There are several legends about the origin of  the Dogo Onsen.
This time, I will introduce one of them, the “white egret legend”.

There is such a passage in the book “予陽郡郷俚諺集; Yoyougun-gourigenshuu”, which was compiled in the middle of the Edo period.

伝云、古此湯少し湧出して洴澼たり、鷺の足かたはなるが、常々来りて足を浸す、幾程となく平癒したり、故に此所を鷺谷と云

A long time ago, a white egret who hurt his leg often visited here and soaked his feet in hot water from the rock, and after a while the wound healed. So people came to call here “Sagi-dani”, means “the valley of white egrets .

A wondrous secret hot spring discovered by a white egret.
This is the “white egret legend”.

A stone called “鷺石; Sagi-ishi” is placed in the park named “放生園; houjou-en” just east of Dogo Onsen Station.
It is said that footprints of a white egret that healed foot injuries at Dogo Onsen are left on this stone.
Come to that, I feel like I can see such a pattern on the surface.

On the northern side of Dogo Onsen Main Bldg., there is still an area called “Sagi-dani”.
The white egret is a bird very deeply related to Dogo Onsen.

Even now, white egrets come to Dogo Park.
You may be able to see the figure soaking their feet in the water field.