Day trip bathing travel journals to hot springs where we visited by train and bus

Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Yamanoyu

Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Yamanoyu

930, Yuzawa, Yuzawa Town, Minami-Uonuma District, Niigata Pref.

Hot spring water is completely flowing from the source. One of the best onsen water in Echigo-yuzawa has a pleasant smell of sulfur.

Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Yamanoyu exterior
the slope in front of Yamanoyu, Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Yamanoyu bathtub Echigo-yuzawa Onsen Yamanoyu goodwill

The hot spring water supplied from the origin onsen is flowing from the source without adding water or heating. One step into the bathing room, the smell of sulfur is pleasant.

A mountain hut-like building on a hill. But it unexpectedly has a good access from nearest station.

A hot spring communal bath that has been loved by locals since ancient times. It is said that KAWABATA Yasunari, who wrote "Snow Country," has also taken the bath.

Location

Rating of access

1.0 pt(from Ueno)

2.0 pt(from Niigata)

→ How to rate access

Area / Railway

Koshinetsu Region
Niigata Pref.

JR Joetsu Line

onsen

Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta.JR: 3 hrs 50 min Takasaki Line etc. - Joetsu Line ¥ 3,410
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta. (West exit) Walk: 20 min 1.5 km (0.9 mi) Max difference in elevation: 22 m (72 ft)
  • Yamanoyu
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta. Joetsu Shinkansen: 1 hr 25 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat¥ 6,050
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta. (East exit) Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus: 4 min Yuzawa - Shiozawa - Muikamachi Line ¥ 270
  • Yunosawa-iriguchi Bus StopWalk: 11 min 0.7 km (0.4 mi) Difference in elevation: 40 m (131 ft)
  • Yamanoyu
Route from Tokyo (Ueno)
  • Ueno Sta. Joetsu Shinkansen: 1 hr 30 min Tanigawa etc. Non-reserved seat¥ 6,480
  • GALA Yuzawa Sta. Walk: 8 min 0.7 km (0.4 mi)
  • Yamanoyu
Route from Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
  • Ikebukuro Sta. (East exit) Walk: 3 min
  • Seibu Bus Bus StopExpressway bus: 2 hrs 56 min Nagaoka Niigata Line ¥ 2,600 - ¥ 6,000
  • Yuzawa Expressway Bus Stop Walk: 22 min1.7 km (1.1 mi) Difference in elevation: -21 m (-69 ft)
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Tokyo (Ikebukuro)
  • Ikebukuro Sta. (East exit) Walk: 3 min
  • Seibu Bus Bus StopExpressway bus: 2 hrs 56 min Nagaoka Niigata Line ¥ 2,600 - ¥ 6,000
  • Yuzawa Expressway Bus Stop Walk: 2 min
  • Miyabayashi Bus Stop Minami-Echigo Kanko Bus: 6 min Tsuchitaru / Yomogibashi Line or Asahibara (Daigenta) Line ¥ 160
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta.JR: 2 hrs 50 min Shinetsu Line - Joetsu Line ¥ 2,310
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta.JR express: 50 min Shirayuki Non-reserved seat¥ 3,510
  •  (Transfer at Nagaoka Sta.) JR: 1 hr 20 min Joetsu Line ¥ -
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Route from Niigata
  • Niigata Sta. Joetsu Shinkansen: 50 min Toki etc. Non-reserved seat¥ 4,950
  • Echigo-yuzawa Sta.(The rest is the same as above)
Routes from Tokyo
  • Ueno
  • JR
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 4 hrs 10 min ¥ 3,410

  • Ueno
  • Shinkansen
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • Bus
  • Yunosawa-iriguchi
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 1 hr 40 min ¥ 6,320

  • Ueno
  • Shinkansen
  • GALA Yuzawa
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 1 hr 38 min ¥ 6,480

  • Ikebukuro
  • Expressway bus
  • Yuzawa
  • Walk
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 3 hrs 21 min+ ¥ 2,600 - ¥ 6,000+

  • Ikebukuro
  • Expressway bus
  • Yuzawa
  • Bus
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 3 hrs 07 min+ ¥ 2,760 - ¥ 6,160+

Routes from Niigata
  • Niigata
  • JR
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 2 hrs 50 min+ ¥ 2,310+

  • Niigata
  • JR express
  • Nagaoka
  • JR
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 2 hrs 10 min+ ¥ 3,510+

  • Niigata
  • Shinkansen
  • Echigo-yuzawa
  • (The rest is the same as above)
  • 50 min+ ¥ 4,950+

  • The price of JR Express and normal Shinkansen is "Basic fare" plus "(Super) express charge". (These are determined according to the distance.) "(Super) express charge" has two types: Reserved seat and Non-reserved seat. Reserved seat charge adds ¥930 (during the busiest season), ¥730 (during the busy season), ¥530 (during the normal season) or ¥330 (during the off season) to Non-reserved seat charge. (For details, please refer to JR East_Ticketing and Busiest / Busy / Normal / Off season calendar.)
  • GALA Yuzawa Station is available only in winter.
  • Expressway Bus Yuzawa Bus Stop is located at the Yuzawa Interchange on the expressway. To get to JR Echigo-yuzawa Station from there, you can take a local bus from Miyabayashi Bus Stop or Kobara Bus Stop. (To go to Kobara Bus Stop, you will go up the stairs to the Mikuni Road.)
  • If there is snowfall or snow, it may take longer than the above required time.
  • The above fares are based on cash. When using an IC card, the fares may differ slightly.
  • The above times and distances are approximate. Does not include transfering or waiting times.

How to get to Yamanoyu

(Directions from Echigo-yuzawa Sta.)
  1. Exit the station West exit and turn right. Straight along the road parallel to the track
  2. On a hill where the road curves to the right
Map of Yamanoyu, Echigo-yuzawa Onsen in Niigata Prefecture

Click the map to open Google Map

Travel journal of day trip bathing to hot spring

Characters

Nishi-san
Nishi-san
He is an orthodox hot springs lover and particular about quality of springs. He loves the hot springs flowing from the source, the hot water with a presence, and the rustic atmosphere.
Kita-san
Kita-san
He doesn't care much about quality of hot springs. He loves the open-air bath, and prefers hot springs that have visible features such as good views.

At the end of March, Nishi-san and Kita-san talked about going out a little far away for a day trip bathing onsen. The two have taken the train and come to Echigo-yuzawa, which still snow remains. The first destination they head for is "Yamanoyu". Going out of the West exit of the station, then they are walking straight along the tracks.

Yamanoyu and the slope in front of it

Yamanoyu and the uphill in front of it

It should be around this curve ... Oh! there is! Above this.

This slope is steep. If snow is piled up, I may slip to fall. I don't want to come by car.

Yamanoyu, which stands on a hill, has a mountain hut-like appearance as its name suggests. At this time, customers who seemed to be locals were seen.

Information sign to Yamanoyu information sign to Yamanoyu

Yamanoyu exterior

Exterior

It's a cozy atmosphere.

Maybe, all of customers know each other.

Yamanoyu Goodwill

Goodwill

Nishi-san and Kita-san pass through the goodwill and go straight to the bathing room for the time being.

Oh, the smell of sulfur is sweet. This is good.

Oh, if you say that, maybe ... but it's a bit small.

Four or five local customers are being and washing their bodies. Nishi-san and Kita-san who go into the bathtub.

Echigo-yuzawa Onsen has five communal baths (Yamanoyu, Komakonoyu, Iwanoyu, Kaidonoyu and Shukubanoyu). They offer the "Stopping by hot springs tour ticket" that allows you to enter all of these for 1,500 yen. (→ Yuzawa Onsen stopping by hot springs tour)

Yamanoyu bathtub

Bathtub

Yeah, a good hot water. It's smelling like sulfur, and a hot spring that typical of onsen.

Well, but it's a bit small.

The hot water is overflowing from the bathtub, and I like this.

You could say that ... but it's a bit small.

You've just said "small".

So? ... Uh, there's no shower here.

Oh, exactly.

The washing area is too small and difficult to use.

Small, don't say it.

That's why they enjoyed Yamanoyu. However, Nishi-san seemed to want to enjoy the hot spring water of Yamanoyu a little longer ... Next was the two who left Yamanoyu to head for "Komakonoyu" which can be walked from here. (→ Continue to Komakonoyu)

(March 2013)

 

Impression & rating

A simple but hot spring where you can enjoy the feature of water with a pleasant smell of sulfur.

3.0 pt

Impression & rating

A little small. Basically, it's a communal bath for the locals, and travelers may feel like a fish out of water.

1.0 pt

→ How to rate

The Onsen facility

Address
930, Yuzawa, Yuzawa Town, Minami-Uonuma District, Niigata Pref.
Phone
domestic: 025-784-2246
international: +8125-784-2246
Web Site
Yuzawa Town Management Corporation
Bathing hours
6:00 - 21:00(Last entry at 20:30)
Regular holiday
Tuesdays
(open on public holidays)
Charge
Adults: ¥ 500 / Elementary school students and under: ¥ 250
Baths
Gender-separated indoor bath
Equipments
No shower

The hot spring data
(According to hot spring analysis report etc.)

(Jan. 20, 2004)

Spring quality
Simple Sulfur spring (Hypotonic Alkaline High temperature spring)
Temperature
43.4 ℃ (110.1 ℉)
[42.7 ℃ (108.9 ℉) at operating position]
pH value
9.6
Total ingredients
0.3836 g / kg
Perception
Colorless and transparent

Today's Ekiben

Hoku Hoku Bento
The appearance of Hoku Hoku Bento The whole of Hoku Hoku Bento

Hoku Hoku Bento

(Purchased at Echigo-yuzawa Station)

A Makunouchi-bento with wild vegetables soy sauce rice. The point is the chicken nugget that has slipped inside the Japanese-style side dishes. However, it costs 850 yen with such contents ... (¥ 850) ( Sengakuken)

  • The descriptions on this page contain personal opinions and are not necessarily objective facts.
  • The information may have changed at present. In particular, the charge and price etc. has often not updated from the time of travel, so check the latest information on the official website.

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