Onsen Research Project

This next bath was configured similarly to the first bath. Locker room, wash area, and hot spring bath. But it looked out to a stream that ran behind the resort. It looked like spring run off as steam rose from it as it gurgled its way down hill.

We took a break for lunch and changed out of our wet clothes. I caught up with Ogata-san while we ate.

"Ogata-san, where does the stream come from?"

"It come from hot spring. Is nearby. Maybe ten minute walk. But must be careful, not go inside. Hotel water must be clean."

"I understand. That won't be a problem. I was thinking of taking pictures of the spring."

"So-so, maybe good idea. Area very nice. Ok. I think good to do."

So it was agreed that we would go up to the spring the next day and take several photos.

After lunch, I suggested to Jennifer that we change our clothes as I was scheduled to take pictures of the resort's food preparation activities in their kitchen. When we got to the kitchen, Ogata-san introduced us to his kitchen manager, Sonomura Takeo, who was also their head chef.

Sonomura had arranged to have two other chefs on hand to demonstrate the preparation for a sashimi or raw fish entrée as well as to show off some of their items on their menu.

"Sekimura-san, you eat sashimi?" Sonomura asked.

"Hai. I enjoy sashimi very much." I replied.

"Then you will find this to be special treat. We save for you. Kihada Maguro Otoro."

"Not Hon-maguro (blue fin)?" I asked.

"No. Hon-maguro very few. We must be responsible and help Hon-maguro to come back. Kihada Maguro is very good fish also. Please try."

Kihada Maguro, sometimes referred to as Ahi, has a clean taste. Otoro refers to the portion of the fish that is close to the belly of the fish which is usually very fatty and tender. And this Otoro was melt in your mouth good.

"Wow, that is good." I told Sonomura-san. "That is really good."

Jennifer told Sonomura, "I am very happy that you are not serving Hon-maguro. The Blue Fin tuna is dangerously close to extinction from over fishing."

"Hai, we understand. Most restaurant support not using Hon-maguro. Is our responsibility."

I took a number of photos of their fish cutting and food preparation techniques. And the series of knives that the chefs used to prepare different things. Even the cutting of the fish required three differently shaped knives.

"So this knife we use first to cut fish. Must be strong to cut through fish skin and through bones." And that knife was long, thick and curved.

"This knife must be flexible so can bend when pressed against fish bones. Leave little meat on bones." And he held up a long, narrow knife that was long and thin. That particular knife was used to do most of the rough cuts; separating fish from bones and skin.

"This knife most important. We only use to cut fillets and sashimi. Must be clean and very sharp. Good sushi chef, this knife most valuable." He said as he held a moderate length knife that was narrow and tapered.

The collection of knives was impressive so I took a picture of them lined up on a wooden cutting board. The board itself was made of Hinoki Cypress, a wood prized by many chefs world wide.

Sonomura and his chefs walked us through other entrees that they regularly featured on their menu. And of course, they let us sample their creations throughout the afternoon after we photographed them. Did we have room for dinner after that? No way.

But Sonomura wouldn't let us go without having us try his tofu gelatin that was prepared with soy milk. Unlike most tofu, a little gelatin was added to give it a firmer texture, then let to harden in thin layers. Once hardened, he would then slice the tofu gelatin into thin, noodle like pieces that virtually melted in your mouth. Served with a light soy-yuzu (think citrus) sauce, this tofu gelatin was so very delicious.

Jennifer and I left Sonomura's kitchen around 3:30 that afternoon with a new appreciation for the amount of work and artistic skills needed in order to produce the meals that we had enjoyed so far. And I had the pictures to prove it!

Stuffed the gills from sampling Sonomura's wares, we decided to walk into town and sight see that evening.

The next morning we met up once again for breakfast. This time with Ogata-san as I recounted the work done so far with his onsen. He hoped that I would give his onsen a prominent place in the book.

"Ogata-san, what makes your onsen special? Is it the food, your staff, the hot spring? What makes people come to your resort?" Jennifer asked.

Ogata thought for a moment before he replied, "I think many onsen say hot spring is most important. But hot spring water is mostly same except for some with much Sulphur. But I don't think many people like smell of Sulphur water." He laughed, and I had to agree.

