Hot springs around the icy scenery of Yamagata Prefecture : Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉)

Ginzan Onsen is located in Ōhanazawa City, the northeastern part of Yamagata Prefecture. Speaking of Ōhanazawa city, it is a famous for ​​Watermelon production! The production volume of summer watermelon is the best in Japan. It is also famous as the birthplace of the Hanagasa Odori(花笠踊り), now you can see everywhere in August which is parade with Kasa(Hat). And what can not be left out, is the hot spring "Ginzan Onsen" that represents Yamagata prefecture. 

Ginzan Onsen is located in the mountainous area 12 kilometers from Oshu Kaido. The origin of the name “Ginzan Onsen” derives from "Nobezawa Ginzan", a large silver mine that flourished in the early Edo period. The miner worked at Ginzan discovered that the hot spring was boiling in the Ginzan River accidently. After mine was shut down in 1689, this hot spring got popular on contrary. 

It was popular as a hot spring area, but here was once devastated by the great flood of the Ginzan River in 1913. Each ryokan was simultaneously rebuilt to a Western-style 3 to 4 floor wooden structure and established the "Regulations of Ginzan Onsen Building Preservation" in 1986. The town strives to keep a traditional, scenic landscape. It is also said that it has become one of the models of the Ghibli movie "千と千尋の神隠し, Sen and Chihiro's Spirited Away".  As Miyazaki Hayao says that there is no specific model, so it may not be the model itself, but if you go to Ginzan Onsen, you can be immersed in a similar atmosphere.


It's not an exaggeration to say that Ginzan Onsen is particularly magic on snowy winter nights (although it's cold), you can fully enjoy the nighttime hot spring town illuminated by the warm gas light . And let's soothe your chilled body not only with the inn's hot spring, but also with a free footbath and a retro cafe.

【Access】

Ginzanshinhata, Oaza, Ohanazawa-city, Yamagata-prefecture, 9994333, Japan

By bus:

From JR Oishida station, It’ll take 40 minutes by bus bound for Ginzan Onsen.

By car:

Get off at Tohoku expressway Ohanazawa IC and take Route 347 to Ginzan Onsen.

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