Recommended Tourist Spots in Ginzan Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture

Ginzan Onsen is a popular hot spring destination located in the northeastern part of Yamagata Prefecture, in Obanazawa City. Along both sides of the Ginzan River, ryokan (traditional inns) with a Taisho-era Western-style atmosphere line the streets. The nostalgic townscape attracts more and more tourists. The traditional hot spring town charm still remains strong today. While the area is lively during the day with day-trip visitors, the hot spring town at night, illuminated by gas lamps, is also enchanting! Here, we’ll introduce some of the must-visit popular tourist spots in Ginzan Onsen.

1.Shirogane Falls

How about starting your sightseeing in Ginzan Onsen with a beautiful waterfall full of negative ions? It will cleanse away the stress of daily life, leaving you feeling refreshed as you head to Ginzan Onsen. Shirogane Falls is located at the farthest point of the hot spring town, in Shirogane Park. It’s located at the entrance to a walking path, so many tourists visit.

The 30-meter high waterfall is impressive, and since it’s so close to the hot spring town, you’ll often see tourists in yukata. It’s actually located along a national highway, so it’s a great spot to stop by while driving. Across from Shirogane Falls is "Taki to Soba no Yado Takimikan," where you can enjoy soba made from locally sourced buckwheat flour while admiring the waterfall.

2.Yamanokami Shrine

After being cleansed by the negative ions of the beautiful waterfall, head to this shrine, which has long been the guardian deity of the Enzawa Ginzan. Yamanokami Shrine is dedicated to gods of family safety, easy childbirth, and marital harmony. Especially, the shrine is famous for prayers for fertility. In fact, Ginzan Onsen itself is also referred to as a hot spring for fertility.

This shrine has been revered not only by tourists but also by local people. It’s said that the temple houses wooden male symbols as offerings, which is quite surprising. As expected, it’s a shrine with blessings for fertility. Yamanokami Shrine is located on the lower end of the Ginzan Onsen town, up a slope from the side of a temple.

3. Emotional Hot Spring Experience

After enjoying the negative ions at the waterfall and paying a visit to the guardian deity of Ginzan, it's time to head to the hot springs. Ginzan Onsen has public baths that are easy to access even for tourists. If you want to experience the hot spring atmosphere a bit more leisurely, foot baths are also a great option. Since the entire Ginzan Onsen town is compact, only about 1 kilometer in length, it's easy to hop between hot springs.

◆ Public Bath "Shirogane-yu"

"Shirogane-yu" is a modern public bath so stylish that tourists walking around Ginzan Onsen might not even notice it. Located at the edge of the hot spring town, it features a striking black vertical grid design. The bathhouse is built on a narrow, triangular-shaped plot of land.

The public bath was actually designed by the famous architect Kengo Kuma, known for his work on the New National Stadium. It’s impressive that someone of such renown designed it! The men's and women’s separate baths are on the first and second floors, and they switch between the genders. You can enjoy a reasonably priced bath with flowing hot spring water. This uniquely designed public bath is especially popular with tourists who want a different experience.

◆ Omokage-yu

Omokage-yu is a family bath for private use. You can reserve it by visiting "Izakaya Choro-matsu," and it’s available for 50 minutes for one group at a time. The bath features a hot flowing hot spring. This is a great spot for family-friendly tourism.

◆ Foot Bath "Waraku Ashiyu"

Tourists can always be seen relaxing in the foot bath at Waraku Ashiyu, a popular spot to take a break in Ginzan Onsen. The design preserves the Taisho-era atmosphere of Ginzan Onsen, making it a great photo spot, especially for those wearing yukata.

Located along the Ginzan River, the foot bath offers the luxurious experience of listening to the gentle sound of the flowing river while soaking your feet. The benches are carefully designed at the perfect height and angle, allowing the best views of the river and the town's scenery. Take a moment to relax and listen to the river's soothing sounds.

4.A Gourmet Delight in Ginzan Onsen

After warming up in the hot springs, it's about time for a delicious meal. Of course, Ginzan Onsen, popular with tourists, offers many tasty dining options. Here, we’ll introduce some of the delicious food in Ginzan Onsen that has been spreading through word of mouth among visitors.

◆ Haikara-san's Curry Bread

While strolling through the hot spring town of Ginzan Onsen, you'll often see this retro-style packaging. Yes, this is the crispy and freshly fried curry bread that has become a specialty of Ginzan Onsen. The bread dough is made with Yamagata-produced wheat called "Nebarigoshi." This nostalgic curry bread is a limited-edition item that is very popular with tourists, and often sells out by evening. Originally, the shop sold only about 10 pieces a day, but thanks to word-of-mouth recommendations from visitors to Ginzan Onsen, the shop now sells hundreds of pieces daily.

The shop is located near the entrance of Shirogane Park, at the far end of the hot spring town. Enjoying curry bread while wearing a yukata and clacking your geta is a must-try experience in Ginzan Onsen.

◆ Nogawa Tofu Shop

At Ginzan Onsen, alongside the popular curry bread, the handmade tofu from "Nogawa Tofu Shop" has also captured the hearts of tourists. Located near the entrance of Ginzan Onsen, this shop gives you the feeling of just how wonderful this hot spring town is.

The freshly made tofu, soft and creamy, is exquisite! Many tourists enjoy the tofu while soaking their feet at the nearby Waraku Ashiyu foot bath, creating a serene and happy scene. The shop opens early at 7:30 AM but closes as soon as they sell out. Usually, the tofu sells out by around 3:00 PM, so it’s recommended to visit early.

While the freshly made tofu is, of course, delicious, the most popular item among tourists is the "Namaage" (deep-fried tofu). The crispy exterior and concentrated flavor of the tofu make it an extraordinary treat!

