Ginzan Onsen

Name: Ginzan Onsen
Address: Obanazawa, Yamagata, Yamagata, Japan

Written by Jane Pipkin

One of Japan’s most picturesque places, Ginzan Onsen is a traditional hot-spring town filled with wooden buildings that are beautifully decorated with snow in winter.

In addition to various ryokans, the area also offers public baths and a footbath for visitors to enjoy. Local specialties include wagyu beef and Obanazawa Soba.

Due to the area’s popularity, only guests staying at one of the ryokans are permitted to view the night scenery. We highly recommend making the most of your trip by booking a ryokan — just be aware that reservations can fill up months in advance.

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Nagano is far more than just a skiing destination, and this tour proves it. From sacred sites to bathing snow monkeys, sake tasting and local delicacies, experience the best this snowy prefecture has to offer.

Click here for details

How to get there

You can first take the Yamagata Shinkansen Line to Oishida Station. From there, it’s a 40-minute bus ride on the Ginzan-Onsen-bound bus to reach the traditional town.

Alternatively, if you’re driving, the town is 75 minutes from Furukawa IC on the Tōhoku Expressway.

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