shimabara part THREE: Mikado Hotel

     Just outside of Shimabara, there is a really nice hotel: Mikado Hotel. Usually hotels are a place to stay at night & then go out to do other things, but this place is a vacation in itself. For this reason it is pretty expensive, but it was definitely worth the stay.
     Upon entering, there is a giant room full of beautiful wooden sculptures. The wood is from the trees that Mt. Unzen had killed during the eruption.
     The entire hotel is very traditional. Every night they have an ancient Japanese live show. There are futons, which are basically mattresses on the ground.  You get an option of having a room with an outside shower (private).  At first I was weary of this, afraid somebody would be able to see me showering, but the hotel is so high up the mountain that the shower is only able to be seen by trees and ocean. Showering outside is SO nice and refreshing now that I’ve tried it, especially with such a beautiful view.
     A big part of Japan’s culture that is completely wild to America is onsens, which are hot spring baths. Except that you’re completely naked & with a bunch of other naked (usually old) people. Weird right? It isn’t weird to the Japanese people at all, because they’ve grown up with it and it’s a part of their culture. I personally couldn’t do it, the privacy our room was enough for me. Good times... Anyway, the water there is some of the best in the country: it comes from miles deep underground, in the volcano. This water hasn’t been touched for thousands, maybe millions of years, and it has many skin and health benefits. You’d have to feel it yourself to believe me, but this water simply tastes and feels better than other water... it’s very smooth. Again, it’s hard to understand without experiencing it yourself.
     Another great thing about this hotel is the FOOD. There’s an all you can eat buffet with some of the best gourmet food ever.  You also get a free box of castella to take with you; this is cake that the prefecture is famous for. I definitely ate all the food that I could.
     I only stayed at Mikado for one night, but it was one of the best nights I’ve ever spent in Japan. The food, beds, shower, and entertainment were some of the best I’ve ever experienced!