◆ Izu no Hana

On weekends, there's always a line of tourists at the famous soba restaurant in Ginzan Onsen. Established in 1952, Izu no Hana is a long-standing establishment. Here, you can enjoy the fragrant soba made with local Obanazawa wheat flour called "Mogami Wase." The most popular dish is the "Agedashi Nasu Oroshi Soba" – the beautiful presentation, combined with the aroma of soba, the richness and umami of the deep-fried eggplant, and the refreshing taste of grated daikon, create a perfect dish.

The restaurant’s interior, a renovated traditional house, has a nostalgic atmosphere, making it one of the iconic spots in Ginzan Onsen. The four large beams in the structure give a sense of the weight of history.

Not just soba, but during cafe time, you can also enjoy coffee and sweets. The shop offers unique desserts, such as "Soba Shiratama Cream Zenzai," a sweet treat that is a must-try for those who love sweets.

◆ Sake Tea House "Crie"

Ginzan Onsen, with its nostalgic atmosphere, is not just about historical shops. Trendy cafes are also popular tourist spots. Located near a bridge in the hot spring town, there’s a classic red postbox, and this serves as a landmark for the Sake Tea House Crie, which opened in 2014. The interior, furnished with antique furniture, creates a calm, cozy mountain lodge-like atmosphere. In the evening, you can enjoy alcoholic beverages, making it a perfect spot to visit in yukata when staying at a ryokan in Ginzan Onsen.

The most popular menu item among tourists is "Grilled Cocoa." This unique cocoa blend, made in-house, is topped with roasted, fragrant marshmallows. The dish is also very cute, and many tourists take photos to capture the memory. Additionally, you should try their "Hot Ginger Milk," made with special syrup, which is another must-try item.

◆ Confectionery "Meiyuu-an"

When it comes to hot spring towns, you can’t miss out on the iconic onsen manju (steamed buns). Ginzan Onsen has its own unique manju perfect for souvenirs. Located near the entrance of the hot spring town, by the Shirogane Bridge, you’ll find "Meiyuu-an," which offers its signature "Ginzan Manju." These manju are made with a black dough that incorporates bamboo charcoal and filled with sesame paste.

Additionally, another popular souvenir among tourists is the "Zunda Yokan," a yokan made with locally grown beans. Due to their commitment to using the finest beans, these products have gained popularity. Not only are there traditional Japanese sweets, but there are also Western sweets and even soba available as souvenirs.

5. Take a Ride on the Retro Bus to Explore Ginzan Onsen

Ginzan Onsen, with its nostalgic Taisho-era charm, has a classical bus running through the town — the Retro Bus. The "Ginzan Hanagasa-go" is a bonnet-style retro bus that operates from JR Oishida Station to Ginzan Onsen. Obanazawa City, where Ginzan Onsen is located, is not widely known among tourists, but it is also the birthplace of the "Hanagasa Ondo" folk song. The name of the retro bus comes from this song.

In Obanazawa City, where it is said that Matsuo Basho stayed for 10 nights along the "Oku no Hosomichi" (The Narrow Road to the Deep North), it’s a wonderful experience to relax and enjoy a leisurely tour while riding the bonnet bus and feeling the history. JR Oishida Station is also served by the Yamagata Shinkansen, making it easy for tourists to visit.

6.Explore Ginzan Onsen in Taisho-era Clothing

Ginzan Onsen is not only about retro bonnet buses but also offers the charm of Taisho-era romance. There’s a rental shop where you can experience wearing Taisho-era style clothing, perfect for the Western-style wooden buildings built from the end of the Taisho period to the early Showa period. The outfits have been modified for easy dressing, even for tourists, and the staff will help with the final touches.

A popular option for tourists is the 60-minute "Transformation Course." You can thoroughly enjoy walking around Ginzan Onsen in Taisho-era style. For those with limited time, a 30-minute easy course is also available. If you want to focus on taking photos with the nostalgic hot spring town as a backdrop, this shorter course is a great choice. For those who want to fully immerse in the Ginzan Onsen experience, we recommend the "Night Walking Course!" You can rent the outfit from 4:00 PM to 11:00 AM the following morning and walk around the hot spring town, illuminated by gas lamps, in a hakama. It offers a different vibe from the ryokan yukata experience.

7. Rare Porcelain Clay Pottery Experience

Here’s a tourist spot in Ginzan Onsen where you can create your own original souvenir. The "Ueno Hata-yaki Pottery Center" next to the "Jūbun Ichiban-sho Ruins" at the entrance of Ginzan Onsen offers a unique pottery experience using a rare clay called "porcelain clay," which is not commonly heard of. The experience corner here is popular with tourists.

Ueno Hata-yaki originated in the late Edo period but vanished within just a few decades, making it a lost porcelain. It was once extinct until pottery artist Hyo-do Ito successfully revived it, and now it has become one of Obanazawa City’s representative crafts.

Visitors can try their hand at pottery making and decorating items like teacups. A popular activity among tourists is the decoration experience. It only takes about 30 minutes to an hour and the finished product is sent to you approximately two weeks later. Holding the completed work in your hands will bring back the memories of Ginzan Onsen.

◎ Summary

We’ve introduced tourist spots in Ginzan Onsen, which is full of Taisho-era romance. The hot spring town, surrounded by rich nature, is a fantastic place to visit not only during the sparkling fresh green season and the colorful autumn foliage but also when covered in snow. The soft glow of the gas lamps against the pure white snow creates a magical contrast that can make you feel like time has stopped. Enjoy Ginzan Onsen and the surrounding attractions.

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Recommended Tourist Spots in Ginzan Onsen, Yamagata Prefecture