture: A Visual Compendium of Japanese Hot Springs.
As one of the most volcanically active geographies in the world, the islands of Japan gush with nearly 30,000 naturally occurring hot springs, or onsen, of varying temperatures, colors, and mineral compositions. When superimposed over the country’s history, their timeline winds its way through ancient religions, warring empires, medical marvels, and modern day pop-culture, forming a vital part of the national identity.
Combining photos, drawings, collages, and diagrams from over a decade of travel across the country, Towards a Nude Architecture explores this narrative through an architectural lens, presenting a visual journey of water and steam spanning centuries and geographies. Across three chapters examining past, present, and future, the book looks at the spiritual roots of bathing, the diverse structures built around the tradition, and the lasting influence of this poetic mingling between architecture, nature, and the naked body.
Facing declining visitors and increased privatization, compounded by recent global crises, the need to promote and preserve these bastions of public space is more crucial than ever.
The Crowdfunding
As a first time author, the publisher required me to presell a certain amount of books, so I launched a kickstarter campaign which includes a video I made in a local hot spring in Yugawara:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/onsensei/towards-a-nude-architecture?ref=9nnn1l&token=b64d3e82
Getting to work
Settling down at my new surroundings at EXP._Co-onsen, after a well-deserved soak in the three baths on the property, I sat down and got to work.
One year later, the book is about to come out, and Jun and I are working together on many other exciting things. Very excited to see where this path will lead us.
