1. What is Kaminoyama Onsen?

Kaminoyama Onsen is a hot spring town located in Kaminoyama City, which spreads out at the foot of the Zao mountain range in the southeastern part of Yamagata Prefecture.

The town was developed as a castle town for Kaminoyama Castle, a famous castle in Ushu, and during the Edo period it was also a bustling post town as a key transportation hub, bustling with travelers and feudal lords on their way to Edo.

From Tokyo Station, the nearest station, JR Kaminoyama Onsen Station, is about 2 hours and 30 minutes by Shinkansen bullet train, and from Yamagata Station it is about 10 minutes, so access is excellent.

There are six free municipal parking lots within the hot spring town, so traveling by car is safe and secure.

Now then, let’s park our car at the “Shinyu Parking Lot” and start our tour of Kaminoyama Onsen!

2. Enjoy a walk around the city and a footbath

Quoted from Kaminoyama Onsen Town MAP

① Shinyu Footbath

The first place we visited was the Shinyu Footbath, located right in front of the Shinyu Parking Lot.

There are a total of five footbaths at Kaminoyama Onsen, including this one in Shinyu, that you can use for free.

If you use it as a rest spot while walking around town, you’ll probably be able to walk more than usual!

The warm water is gentle on the skin, making you feel as if you are being pampered.

Get yourself in shape for your upcoming walk while admiring the history of Kaminoyama Onsen painted on the wall.

② Samurai Residence Street

Walking straight from the footbath in Shinyu, you will come to a quaint street lined with samurai residences.

The houses are believed to have been built around 200 years ago during the Kaminoyama feudal period, and two of the four houses are open to the public.

Enjoy the scenery that makes you feel like you’ve traveled back in time to the Edo period as you head to your next destination!

3. Crane Rest Stone

This is “Tsuru no Yasumi Rock,” said to be the birthplace of Kaminoyama Onsen.

It is said that during the Muromachi period, a wounded crane was healed in these hot springs.

④ Footbath in Yumachi

This footbath is located on the same premises as Tsuru no Kyuusei Ishi.

The high temperature is sure to be good for the body, and once you get in you’ll feel so refreshed that all your fatigue will disappear!

Always check the temperature before putting your feet in.

⑤ Okagesamade Stationery Store

We stopped by “Okagesama Stationery Store,” which has attracted attention from stationery lovers both inside and outside the prefecture, including opening pop-up stores at Tokyu Hands in Ginza and Sendai.

The store is filled with stationery carefully selected by the owner himself, regardless of era or country!

I was also excited to discover some of the nostalgic stationery that I loved using as a child!

The potato chip-shaped clips, which look so tempting you’ll want to eat them, are one of the store’s adult-themed items.

In addition to selling a large number of original products, the store also collaborates with local companies and artists to create a variety of products unique to Yamagata.

This beautiful deep crimson ink is inspired by red wine.

This is a collaborative product with Takeda Winery, a long-established winery in Kaminoyama City (photo above).

This is also a recommended shop for those looking for unique and tasteful souvenirs that can’t be found in other stores!

3. Feel like a feudal lord! Enjoy the grand panorama from the castle tower!

When touring Kaminoyama Onsen, a visit to Kaminoyama Castle is a must.

It takes about 2-3 minutes to slowly climb the gentle slope towards the castle.

If you are worried about the uphill climb, you can use the free parking lot near Kaminoyama Castle.

The gazebo and benches in the parking lot are one of the recommended scenic spots.

⑥ Footbath at Kaminoyama Castle

Now, Kaminoyama Castle comes into view!

We quickly found a footbath near the castle, perfect for a break!

Here you can enjoy a footbath while looking at the castle.

During the autumn foliage season, if you look to the side, you will see a landscape of mountains dyed in crimson.

The water temperature is just right.

The fatigue in your feet will gradually disappear.

When you enter the footbath you can enjoy the view of Kaminoyama Castle and the Zao mountain range, which tower beautifully overlooking the hot spring town.

It must have been the most luxurious experience even the lord had ever had!

⑦ Kaminoyama Castle, a famous castle in Ushu

The interior of Kaminoyama Castle houses a local history museum and an observation deck, where exhibits on the history of Kaminoyama and the nature of Zao are displayed in an easy-to-understand manner.

Now, here is the view you have been waiting for: the panoramic observation deck!

The moment you open the door, a spectacular view unfolds before your eyes!

You can get a panoramic view of the city of Kaminoyama from the castle tower.

Now, the particularly tall building on the right side of the photo below is an extremely famous spot in Yamagata Prefecture!
Sky Tower 41 is a 41-story tower apartment building that stands out in the residential area and is one of the tallest in the Tohoku region.

The observation deck of Kaminoyama Castle can be toured 360 degrees, allowing you to enjoy the view of Kaminoyama from a variety of different angles.

4. Enjoy hot spring food

One of the joys of touring hot springs is eating your way around.

Kaminoyama Onsen has so many delicious restaurants that you can’t eat all of them in one day!

This time, we will introduce some popular, long-loved restaurants at Kaminoyama Onsen.

⑧ Yusobaan Mitsuhiro

Yamagata is also famous as a soba shop.
When we interviewed in early November, the new soba season had just begun.

At Yusobaan Ajitsuhirou, where you can get a set of tempura and soba noodles at a reasonable price, I had the “zuketen soba” and spicy radish from Kaminoyama.

Their proud soba noodles are thin and chewy, with an excellent texture.

Dissolving the beautiful jade-green spicy radish in the soup adds a pleasant spiciness and freshness.

⑨ Nakajo Manju (Nakajoya)

If you want manju at Kaminoyama Onsen, this is the place to go!

Nakajo Manju is a long-established manju shop that has been in business in this area since the Edo period, and the store is always bustling with customers of all ages.

