first part
Source Facilities at Dogo Onsen I mentioned earlier that Dogo Onsen blends hot spring water from 18 sources and sends it to hot spring facilities. The facilities that blend the hot spring water and send it to the hot spring facilities are called “bunkyubas. Currently, hot spring water is sent to hot spring facilities from four bunkyubas, one of which, “Dogo Onsen No. 4 Bunkyuba,” is located near Dogo Onsen Station and is open to all visitors. At the No. 4 Bathhouse, hot spring water is drawn from four sources on the premises and two nearby, for a total of six sources, blended together, and then sent to nearby hot spring facilities. Inside the bathhouse, visitors can see up close how the hot spring water is actually drawn from the six sources and blended. There is also a “hand bath” next to the entrance of the building where visitors can actually touch the assembled hot spring water. I actually tried touching the source in the hand bath, and while it was not so hot that I could not touch it, it was quite hot. In the sense that you can actually experience the source of Dogo Onsen, it is definitely a place you should visit when you visit Dogo Onsen.
Tantalizing Uwajima-style tai-meshi (sea bream rice) After experiencing the pilgrimage and visiting Dogo Onsen, it was just time for lunch, so we decided to move on to lunch. We were to have Ehime’s local cuisine for lunch this time as well. We visited “Kadoya Daikaido” located in Daikaido, the central downtown area of Matsuyama. Kadoya is a restaurant with its main branch in Uwajima City, located in the east of Ehime Prefecture, serving Uwajima’s local cuisine. Among the dishes offered by Kadoya, the “tai meshi” (sea bream rice) is a particular specialty. While we had Matsuyama-style tai-meshi for lunch on the first day, Kadoya offers Uwajima-style tai-meshi. Tai-meshi, which is a specialty in many parts of Ehime, is actually quite different from region to region. In the central and eastern regions of Ehime centering on Matsuyama, the tai meshi is a takikomi type of tai meshi, in which rice is cooked in a kombu broth with grilled sea bream. On the other hand, tai-meshi in the southern part of Ehime, centering on Uwajima, consists of sea bream sashimi dipped in broth with a raw egg and served on hot rice with the broth poured over it. It is interesting to note that even though they are the same tai meshi, they are served in completely different styles. Of course, the difference in taste between the two is also interesting. The Matsuyama-style tai meshi we had on the first day was very appealing in that you could enjoy the flavor of the tai at the same time, both in the savory and flaky taste of the tai meat and in the delicious aroma of the rice soaked with the flavor of the tai. On the other hand, the Uwajima-style tai-meshi served at Kadoya is made with sashimi, so the chewy texture of the sea bream is strongly felt at first. Compared to the Matsuyama style, the smell of the sea bream is not so strong, but the texture of the crispy sea bream sashimi and the unique sweet taste of the fatty sea bream sashimi give the impression of direct enjoyment. The sauce, which has a slightly sweet taste and is enriched by the addition of the egg, is a strong and powerful accompaniment. Unlike soy sauce, the sauce has few corners, which enhances the flavor of the sea bream and gently envelops it. The sauce also goes well with rice. The appearance and taste of the Matsuyama style are completely different from the Matsuyama style, but both have a flavor that is hard to compare. Hats off to the depth of Ehime’s tai-meshi. The accompanying ingredients, such as Ehime’s specialty jako-ten (fish cake) and soboro (minced fish cake), also enhance the taste of the tai-meshi. I found myself devouring the dish in no time at all, and was very satisfied with my lunch.
© Source travel watch
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