Ginzan Onsen: Is This the Best Hot Spring in Yamagata Prefecture?
Ginzan Onsen is a popular hot spring town hidden among the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture’s Obanazawa City. It is the go-to Yamagata onsen town for the people of the Tohoku region.
Built along a crystal-clear river, the traditional Japanese ryokan inns there are over a hundred years old, and the rows of wooden buildings give the place a charming atmosphere.
The “town” of Ginzan Onsen is very compact, and it takes just five minutes to walk from end to end of this street of onsen. You can enjoy the rich atmosphere of the ryokan, while enjoying famous gourmet delicacies.
Join as we step inside Ginzan Onsen, where you can experience the extraordinary!
What kind of place is Ginzan Onsen?
Located in the northern part of Japan, Ginzan Onsen is in Yamagata Prefecture in the Tohoku area, facing the Sea of Japan.
Yamagata itself is dotted with onsen, with pretty much every town and village having at least one. Amongst these, Ginzan Onsen in Obanazawa City is especially famous.
Built between the 1920s and 1930s, the numerous wooden structures of the ryokan constructed there were joined up, forming the onsen town it is today, with countless visitors from far and wide across Japan.
One of the main draws of Ginzan Onsen is its structure and atmosphere; walking through it makes you feel as though you’ve walked through a time slip and gone back in time.
Both sides of the Ginzan-gawa River are lined with neat rows of wooden ryokan. Between the gas lamp-lit street at twilight, and the snow along the tiles lining the pavement, this is a view that you can’t tear your eyes away from, and its stark contrast with the modern buildings and structures of today is where the beauty of this place lies.
Getting to Ginzan Onsen from Tokyo
To get to Ginzan Onsen from Tokyo Station, take the “Tsubasa” shinkansen along the JR Yamagata Shinkansen for three hours and thirty minutes.
Get off at Oishida Station, and change to a route bus for forty minutes, which will bring you straight to Ginzan Onsen. As there are only five buses per day along that route, be very sure to check the bus timings before setting off to ensure a smooth journey.
If you’re flying in instead, you can land in Yamagata Airport. It takes one hour and fifteen minutes to reach Ginzan Onsen by bus.
Ginzan Onsen in Winter: The Loveliest Season
Ginzan Onsen is especially beautiful in winter. During the winter nights, you can walk the streets of the onsen town along pavements lined in the whitest snow, and with the gentle lighting of the gas lamps, the view is stunning and dramatic. There are many people who plan their trips there during the peak travel season to see snow.
Obanazawa City Commerce and Tourism Association
The most enjoyable activity, by far, is exploring Ginzan Onsen town itself. Taking pictures along the street with snowfall is another excellent activity as well. As Ginzan Onsen is situated in the mountain range, it gets pretty dark by 6:00 p.m., and the best time to take pictures there is at sunset.
Besides this, “yukimi furo,” an outdoor hot spring that allows you to enjoy the snow while taking a soak, is a must-try of Japanese culture. It’s not easy to get reservations for a “rotenburo,” an outdoor hot spring, so when you do, be sure to make good use of the opportunity to take a relaxing soak and enjoy the beautiful winter atmosphere.
There is another draw for tourists to the Ginzan Onsen in winter, and that is the snow. The onsen is situated in a place known for heavy snowfall, and it starts snowing at the beginning of December. However, the heaviest snowfall occurs in January and February and continues till mid-March. As snowfall exceeding one meter is common, be sure to dress warmly and wear anti-slip shoes.
A carefree day at the hot springs, enjoying foot spas and more on a day trip
Five minutes away from Ginzan Onsen bus stop by foot, right at the entrance to the onsen town, is Shirogane-bashi Bridge, and right next to it is “Warashiyu”, a free foot spa and popular tourist attraction.
The waters used in this foot spa come from the same source that is used at all the onsens there, allowing you to enjoy the same waters.
As the foot spa is located outdoors, the temperature of the spa can vary wildly with the weather. Particularly in hot summers, the temperature of the foot spa can rise considerably, so it’s best to test it out with your hand before taking a full soak with your feet.
Warashiyu
Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
Phone number: 0237-28-3933 (Ginzan Onsen Tourist Information Center)
Hours: Free bathing
Price: Free
Closed: Open daily
For those who prefer a full hot spring experience, “Kyōdōyokujo Shirogane Yu” is the place to go. The unique triangular shape of the building is designed by the famed architect Kuma Kengo.
The bath itself is large, allowing four to five people to enter at the same time. The waters used here come directly from the source of the hot springs. Even though there aren’t services in other languages, the place is still regularly frequented by foreign visitors.
Though shampoo and body soap are provided, towels aren’t available, so you should either bring your own, or buy one from one of the souvenir shops along the street.
Kyoudouyokujo Shiroganeyu
433, Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
Phone number: 0237-28-3933 (Ginzan Onsen Tourist Information Center)
Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm (last reception is 16:30)
Fee: 500 yen, elementary school students 200 yen
Closed: Irregular holidays
Must-try foods in Ginzan Onsen!
In onsen towns, it’s not just the ryokan that are famous, but the eateries and restaurants too. Famous even amongst these shops is the curry bread, at 210 yen, from Haikarasan-dōri Street.
The bread is made using “Nebarigoshi” wheat produced in Yamagata prefecture, which is filled with curry, then fried. The outside is crispy and crunchy, while the inside is soft with a mochi-like consistency.
The bread is filled well with curry, and the spicy aftertaste is delicious. It often gets sold out by evening, so be sure to reach the store early for a bite of this tasty snack.