First, we tried the “Tempura Manju Soft Serve,” which has recently become popular among female customers on social media.

The freshly fried buns have a crispy texture, and the rich soft-serve ice cream goes perfectly with the kinako and brown sugar syrup.

Apparently these manju are served at most of the hot spring inns at Kaminoyama Onsen.

The skin is fluffy and soft, and has a gentle texture.

At Nakajo Manju, preparation begins at the crack of dawn, and freshly made goods are lined up over the counter by 7am when the store opens.

You can enjoy delicious buns any time you go, but right after opening is the best chance to try them freshly made!

It would definitely be worth staying at Kaminoyama Onsen and trying some freshly made food!

5. Enjoy blissful time in the hot spring and after the bath

The main attraction today is of course the hot springs!

Kaminoyama Onsen has five public baths, and there are also many hot spring inns that offer day trip bathing.

It is well known as a “beautifying hot spring” and is known for its water qualities, which include excellent heat retention and long-lasting cooling.

With high hopes for the skin-beautifying effects, let’s head there right away!

⑩ Sawanoyu
The best way to get to know a hot spring resort in your travels is to visit the local public baths!

We aim to create Sawanoyu, a place that warmly welcomes both first-time visitors to public baths and tourists.

A quaint signboard standing in a narrow alley.

We are excited to experience the atmosphere of this famous hot spring, known only to those in the know.

Once you open the door, you’ll find a warm space that makes generous use of wood.

The wall facing the ticket counter is made of wood from the local city of Kaminoyama.

The feeling of the wood under your feet is very pleasant.

Sawa no Yu was actually a public bathhouse that was managed and operated by local residents, but due to a lack of successors and other factors, it sadly closed its doors in March 2020 (Reiwa 2) after about 100 years of history.

However, in response to the passionate calls for its reopening after its closure, it was finally reopened in May 2022 (Reiwa 4) by Kaminoyama Land Bank, an NPO that works on urban development issues in Kaminoyama City.

Enshrined above the ticket counter is the Yakushi Nyorai, who is said to cure various illnesses.

Today, just as in the past, it continues to watch over those who seek out this hot spring.

A cute and relaxing retro bathhouse

The lettering and patterns on the door leading to the bath area remain the same as they were before the renovation.

Depending on the age group of people who use it, it may feel nostalgic or fresh.

The bath area has been renovated based on the previous interior design, resulting in a retro yet bright and clean space.

The tiled wall with its impressive large crane was also in use before the renovation.

There is also a hot water massage board used to adjust the temperature.

Many public baths don’t provide shampoo or conditioner, but at Sawa no Yu you can use them at no extra charge, which is a blessing.

The water temperature is about 41°C, which is slightly warmer than Kaminoyama Onsen’s other facilities.

This temperature setting is designed to be welcoming to a wide range of people, including children and those new to public baths, and to help them become familiar with hot springs.

If you immerse yourself up to your shoulders, you’ll instantly feel like you’re in paradise.

Provided by: NPO Kaminoyama Land Bank

A Japanese-style room that can be used in any way

The facility is fully equipped with Wi-Fi, and the Japanese-style room on the second floor can be used not only as a place to rest after a bath, but also as a training session or co-working space.

You can use just the Japanese-style room and bring your own food and drinks, so it’s a great place to take a break from eating out or for moms to relax and enjoy the hot springs with their children!

A monument engraved with the words “ Taisho 10″

Masakazu Komatsu, a first-class architect and leader of Kaminoyama Land Bank, renovated Sawanoyu to meet modern needs while retaining its good old parts.

” Sawanoyu is a public bathhouse that can grow. We aim to be a communal bathhouse that everyone can grow together in, so we hope that our customers will discover new ways to use it, ” he says.

Until March 2023, admission to the baths is free for elementary school students and younger!

Why not spend some relaxing time with the locals in this cute, retro yet comfortable public bath?

⑪ harappa soba＆coffee

There’s nothing better than relaxing in a hot spring after your body has been warmed!

The last stop on the tour of Kaminoyama Onsen is “harappa soba & caffe.”
It’s soba time at lunchtime, and the café opens in the afternoon ( the café is open from 14:30 on weekdays, and 15:00 on weekends and holidays)*.
*As of late December 2022

This time, I ordered the “Ohirune Parfait” (weekdays only), which is synonymous with harappa’s adult vibe on social media!

The bear and puppy are so cute they’re almost a shame to eat them, and are made from frozen chocolate mousse.

Even the fur is depicted so realistically that you can’t help but exclaim, “So cute!”

So as not to wake him up from his nap, gently put him down and dig into the field of Macha green tea powder…!

The harmony of custard cream and crunchy baked apples is irresistible!

It’s not too sweet, so you can eat it all the way to the end without getting bored.

When frozen, it has an ice cream-like texture and is cool and delicious, and when melted, it becomes mousse-like. You can enjoy two different flavors, with a deeper flavor and a perfect match for coffee.

The fluffy souffle pancakes that have been available since the shop first opened and the potatoes with unique flavors are also very popular!

There is also a tatami seating area, perfect for families with children.

If you would like to use this service, please contact the store.

Takamasa Saito, manager of the café department, is the one creating one adorable menu item after another.

” We want to provide sweets that are enjoyable not only in taste but also in appearance.

If you want to try some unique sweets that are different from what you can find anywhere else, I recommend our shop .”

The café is open until 10pm.

They also have an alcoholic beverage menu and snacks, making it the perfect way to end your tour of Kaminoyama Onsen!

It’s located close to Kaminoyama Onsen Station, so if you’re using public transportation, you can enjoy the afterglow of your trip with an alcoholic “Adult Cream Soda”!

Summary

Why not warm your body and mind at castle townKaminoyama Onsen?