Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Seven Springs of Kinosaki (Premium)

Episode Date: January 28, 2021

This is a preview episode. Get the full episode, and many more, ad free, on our supporter's feed: https://getsleepy.com/support. The Seven Springs of KinosakiTonight, Elizabeth takes us on a tranquil adventure to some of Japan's most relaxing hot springs. 😴  Sound design: bamboo forest rustling.  About Get Sleepy Premium: Help support the podcast, and get: Monday and Wednesday night episodes (with zero ads) The exclusive Thursday night bonus episode Access to the entire back catalog (also ad-free) Premium sleep meditations, extra-long episodes and more! We'll love you forever. ❤️ Get a 7 day free trial, and join the Get Sleepy community here https://getsleepy.com/support. And thank you so, so much.  Tom, and the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, Thomas here. You're listening to a preview episode. You can enjoy the entire story tonight by subscribing to our supporters' feed. There you'll get access to the entire back catalogue, bonus episodes, and more, and it's all completely ad-free. Click the link below to learn more. And thank you so so much. Me and the team really appreciate your support. The afternoon sunshine bathes the picturesque town of Kinosaki in golden light. It streets aligned with old houses, Japanese style inns and cozy cafes. The buildings are grouped close together with thatched roofs and facades decorated with ornate latticework. Peeking over the rooftops, the surrounding mountains shimmer with the browns, oranges and reds of their autumn foliage. Everywhere you look, you can find people wearing traditional garments

and hear the rhythmic clip crop of their wooden shoes against the pavement. There is no rush here, no noise or traffic and even though you've just arrived, you can't help but feel like you've traveled a few hundred years back in time. streets full of old world charm. Kinosaki is blessed with seven natural hot springs. Scattered all around the city centre, the onsen as the locals call them, were once believed to be a gift from the gods. For centuries, people have traveled to the Onsen to bathe in the pristine beauty of the springs. Generations ago, the bathing grittual started with a visit to the nearby temple. People prayed to a guardian god to be allowed to enter the sacred waters and be healed by them.

enter the sacred waters and be healed by them. As a token of their faith, they received a bamboo ladle, which served as their ticket to the now famous bathhouses. These days, you don't need to prove your faith or hand in a ladle to go for a relaxing soak. But still, you decide to start your journey like the ancient Japanese. Respecting tradition is a wonderful way to amass yourself in another culture, you think. You'll begin with a visit to the temple, and then move on to the springs. Located at the foot of a nearby mountain, the temple is only a short hike away. You can reach it easily by following a stone path through the forest. From the city centre, you follow the main street, wandering at a leisurely pace.

There's no need to hurry. As you walk, you scan the sides of the road carefully, searching for the path at the edge of the woods that will lead you to the temple. The street was built along the bank of a narrow river, just like every person living here. The river knows the importance of slowing down too. Its waters trickle softly beside you. At times, it's hard to detect any motion at all. As its crystalline surface reflects the dangling branches of the willow trees, leaning over it. Here, you are off the beaten track, away from the hectic pace of city life. Even the houses seem to sleep. you