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

Yamamiya-onsen

Yamamiya-onsen

2532-1, Yamamiya-cho, Kofu City, Yamanashi Pref.

The bathtub is filled and overflowing with hot water flowing from the source. Gentle and not too hot water makes you want to soak for a long time.

Yamamiya-onsen Rock bathtub
Yamamiya-onsen exterior Yamamiya-onsen open-air bath Yamamiya-onsen washing area

The water is a little warm and gentle. You can enjoy unheated, hot water flowing from the source. There is a large amount of water, they also uses the hot spring water for the faucets and showers.

The charge is reasonable, and it has a sauna, so it's good value for money. It has been renovated and is now clean and much nicer. Apparently it is becoming more and more popular with local residents.

It is located near Yumura Onsen, along the road to Shosenkyo Gorge. We recommend stopping by during your sightseeing trip around Kofu.

  • Click to the description page

Only the bathing room at the back has an open-air bath. (The bathing rooms alternate daily between men and women.)

Location

Rating of access

1.5 pt(from Shinjuku)

→ How to rate access train

Area / Railway

Ko-shin-etsu Region
Yamanashi Pref.

JR Chuo Line

onsen

Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta. Keio: 1 hr Keio Line ¥410
  • Takao Sta.JR: 1 hr 50 min Chuo Line ¥1,520
  • Ryuo Sta.Walk: 42 min 3.3 km (2.1 mi) Difference in elevation: 44 m (144 ft)
  • Yamamiya-onsen
Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta.JR: 2 hrs 50 min Chuo Line ¥2,310
  • Ryuo Sta. (South gate) Kai City Bus: 24 min Shikishima Hokubu Line ¥200
  • Shikishima Kinzoku Bus StopWalk: 9 min 0.7 km (0.4 mi)
  • Yamamiya-onsen
Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta.JR: 2 hrs 35 min Chuo Line ¥2,310
  • Kofu Sta. (South gate)
    Bus Terminal No.4 Yamanashi Kotsu Bus: 19 min for Shosenkyo¥390
  • Hokusei Chugakko Bus StopWalk: 2 min 0.2 km (0.1 mi)
  • Yamamiya-onsen
Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta. JR express: 1 hr 40 min Kaiji etc. Reserved seat¥3,890
  • Kofu Sta. (South gate)
    Bus Terminal No.4 Yamanashi Kotsu Bus: 18 min Yamamiya Junkan ¥390
  • Yamamiya Kamicho Bus StopWalk: 6 min 0.5 km (0.3 mi)
  • Yamamiya-onsen
Route from Tokyo (Shinjuku)
  • Shinjuku Sta. (New South Gate)Walk: 2 min
  • Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
    (4th floor) Expressway bus: 2 hrs 04 min Kofu Ryuo Line ¥2,200
  • Kofu Sta. (North gate)Walk: 2 min 0.2 km (0.1 mi)
  • Hotel "New Station"Bicycle rental: 25 min 5.2 km ( 3.2 mi) ¥1,000
  • Yamamiya-onsen
Routes from Tokyo
  • Shinjuku
  • Keio
  • Takao
  • JR
  • Ryuo
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 3 hrs 32 min ¥1,930

  • Shinjuku
  • JR
  • Ryuo
  • Bus
  • Shikishima Kinzoku
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 3 hrs 23 min ¥2,510

  • Shinjuku
  • JR
  • Kofu
  • Bus
  • hot spring
  • 2 hrs 56 min ¥2,700

  • Shinjuku
  • JR express
  • Kofu
  • Bus
  • Yamamiya Kamicho
  • Walk
  • hot spring
  • 2 hr 04 min ¥4,280

  • Shinjuku
  • Expressway bus
  • Kofu
  • Bicycle rental
  • hot spring
  • 2 hrs 33 min ