title: Hokuriku Tales vol.3

Summary

A book of five stories about Fukui, Ishikawa and Toyama with useful data vol.3

“Let’s become more beautiful”A unique therapy, not available anywhere else. Immerseyour body into the blessings of water and hot springs[Biofango therapy]Biofango therapy uses mud with hotspring constituents condensed into itAt Sanrakuen, you can enjoy twodifferent types of hot spring.The onsen ryokan (hot spa inn) Sanrakuen sits in the Shogawa hot spring areaby the Shogawa River that runs through the Tonami Plain in Toyama Prefecture.We heard news that the inn has an aesthetic salon, and what’s more, they offer avery interesting body-pack treatment called“biofangotherapy”, using fango or hot spring mud. We hurried to visitthe inn.Hot spring areas like this one used to be for men,especially after dark. We visited there in the daytime andwe saw many female visitors, probably because of the inn’saesthetic salon named“Garden”.While their wide treatment menu included ordinary bodypacksand face-packs, we chose the“biofango therapy”thatbegan in 2010. Fango means mud from hot springs. Fangois prepared by pouring hot spring sourced water over mudfor a period of more than three weeks. The minerals andother constituents of the hot spring water are condensedinto the mud. The mud thus prepared is warmed up andapplied to your body for pack treatment. This thermal biofango treatment is sowarm that you can easily fall asleep. It was a very happy afternoon. They use asmuch as ten kilograms of the pack treatment material. What a luxury!. Thistreatment is said to be good for detox and the improvement of blood circulation.On weekdays, the low-priced set plan includes treatment and lunch. If youhave more free time, there is a special lady’s overnight package that includesaesthetic and biofango treatments, kaiseki-style dinner targeted at ladies focusedon beauty and health, as well as the room. Next time, we definitely plan to stayovernight in this wonderful hot spring inn.Aesthetics and Spa: Torigoe-no-Yado (literally, inn of migrating birds) Sanrakuen839 Shogawamachi-Kanaya, Tonami, Toyama TEL: 0763-82-1260Reservations for aesthetics and therapy: TEL: 0763-82-7711 (Garden)Shogawa biofango therapy: 8,000 yen (45 minutes)+Walk the old town in a kimono [Rent-a-kimono]It’s a girl’s dream to walk the alleys of the old castle town Kanazawa clad in akimono. Kaga Yuzen Kaikan (literally, Kaga Yuzen Center) will make yourdream come true.Instead of just trying on a kimono, I opted for the“Town walk in a kimono”course. More than 20 authentic Kaga Yuzen kimonos (which I could hardly affordto put on otherwise) are available and you can choose the one you like best. Andof course, female assistants are there help dress you up. Tabi socks and zorisandals are included; youcan just stop over duringyour journey and get fullydressed in a kimono.If you take the one-hourrental service, you can reachKenrokuen Park and come42 Hokuriku Tales vol.3Walk in a rental kimonofor one or three hours