He continued, "I think Kano-san, food and our people reason why people come to Hokkaido Kaisha Onsen instead of other onsen."

She nodded her head in agreement. "I have stayed with you several times and each time was very pleasant." Ogata was pleased with that comment.

So it was decided that the section on the Hokkaido Kaisha Onsen would feature its staff, their service, and the food. Photos of the hot spring baths would also be included.

We then decided to visit the hot spring itself. Ogata told us that a pathway towards the north side of the resort would lead us to the spring.

"I think we should put on some walking shoes and take a jacket with us just in case it gets cold."

"Good idea. I'll do that." Jennifer replied as we walked out of the dining room.

"Come in while I change," Jennifer invited as we got to her room. So I followed her in.

She took a jacket out of her suitcase along with a pair of walking shoes, and put them on. She sat on her bed as she laced up her shoes. She faced me as she did so and I could see up the leg of her shorts. And she wasn't wearing underwear and displayed part of her bald peach to me.

"Ah, Jennifer, ..... ah ......." I started to say.

She smiled, "What, cat got your tongue?"

"Ah, you might want to be careful about bending over."

She laughed, "I didn't show you anything that I didn't want you to see." Fuck, my dick sprang to life and filled the crotch of my shorts.

She got to her feet and walked over to me, and we hugged and kissed.

"I am really attracted to you, Peter." She said as she looked into my eyes.

I kissed her back, "As I am to you, Jennifer. But where do you want this to go?"

"I don't know. Right now I'm just letting life take me where it will."

"What if it takes you away from California?"

"As in with you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, if I felt strongly about you, then I wouldn't have a problem with that."

"You have anything that anchors you to the Bay area?"

"Family and friends. But Peter, if I really feel strongly about you, then I'm not going to let it get in the way. Do you have anything that anchors you to Honolulu?"

I laughed, "Family and friends. But like you, if we decide that we're right for each other, then it's a minor issue."

We hugged and kissed again before we went to my room where I got my jacket and put on a pair of walking shoes.

We left the hotel and took a trail that Ogata had told us about earlier. It was a gentle climb that wound its way through the trees until it met up with the stream. I noticed how green the foliage was along the length of the stream.

"I bet the hot stream causes the humidity in the surrounding area to be higher. Look at how green the plants and bushes are."

"Yeah, it must throw off a lot of condensation. I think it might also produce a fog if the air is cold. Like in the mornings or late afternoons."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Hey, chemistry major; interaction between warm and moist air with cold air? Fog?"

She smiled and slapped my arm.

I grinned. "We gotta stay to see if that is true. Now that would be an interesting picture." And she agreed.

So we did. I took a number of pictures of the spring in its setting amongst the rocks and trees. I could see the inlet where the hotel's hot spring water was diverted into a pipeline. The air was warm and the trees sheltered us from any wind. So we took our jackets off.

"It's so pretty up here." Jennifer said. And I had to agree. This entire onsen book project just seemed to be getting better every moment.

"It's like a picture book setting."

She nodded her head in agreement. Almost like from the pages of a fairy tale. I half-way expected to see small forest creatures emerge to grace us with their presence. Now that would have created a magical moment.

Jennifer sat on a large rock and patted the area next to her, an invitation to sit next to her. We sat there in contemplation of the serenity of the hot spring and the forest around it for quite some time. In time Jennifer leaned against me and I wrapped an arm around her.

"This is so restive. I don't know if I want to publish the pictures of the spring." I said.

"Why not?"

"Because it might cause someone to seek out the actual spring itself. And the more people come up here, the more stress will be placed on this ecosystem. Can you imagine ten to twenty people coming up here each day?'

After a few moments, Jennifer nodded her head in agreement, "Yeah, that would really spoil this place. This place needs to be safe guarded."

By 5:00 in the afternoon, the chill in the air had become noticeable and the semblance of a light fog began to become apparent. After another half hour, the fog started to become denser so I took a series of photos every ten minutes or so. By 6pm, it had become dark to the extent that I had to step down my shutter speed to the point that any vibration of the camera would probably result in a blurred shot. So we packed up and returned to the resort.

