Dōgo Onsen Dōgo Onsen Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū (written c. 759) and, according to legend, Prince Shōtoku (574–622) used to partake of the waters. Dōgo Onsen was the favorite retreat of writer Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916) when he was working near Matsuyama as a teacher in what was at the time rural Shikoku. In Soseki's loosely autobiographical novel "Botchan", the eponymous main character is a frequent visitor to the springs, the only place he likes in the area. Dogo Onsen
Onsen geisha Onsen geisha Onsen geisha (温泉芸者) is are Japanese geisha, or entertainers, who work in onsen (hot spring) resorts or towns. The term onsen geisha has a negative connotation in that the term has come to be synonymous with prostitute. This is due to several reasons. In pre–World War II history, the term "onsen geisha" had a negative connotation, as geisha who lived and worked at hot spring resorts or towns were often regarded as the lowest of geisha, they were unbound by contracts and could move to any other onsen town, and thus had no "history" or professional genealogy. During