Matsuyama Culture

OVERVIEW

Watch a traditional geisha performance at a teahouse and explore a bathhouse built around the oldest hot springs in Japan. Both experiences will present different aspects of the local culture and provide great insight into daily life in Matsuyama. The venue for this stirring performance will be Hanahimero, a teahouse devoted solely to the geisha culture. The geishas will be dressed in colorful floor-length kimonos as they sing, dance and play musical instruments such as three-stringed Japanese lutes. Geishas are highly trained entertainers who study a range of arts that may also include poetry, calligraphy and performing the tea ceremony. A short walk will bring you to Dogo Onsen, a hot springs with an atmospheric bathhouse that features a warren of narrow passages and rooms. It is the centerpiece of the surrounding shopping area, much of which is within a covered arcade. While browsing, you might pause for a soothing foot bath.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch a performance of geishas singing, dancing and playing musical instruments.
• Appreciate the geishas’ talents, which may also include writing poetry and calligraphy.
• Visit a classic 19th-century wooden bathhouse at the oldest hot springs in Japan.
• Shop for high-end, locally made merchandise in a covered arcade by the bathhouse.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.