Upon our return, we took my camera equipment back to my room, then returned to the dining room where we enjoyed another great meal.

"What did you think about the picture taking today?" I asked.

"That was interesting. I especially like the hot spring area. That is a really special place."

"I agree. I think I'll give the pictures to Ogata-san and let him decide whether or not to use them."

"Perhaps you should also let him know what we think about keeping people away from the spring itself."

"Yeah. Maybe he's already thought about that. We'll see."

"Peter, do you have any plans for after dinner?"

"No. No plans at all besides taking a bath."

"Want to share a bath?" Jennifer asked quietly.

I leaned over and kissed her. "Definitely." And she kissed me back.

After leaving the dining room, we stopped by the reception area and made a reservation for one of the private baths later that evening around 8:30pm. We had the last open time for that particular bath.

"Is there a limit to how long we can stay there?" I asked.

"Yes please. Our staff must clean bath so bath close at 10:00 pm." The receptionist replied.

"Domoo (thanks)," I replied.

We had about a half hour before our scheduled time so we returned to our rooms to change into our Japanese robes. Again, Jennifer invited me into her room while she changed.

"Do you know what the proper attire is?" I asked.

"Yes. You'll just need to wear the yukata (Japanese robe). You won't need any underwear. We should also wear the hotel slippers."

And she then undressed completely in front of me and put herself on display for me.

"You like?" she asked pensively.

"Goddess...... ," I replied. "You are a beautiful, sexy goddess. If we didn't have our appointment, I'd be tempted to throw you on the bed and have my way with you."

She smiled, "Well, there's always afterwards," she said as she finished dressing in her Yukata.

We went to my room where the foreplay was repeated as I undressed and put on my Yukata. However in my case, my erection would not subside which caused an untold bunch of laughter on Jennifer's part. There was only one way I could disguise my stiffy so I put my underwear back on. But Jennifer wouldn't have that. She insisted that they come off.

"If I don't do something about this, everyone looking at me will know that I have an erection."

She smiled, "and they'll be jealous of me also."

Well, maybe, but I'm not saying that my seven inches or so is anything to crow about.

She whispered in my ear as I finished dressing, "you won't have that problem when we're through bathing. I'll guarantee that." And she kissed me very aggressively; so I grabbed her ass in the process and ground my dick into her pelvis.

Shit! That made me even harder.

To my relief, we managed to walk from our rooms to the private bath without bumping into anyone. Jennifer thought it was hilarious, but my boner refused to subside.

We entered the private bath and found it to be quite the picture book setting. "I think I should have taken a couple of pictures of the private baths here. This place looks amazing" I said in passing to Jennifer.

And she agreed as we took in the surroundings. As we entered the bath, it was apparent that there were three areas to the bath. An initial area where we disrobed and stored our clothing and effects in plastic baskets left for that purpose. Immediately in front of that was a wash area that was set in a garden setting with plastic benches available to sit on. Water spigots with handheld sprayers were available along with small plastic pails. A variety of liquid soaps, hair shampoos and conditioners were also available. Beyond the bathing area was the hot tub itself; gently steaming while it waited for us.. Built around it was a rock and foliage garden. And it was fully enclosed and private.

Jennifer retrieved one of the plastic pails and rinsed me down. Then she proceeded to wash me with her hands. That was just one of the most sensuous experiences that I have ever had. There's something about a woman's hands on me, soaping me down slowly, appreciating my body, that just turns me on. And especially if it's Jennifer; especially when she grabbed my erection and slowly washed me and stroked my cock to a new state of hardness.

She finished washing me all too soon, however it was now my turn to return the favor. Grabbing one of the plastic pails, I rinsed her down and proceeded to wash her beautiful body with my hands using the liquid soap.

She emitted a quick gasp as I slowly washed the cleft between her checks and slowly rubbed her anus. She bent over slightly and pushed against my fingers as I continued to wash her there. Something to remember; her liking her anus rubbed.

She also enjoyed having her breasts slowly washed and her nipples palmed and tweaked. But her most sensitive area was her pussy. I slowly worked the soap into the light downy covering of hair on her mound, then worked two of my fingers through her labia before softly rubbing her clit. Her breathing became forced and shallow as her arousal grew. Then she stiffened and grabbed my arm as she came.

