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[Yamagata Prefecture] 3 Recommended Hot Springs in Yamagata Prefecture, Selected for Their Hidden Hot Springs, Famous Hot Springs, and Unique Spring Quality!
[Yamagata Prefecture] 3 Recommended Hot Springs in Yamagata Prefecture, Selected for Their Hidden Hot Springs, Famous Hot Springs, and Unique Spring Quality!
Located in the mountains surrounded by virgin forest, about 30 minutes by car west of Shinjo city, this small hot spring town is home to three hot spring inns and one public bathhouse, built side by side.It has been loved as a secret hot spring resort for over 100 years
The source is one of the few geysers, and the hot spring water that gushes out is a slightly alkaline (pH 8.4) salt- containing sodium bicarbonate spring (mild hypotonic high temperature spring) which has been loved as a "beauty bath"
The hot springs were first discovered in 1919 (Taisho 8) when hot springs began to appear during oil exploration. In the past, the waters had a strong oil smell, but this is now barely noticeable
Other benefits besides beautiful skin include the treatment of chronic skin diseases, cuts, burns, weak children, chronic gynecological diseases, neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, motor paralysis, stiff joints, chronic digestive diseases, sensitivity to cold, recovery from illness, recovery from fatigue, and general health promotion
In addition, a drinking fountain was built in the hot spring town to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the hot springs' opening, and the spring water is drinkable
Hotel Koyokan: Enjoy the untouched nature from the panoramic bath
All three inns have a homely atmosphere and offer comparable hospitality, including local cuisine made with local ingredients. We would like to recommend Momijikan, which has a bathhouse on the fifth floor where you can enjoy the beauty-enhancing waters while looking out at the primeval forest
The hot spring water that flows into the round women's bath and the gourd-shaped men's bath has a strong slimy texture, but leaves your skin feeling smooth and silky after just one soak
In addition, because it causes little irritation when bathing, it is also well-known for being suitable for treating skin diseases and wounds, and for helping them heal quickly
Japanese-style room (Sakegawa Village Tourism Association official website)
The rooms are designed in a purely Japanese style with a calming feel that evokes the warmth of wood, allowing you to relax
For meals, you can enjoy local cuisine made with plenty of local ingredients, such as seasonal wild vegetables and mushrooms, sweetfish, and river crab, along with local sake
Hanezawa Onsen Momijikan ＜Information＞
Facility name: Hanezawa Onsen Momijikan
Address: 1314-1 Nakado, Sakegawa Village, Mogami District, Yamagata Prefecture
Kaminoyama Onsen: Gentle spring water that's safe for babies
Kaminoyama Onsen (Yamagata Prefecture Official Tourism Site)
Opened in 1458 (Choroku 2), this hot spring is said to have been discovered by a monk who saw a crane healing its wounds in the hot spring. It seven hot springs: Yumachi, Shinyu, Tokamachi, Kawasaki, Takamatsu, Hayama, and Kinbin , and the collective name for these is Kaminoyama Onsen.
In recent years, the name of the IR station has been written in hiragana as "Kaminoyama Station," it is often written as "Kaminoyama Onsen."
The spring quality is sodium-calcium chloride-sulfate hot spring (hypotonic, weakly alkaline, high temperature spring), and it is effective for treating neuralgia, frozen shoulders, cuts, burns, chronic skin diseases, chronic digestive diseases, sensitivity to cold, and fatigue.
The water is rich in metasilicic acid, which is said to be good for the skin, making it known as a beauty spring. The water is also slightly alkaline, making it gentle on the skin, so even babies with delicate skin can bathe in it safely
A rabbit will welcome you at Hatago no Kokoro Hashimotoya, a long-established hot spring inn that prides itself on its cuisine
There are separate indoor baths for men and women, two open-air baths that alternate between men and women on a timed basis, and two private open-air baths in the Japanese garden on the top floor that can be rented for an additional fee. After bathing, you can enjoy the view of the hot spring town over the Japanese garden from the spacious wooden deck
Also known as the inner sanctum of Yonezawa, it springs from an altitude of 1,080m at the source of the Mogami River at the foot of Mount Azuma, and is considered one of the "Yonezawa Eight Springs."
There are two sources with abundant water output: Ohira No. 1 source is a calcium sulfate spring (hypotonic, neutral, high temperature spring) , and Ohira No. 2 source is a sulfur-containing calcium sulfate spring (hypotonic, neutral, high temperature spring) , the difference being the sulfur content.
It is effective for gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure, neuralgia, rheumatism, chronic skin diseases, and constipation
There are two theories about how the hot spring was discovered: one is that it was discovered by hunters chasing bears, and the other is that it was discovered by ascetics who ventured deep into the mountains.Both theories are based on the fact that it is a secret hot spring deep in the mountains, but no conclusion has been reached as to which was the cause
Takimiya: A hidden inn located in a secret hot spring at the source of the Mogami River
The inn is located deep in the mountains, so it takes about 15 minutes to walk up the mountain path from the parking lot to reach it, but you can fully enjoy trekking to the source of the Mogami River and the feeling of visiting a hidden hot spring
The hot spring water has a neutral pH of 7.40 , making it gentle on the skin and allowing it to slowly seep into the body.
The open-air baths and indoor baths, one for men and one for women, are fed by different hot springs, but because they are 100% source water, the temperature changes depending on the weather, which regular customers see as part of the charm of this secret hot spring
There are also two other private open-air baths, which also use 100% natural hot spring water
There are 14 well-cleaned Japanese-style rooms ranging from 8 to 12 tatami mats, but there is one room that is a Japanese-Western style room with a Western-style bed, which you can request if it is available
The food prepared by the proprietress and local women uses high-quality local ingredients, such as char and Yonezawa beef, sourced from farmers known to the proprietress, and you can also enjoy local dishes such as Yamagata's specialty, ball konnyaku
However, due to snowfall, the park is closed from early November to the end of February in winter, so please check before visiting (reservations for 2024 will begin in March)
Ohira Onsen Takimiya <Information>
Facility name: Ohira Onsen Takimiya
Address: 12127 Riyama, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture
In this article, we were only able to introduce three places, but Yamagata Prefecture is full of hot springs and has many hot springs with excellent quality that we would like to introduce, so we hope to introduce other hot spring resorts on another occasion
The inns and hotels in these hot spring resorts are all charming and each one spares no effort in providing hospitality
I hope to be able to introduce such accommodations in more detail in the future
I'm a former Edokko man who loves Morioka and the six Tohoku prefectures, and I also love history, food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. I'll be introducing you to the interesting, delicious, and great things about Tohoku!
![Mogami safflower](https://jp.neft.asia/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/30121446_m-1-150x150.jpg.webp ""Mogami Safflower" certified as a Japanese Heritage and Japanese Agricultural Heritage [Yamagata Prefecture]")
