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Tsuruoka City is home to four hot spring resorts designated as national health resorts: Yutagawa Onsen, Atsumi Onsen, Yunohama Onsen, and Yura Onsen
National hot spring resorts are designated by the Ministry of the Environment as hot spring resorts that meet various criteria suitable for a health resort. As of the end of 2022, 79 hot spring resorts have been designated nationwide, with Tsuruoka City having four, the most of any city or town in Japan
National hot spring resorts are designated by the Minister of the Environment in accordance with the Hot Springs Act as hot spring resorts where the benefits of hot spring use are expected to be substantial and which are utilized as healthy health resorts in order to promote public use of hot springs
The designation criteria are generally based on the following criteria:
Section 1: Conditions regarding hot spring quality and flow rate
The source of the hot spring water used must be a therapeutic spring
The hot spring to be used must have an abundant flow rate, with a standard flow rate of at least 0.5 liters per minute per person
Section 2: Conditions regarding the hot spring area environment, etc
It must be suitable as a resort area in terms of its natural environment, townscape, history, climate, culture, etc
There must be an established plan for the placement of doctors who can provide medical advice on proper hot spring use and health management, or a plan or training policy for the placement of personnel who can provide guidance on bathing techniques in cooperation with such doctors
Appropriate efforts will be made to protect hot spring resources, manage hot spring hygiene, promote public use of hot springs, and take into consideration the elderly and disabled
There are substantial efforts to prevent disasters
There are eight designated national hot spring resorts in Yamagata Prefecture
In addition to the four locations in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture also has Zao Onsen (Yamagata City), Ginzan Onsen (Obanazawa City), Goten Onsen (Murayama City), and Hijiori Onsen (Okura Village), which is also the most designated hot springs of any prefecture in Japan
Yudagawa Onsen, the inner sanctum of Tsuruoka, convenient for visiting the Dewa Sanzan mountains
Yutagawa Onsen is a hot spring nestled in the mountains near the center of Tsuruoka City, and was designated a national health resort hot spring in 2015. Known as the inner sanctum of Tsuruoka, it was a popular recreational spot for Shonai feudal lords during the feudal domain era, and was especially popular during the off-season as a therapeutic hot spring resort for farmers
The hot spring is said to have been discovered about 1,300 years ago, and there is a legend that a severely injured white heron healed its wounds in the spring.The spring water is a sodium-calcium sulfate spring, colorless, transparent, odorless, and tasteless, with a relatively lukewarm temperature of 42.2℃, making it a soft and gentle water with little irritation.The spring has one source and an abundant flow rate of 1,000 liters per minute, and the hot spring is centrally managed.The hot spring facilities include six inns, two day-use bathing facilities, and a footbath, where you can enjoy fresh, free-flowing hot spring water.
Yunohama Onsen is a hot spring resort located along the Sea of Japan in the central part of Tsuruoka City, and was designated a National Health Resort in 2018.The history of the hot spring dates back 1,000 years, when it is said that a turtle was discovered healing its wounds on the beach, which led to the discovery of the hot spring.
The hot spring water is a sodium-calcium chloride spring, a high-quality, slightly alkaline hot spring rich in minerals from the Sea of Japan, providing a very warming experience.There are six hot spring sources,centrally managed and distributed to each facility.The hot spring facilities consist of 11 hot spring hotels, 4 guesthouses, and 2 day-use bathing facilities, totaling 17 establishments.In addition, there are footbaths and a drinking fountain.It is also the birthplace of surfing in Japan (there is a record of surfing at Yunohama in an Edo period diary), and there are plenty of activities available, such as marine sports and yoga on the beach.
Hot spring facilities line the sandy beach, with the Sea of Japan stretching out before you. The sunsets sinking below the horizon are particularly breathtaking. Nearby arethe Kamo Aquarium,, known for enshrining Ryujin, the god of the sea, andZenpoji TempleKamo Port, which flourished as a port of call for Kitamae ships from the Edo to Meiji periods, with many old buildings still standing. It also offers easy access to the center of Tsuruoka City and the Dewa Sanzan mountains, making it a popular base for sightseeing in Tsuruoka and a hot spring resort bustling with tourists throughout the year.
