The Legend of the White Heron and the Tama-no-Ishi: Two Origin Stories of Dogo Onsen

The Hot Spring Found by an Injured White Heron

There are two ancient stories passed down regarding the discovery of Dogo Onsen. One is the "Shirasagi Legend". Long ago, a single white heron with an injured leg soaked its injured leg in the hot water flowing from between rocks, and eventually, the wound healed, and it flew away in good health. Seeing this, villagers dipped their hands into the hot water, found it warm, and realized it was a hot spring with healing properties—so the story goes. The name of the Shinrokaku tower, a symbol of the hot spring town, and the white heron designs decorated in various places originate from this legend.

Okuninushi no Mikoto and Sukunabikona no Mikoto — The Myth of the Hot Spring

The other is a myth recorded in the lost passages of the Iyo no Kuni Fudoki. When Okuninushi no Mikoto and Sukunabikona no Mikoto were traveling from Izumo Province to Iyo Province, Sukunabikona no Mikoto fell suddenly ill, perhaps due to the fatigue of the long journey. Okuninushi no Mikoto guided the "Hayami no Yu" of Oita to Dogo through a pipe along the seabed, placed Sukunabikona no Mikoto on his palm, and soaked him in the hot water, whereupon he rapidly recovered. The delighted Sukunabikona no Mikoto is said to have danced on a nearby stone.

"Tama no Ishi" and the Two Deities of the Yugama

This story is still engraved in the landscape of Dogo today. The stone on which Sukunabikona no Mikoto is said to have danced is enshrined as "Tama no Ishi" on the north side of the Dogo Onsen Honkan, and an imprint passed down as the deity's footprint remains. Additionally, on the front of the yugama installed in places like Hojoen, the figures of the two deities, Okuninushi no Mikoto and Sukunabikona no Mikoto, are carved. The myth and the hot spring have been passed down to this day in the form of buildings and stones.

Hot Springs and Myths Resonating Across Various Regions

Stories of a white heron finding hot springs or deities obtaining hot water are not unique to Dogo. Similar legends remain at hot springs across various regions, including Arima Onsen and Tamatsukuri Onsen. Nevertheless, what makes the stories of Dogo so impressionable is the depth of its hot spring history, which is considered among the oldest in Japan, and the fact that the legends still remain today in "visible forms" such as the Tama no Ishi and the yugama. If you visit the Tama no Ishi before soaking in the hot spring, you might feel the time of myth a little closer.

Note: There are various theories and different versions of the legends. The content introduced here is what is typically passed down.