Yasuragi Iojima Onsen!

So for those of you who don't know what an onsen is, it is a Japanese word for hot springs, and since Japan is actively volcanic(heck yes) they have thousands of onsens all over Japan. They are hot springs for relaxing in and the term onsen is also used for public bathing facility that goes with onsens. When you use onsens to soak in, you always clean yourself very well before entering.

The onsen me and my friends experienced this weekend was on Iojima island right off of Nagasaki, Japan. We take a 20 minute ferry ride to the island and the whole trip only costs 980円 ($12) so its a fantastic price! ferry and onsen and seeing tons of naked asians? I'm in.

 This is the view in the woman's onsen at night, it was amazing! while you soak, you can also look out onto the main island and see Nagasaki and the sunset if you go at the right times.

These are the hotspring bathes inside the onsen, they had four to choose from, all made beautifully, 3 nice warm temperature and one boiling hot one. There was also one cold bath and face bath, you can see the face bath in the middle of the room, its not a bath exactly just a place to dip your hands in and splash your face with. The cold baths are interesting, a giant cauldron of freezing water that is extremely refreshing to splash on yourself. 

 These cauldrons were so cool. Just giant pots filled with hot onsen water and you just sit in them waiting to be cooked!  two people could even fit into them, awesome ideas by Japan right here.

These are the outside onsen facilities, like I mentioned the view is awesome from this island. The outside has two medium sized bathes to soak in, a foot bath, 3 large cauldrons to sit in, and the rock slate. The side picture of the rock slate which you can barely see is cool too. you just lay on this giant piece of rock, eyes up at the sky as hot water runs down your back, so relaxing...

America, if we already don't, NEED to invest in some of these bad boys, so relaxing, and not expensive.

Pictures from...

Yasuraji Iojima Resort

I'm Leaving In 17 Days

 Hi my name is Kaylyn and I'm leaving for Japan in 17 days....

There is one thing you'll need to know about my life that might be useful in understanding my tortured soul during this blog:

1) I'm a baby.

(Hope they have my favorite baby food in Japan or I'll be quite cranky..)

In preparation for my departure from my home I've had to start saying my goodbyes, pack up my life in a 50 pound limit suitcase, spend a lot of money fixing my car,  try to teach my mom how to use Skype, and cry a bunch. I'm also practically dying because I've never been away from home/my mom longer than 3 weeks. I'm just a big ol' homegirl baby.

In 17 days I'll be in Nagasaki, Japan and I'll be over seas for 11 months on a year exchange where I'll be attending NUFS Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies. I know for a fact this experience will be amazing but to get to that amazing experience feeling I'm going to have to feel a few unpleasant ones first.

Hopefully this blog will help me sort out my soon to be off the wall feelings towards my upcoming trip. I'd like to keep my thoughts organized and share my experience with my friends and family, I'll take many pictures and go about this blogging thing right. Just call me Kaylyn Hamilton.

- Homegirl [about to be] In Japan
    ....and may the odds be ever in my favor!