Haikarasandori
451, Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
0237-28-3888
Hours: 8:00am - 6:00pm (subject to change in winter)
Price: Curry bread 210 yen
Closed: Open daily
Besides curry bread, there’s another old shop with over a hundred years of history, the tofu shop “Nogawa Tofuya”, famous for their “Tachi-kui Tofu” at 170 yen.
The tofu is freshly handmade every morning, and the rich flavor and soft texture of the tofu are highly praised by customers. This shop only provides takeout, but you can enjoy the tofu at the rest point “Warashiyu” just next door.
Nogawa Tofuya
427, Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
0237-28-2494
Hours: 7:00am-Ends when sold out
Price: Standing tofu 170 yen
Closed: Irregular holidays
Lunch in Ginzan Onsen
For lunchtime, head down to the restaurant “Izu-no-Hanza” for some soba. You can have some “Agenasu Oroshisoba”, soba with a generous helping of fried eggplant on top, for 1200 yen (without tax), or an extra-large serving of Yamagata Prefecture’s famous dish, “Itasoba”, for 1500 yen (without tax) for 1.5 times larger serving, or the “Tenzaru Soba”, soba with fried prawns and vegetables, for 1950 yen (without tax). You can also try the regionally exclusive “Soba Soft Cream” for 380 yen (without tax), making it the perfect place for tea time too.
The menu also includes ramen, rice bowls, and tempura, on top of the soba items we recommended. You can also try some alcohol from Yamagata prefecture too.
Izunohana
440, Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
0237-28-2036
Hours: 11:00am-10:00pm (Lunch is up to 2:30pm, Cafe is from 2:30pm to 6:00pm, Dinner is from 6:00pm)
Fee: Fried eggplant grated soba 1200 yen
Regular holiday: Wednesday (there is a temporary holiday)
End your trip at Shirogane-no-Taki Falls in Ginzan Onsen!
In the innermost part of this town is Shirogane-kouen Park, which features a 22-meter-tall waterfall, Shirogane-no-Taki Falls, a popular tourist attraction.
About halfway down the falls, the stream splits into two, with a rapid, bubbling waterfall splashing down on one side, and a gentle stream flowing down on the other.
There is an observation deck along the shore facing the waterfall, and if you follow the designated walking path, it feels like you’re getting closer and closer to the waterfall.
With trees and other plants surrounding the falls, their leaves are bright green in spring and summer, come ablaze in red in autumn, and melt into a scene right out of a traditional Japanese painting in winter. With changing views that you can enjoy all year round, no matter when you go, it’ll definitely be a breathtaking sight to behold.
An experience of Japanese culture
Popular not just amongst the Japanese, but foreign visitors as well, is the kimono and hakama rental shop, “Airasugena”.
Despite the lack of foreign language services, there are many foreign visitors on tour groups who patronize the shop. There are kimono and hakama, traditional Japanese pants, with a wide variety of colors and prints available, and you’ll be absolutely spoilt for choice.
Picking the matching pieces is great fun too, and you can rent bags, umbrellas, and other accessories. Kimono for males are available as well, making this a great experience for couples.
Though wearing kimono is often seen as a difficult and arduous task, there are services to help you put on the kimono as well, so you can rest easy on that. Deck yourself in one of Japan’s representative outfits, and take pictures as you stroll down this onsen town for memories of an unforgettable journey.
Airasugena
438, Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
0237-28-2811
Hours: 9:00am-4:00pm
Price: 2000 yen for transformation course (60 minutes), 500 yen added for every 30 minutes extension
Closed: Irregular holidays (closed in winter)
Making the most out of your stay at Ginzan Onsen
There are thirteen ryokan available in the town, including “Notoya Ryokan”, “Dentō-no-yado Kozankaku”, and “Ryokan Nasawa Heihachi”, as well as ryokan that allow you to just rent the onsen too. The price of your stay depends largely on the grade of the ryokan you’re staying in too, and the price per night can range anywhere from 16,000 yen to 25,000 yen.
Even amongst these onsen, they each have their own unique features. For example, “Notoya Ryokan” is something of a symbol in Ginzan Onsen, and its structure is a registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. The building has a plaster relief finished in lacquer, so be sure to check that out! Besides this, “Ryokan Fujiya” and the new building of Kozankaku, “Kuranoba”, are one of the very few ryokan that provide beds in their lodging, instead of only futons.
Of course, Ginzan Onsen is recommended even when it’s not winter
Though the area is most popular in winter, you can definitely enjoy beautiful scenery here all throughout the year. Even amidst the intense heat of Japan’s summer, Ginzan Onsen is located deep in the mountains, making it comparatively cooler, and more suitable for exploring and strolling. On Saturday nights from May to October, you can hear voices calling out “yassho, massho” as dancers keep to the rhythm of the “Hanagasa Odori”, a traditional dance in Yamagata. The performance starts at 8:30 p.m., and lasts for approximately 20 minutes. For those who would like to see a cultural experience that is only available in Yamagata, be sure not to miss this!
There are three areas in the onsen town with free Wi-Fi, allowing you to connect for up to 60 minutes at a time, three times a day. Several of the ryokan are completely outfitted with Wi-Fi as well. Though few of the shops provide services in foreign languages, the “Ginza Onsen Sightseeing Map” available at the entrance to the onsen town can be found in foreign languages. The portable voice and audio translation device “ili” is available for rental too, so feel free to borrow one for your visit.
Ginzan Onsen
Ginzanshinhata, Obanazawa Shi, Yamagata Ken, 999-4333, Japan
Text by: SHOE PRESs