Yunohama Onsen <Information>
Name: Yunohama Onsen
Address: 1 Yunohama, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture
Access: By train: Approximately 40 minutes by bus from Tsuruoka Station on the JR Uetsu Main Line to Yunohama Onsen. By car: Approximately 10 minutes on National Route 112 from Shonai Airport IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
Google Map
Yura Onsen, where the legend of Prince Hachiko's Yaotome, the founder of Mount Haguro, remains
Yura Onsen is a resort-style hot spring area boasting beautiful scenery, selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Beaches and one of Japan's Top 100 Swimming Beaches (selected by the Ministry of the Environment), and overlooking the Yura coast, where Prince Hachiko, the founder of Mount Haguro, is said to have landed. Itwas designated a National Health Resort Hot Spring in 2022 (Reiwa 4), and its spring water is a sodium-calcium sulfate spring with a source temperature of 59℃. There are eight hot spring facilities in total, including hot spring inns and guesthouses.
The "Yaotome Legend" is a legend about the founding of Mount Haguro, in which Prince Hachiko, who was drifting off the coast of Yura, was beckoned to the beach of Yura by eight young women playing flutes from atop a rock, and was then guided to Mount Haguro by a three-legged crow
Yura Beach is a swimming beach, andit is connected to Hakusan Island, located about 50 meters offshore, by a vermilion-painted bridge.The sunset over the Sea of Japan, viewed from the beach over Hakusan Island, is a must-see.
Access: Train: Get off at Atsumi Onsen Station on the Uetsu Main Line, then take the bus bound for Yunohama Onsen for approximately 40 minutes. Car: Take the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway, exit at Shonai Airport IC, and take National Route 112 for approximately 20 minutes
Google Map
Atsumi Onsen boasts an abundant flow of 1,300 liters per minute
Atsumi Onsen is a hot spring with a history of about 1,200 years, located on the Sea of Japan side near the border with Niigata Prefecture. During the Edo period, it flourished as a hot spring for the Shonai domain
The Atsumi River flows through the center of Atsumi Onsen, and although it is only a few hundred meters from the coastline, its unique topography means that it is surrounded by mountains, making it a place blessed with both sea and mountains and a rich natural environment
The spring is a sodium-calcium chloride sulfate spring. It is colorless and transparent, with a slight hydrogen sulfide smell and a salty taste. It was designated as a national hot spring resort in 2019 (the first year of the Reiwa era). There are three wells at the source, with a temperature of around 59°C (a mixture of the three springs), and an abundant flow rate of 1,300 liters per minute
The hot spring facilities include seven inns, one day-use hot spring facility, and one footbath.The morning market held in the hot spring town has a history of about 300 years and has become a specialty of Atsumi Onsen. Atsumi turnips, a specialty product of the Atsumi region, are still cultivated using traditional slash-and-burn farming methods, and pickled turnips, a traditional dish, are a staple at the inns and a popular souvenir.
Nezugaseki, close to Atsumi Onsen, is home to many historical heritage sites, including Nezugaseki (also known as Nenjugaseki), a checkpoint on the border between Echigo Province (Niigata Prefecture) and Dewa Province (Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture), and Nezugaseki Beach, where Minamoto no Yoshitsune is said to have landed
Atsumi Onsen <Information>
Name: Atsumi Onsen
Location: Yuon, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture
Access: Train: JR Uetsu Main Line, Atsumi Onsen Station. Car: Approximately 5 minutes from Atsumi Onsen IC on the Nihonkai Expressway
Google Map
Tsuruoka's hot spring inns boast a variety of cuisines that will satisfy everyone
The appeal of Yudagawa Onsen, Yunohama Onsen, Yura Onsen, and Atsumi Onsen lies in their hot springs and relaxing environment, but another characteristic common to all four hot spring resorts is the superb cuisine using the finest ingredients, such as traditional Tsuruoka vegetables, seafood from the Sea of Japan, and Yamagata beef.
A blend of tradition and innovation, the dishes lovingly prepared by our chefsUNESCO Creative City of Gastronomyare sure to satisfy everyone, representing the flavors of Tsuruoka, a
My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts
![Studio Sedic Shonai Open Set](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/30402429_m-150x150.jpg.webp "[Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture] Studio Sedic Shonai Open Set was the filming location for "Rurouni Kenshin" and "The Brave Yoshihiko"! Take photos at the locations of famous scenes!")