"Fuck," she whispered. "Oh ........ fuck........" as I gradually stopped rubbing her clit.

We hugged and kissed at length before I finished washing and rinsing her.

We were seated in the hot bath water when I asked her, "where do you go from here?"

"You mean my life or my trip?"

I gave it a thought, "at first I just meant your trip, but I guess I really mean your life."

She climbed into my lap and we hugged.

"I don't know how to answer that. I am really having a great time with you. I don't want this to end." And she paused to think.

"But," I interjected and waited for her to say something.

"Yeah, but...... But I need to decide what to do with the rest of my life sooner or later."

"Take your time. That's a really important question. Don't rush it."

She smiled, "Sage advice from someone who's holding a naked women in his arms, who is also sitting on his erection that's just inches away from be buried in me."

I laughed as she rose slightly, grabbed my dick, then promptly sat on it impaling herself to the hilt.

"Fuck that's what I need." She moaned as she bottomed out.

Exquisite feelings coursed through my body and I held this magnificent woman in my arms.

We sat there like that for quite a while; joined, hugging and kissing, and just enjoying the closeness and intimacy.

"Jennifer,"

"hmmm?"

"I don't want this to end either."

She smiled, "you mean making love with me or our time together?"

"Both"

She kissed me at length.

Yes, we made love and yes she came and I came; inside of her. And yes, we slept together that night and made love once more the next morning.

----------

The next morning after breakfast, we sat down with a pot of hot tea in her room.

"Jennifer, if you have the time, please come with me to visit the rest of the onsens. There are twelve more that I need to visit and I plan to spend three days and two nights at each. So that will take about three weeks to do."

She gave it some thought before agreeing, "time is not an issue. However I only budgeted so much to spend on this trip and I'd need to redo my return flight."

"I'll take care of all of the trip expenses. Well, actually my publisher will."

"They will?"

"Yeah, they are footing the bill for the entire trip. Let's say that they have made a fortune on the other 17 books. So they have agreed to pay for the so-called research costs in return for not having to pay me an upfront signing fee."

"Oh? So they pay for all of your travel costs?"

"Yep. This arrangement actually works for both them and me. They save on not having to fork over some large dollars, and I save because I don't have to declare the upfront income."

"So how do you get your expenses paid?"

"I put all of my expenses on the charge card that they gave me, and I keep receipts on expenses that I paid with cash out of my pocket."

"Cool. So if your trip costs $30,000, that would be better than an upfront fee?"

"Well, it would be much cheaper for them."

"Cheaper? $30,000 sounds like a lot of money."

"Well the last upfront fee they paid me was for my third book on puppies and kittens. That was $100,000."

"Wow."

I smiled.

"Well, then you're treating from now on!"

"For sure." I smiled.

"Ok, so how are we going to do this?"

So we go together with the concierge at the onsen and she helped to rebook Jennifer's return flight to match mine, and updated the balance of my travel arrangements to include Jennifer. It didn't cost too much more to do that; the purchase of an additional Rail Travel Pass for Jennifer (about $750) and the rebooking of her return flight and upgrade to match my class. Plus seat assignments for all trains and air flights. Hotel room reservations were updated to reflect double occupancy.

"Miss Kano, I have your return flight booked to Honolulu. Do you want to connect to San Francisco?"

Jennifer looked at me, "What should I do?"

I looked at her and gave her a quick kiss. "There are probably things that you'll need to take care of back in San Fran?"

She nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, probably a good idea to check in with my folks at the same time."

"I'll need to do the same in Honolulu, but I can probably fly out to San Fran a couple of days later and meet up with you then."

She smiled. "Sounds like a plan." So we had the concierge put her on a flight to San Francisco later that day; upgraded to first class, of course.

"You're spoiling me."

"My pleasure."

She smiled and kissed me. "Thanks. But just a warning, I don't want to be a "kept" woman. I need to contribute where and when I can."

"That works. But hear me out Jennifer. I've been very lucky and that translates into being able to do things that I really enjoy and make a very, very comfortable living while doing that. So please don't be upset if I pick up all of our expenses."