Feature
- VISIT YAMAGATA
- Feature
- [Feature] Sanshuyu! Enjoy winter at Akayu Onsen
[Feature] Sanshuyu! Enjoy winter at Akayu Onsen
- Akayu・Nanyo
- 2025.01.20
Sightseeing・ Onsen・ Hotel
Winter Recommended Girls Family Solo

Hello, I’m Naomi Sato, a writer living in Yamagata City.
Following on from last time, this time we will bring you an article packed with the charms of Nanyo City.
When talking about winter in Yamagata, hot springs are an essential part of it.
Here in Nanyo City, there is Akayu Onsen, which has a history of over 920 years since its opening.
Unusually for Yamagata, there is a hot spring town within the town, so it is easily accessible from the station.
Introducing Akayu Onsen, a famous hot spring that has been in operation for over 900 years

There are several theories about the origin of the name, including that when Minamoto no Yoshiie’s younger brother, Yoshitsuna, and his friends were healing their wounds from war, the water turned red with blood.
There are 14 hot spring inns and 4 public baths scattered throughout the hot spring town (as of December 2024), and there are also many restaurants in the surrounding area, including the nationally famous ramen restaurant Ryu Shanghai.
◆ Blissful time spent at a secluded lodge

This time at Akayu Onsen, the place I stayed at was Sakurayu Sanjuyu.
Its impressive gate stands out even in the hot spring town, and all seven rooms have open-air baths with running water, making it the perfect inn for a winter stay.


Upon entering the lobby, you will be greeted by the pleasant scent of sandalwood.
Sandalwood has been known since ancient times for its noble fragrance and is often used in temples.
I was impressed by the hospitality befitting a prestigious inn.
The hotel is laid out like a row house, with the rooms and large baths lined up along a straight corridor.
What’s great is that there’s no stress associated with not knowing where anything is, which is common at hot spring inns.
Of course, there are no steps or heavy doors, so even elderly people can live there safely.

All seven rooms are named after flowers or plants, and this time I stayed in Tsurifuneso.
Tsurifuneso, or Impatiens textori is a flower that blooms from late summer to autumn and is closely associated with Yamagata and can be seen at Zao and other places.
The interior consists of three rooms: a master room, a bedroom, and a living room, and is a sophisticated yet relaxing space.

After taking a break in your room, why not enjoy a welcome drink of wine?
Nanyo City and the nearby city of Kaminoyama are famous for their wine production, and you can sample a wide variety of wines at the inn.


All rooms overlook the well-maintained courtyard.
Across the courtyard is the open-air bath, where water flows directly from the hot spring.
At the end of the corridor there is a heated powder room and a washing area, so you don’t have to worry even in the cold season.

The advantage of having a bath in your room is that you can take a bath whenever you want.
You can adjust the water temperature to your liking, so you’ll probably find yourself taking a long bath.
In spring, you can enjoy the flowers that have just begun to sprout, in summer you can open the veranda and listen to the cool sounds of insects, in autumn you can see the colorful leaves covering the moss-covered ground, and now that snow has just started to fall, you can enjoy a tasteful snow-viewing bath while feeling the chill air.

There are not only baths in the rooms, but also a large communal bath and an open-air bath.
In particular, the open-air bath, where hot spring minerals float, also offers a bubble bath.
It would be nice to take a leisurely bath, feeling the pleasant bubbles on your body and gazing at the atmospheric garden.
◆ Exquisite Kaiseki cuisine served in your room
Then comes the long-awaited dinner, a kaiseki course that incorporates the finest seasonal ingredients from Yamagata.
It’s a very nice touch to be able to enjoy breakfast and dinner in your room.
Over the course of about 1.5 to 2 hours, you can enjoy the lavish cuisine of Yamagata.

The appetizers include a wide selection of seasonal dishes, such as ginkgo tofu and dried persimmon wrapped in butter.
All of the tastefully designed tableware is original to the inn and features the inn’s logo of the Chinese quince flower.

The sashimi was seasonal fish, tuna and stonefish.
It’s a spectacular display of a gaping hole in the thin ice that is often seen at the beginning of winter.

What’s more, this gratin is served in an actual apple.
The Jonathan apple is a variety commonly grown in the Okitama area, and is known for its excellent balance of sweetness and acidity.
Although the waitress warned me in advance that I would end up full, I ended up finishing the whole bowl in no time.

The main dish is of course Zao beef steak, a meat that Yamagata is proud of.
It is served with two types of Himalayan rock salt with different ingredients and wasabi.
The best way to cook Zao beef is medium rare.
The gradation from the crispy surface to the center is so beautiful you’ll be mesmerized!
There is almost no fat, so you can enjoy the juicy red meat.

The thick mushroom soup is then dipped into rice crackers made from a blend of two types of rice.
The rice crackers, which are kneaded with green seaweed, have a rich seashore scent and make a satisfying crackling sound when you pour the soup over them.
The broth is infused with the delicious flavor of the mushrooms, making this a dish that is unique to Yamagata, where mushrooms are grown in abundance.


It was a truly enriching experience, from the chestnut rice and pickles to the chocolate pudding for dessert.
For breakfast, you can choose between two options: Japanese style, centered around freshly cooked rice cooked in a clay pot and grilled fish, or Western style, including four kinds of bread and scrambled eggs.

Summary

Just beyond the large bath is the after-bath Salon, where you can borrow books and DVDs.
The lineup is aimed at a wide range of generations, including works by famous authors and Ghibli films that children will enjoy.
I spent some relaxing time in a massage chair with Yasunari Kawabata’s Snow Country in hand.
Speaking of Snow Country, the opening line, “The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country” is well-known, and I couldn’t help but think of Yamagata as the scene.

Yamagata Prefecture has an image of being snowy, but in fact the center of Yamagata City does not get that much snow.
However, the Okitama region and Mogami region, where our accommodation is located, are snowy regions just beyond the tunnel.
It’s the same season, the same place, but just by driving a short distance you can encounter beautiful snowy fields.
The different faces that Yamagata shows with each season never get old, no matter how many years go by, and always evokes new impressions.
Here at Sanshuyu, the exquisite cuisine and warm hot springs are sure to soothe the souls of travelers and leave them with a deep sense of excitement.
Why not visit and experience the winter in Yamagata?
Detailed information
-
Akayu Onsen
By Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Akayu: 2 hours 30 minutes
By car: 5 minutes from Nanyo Takahata IC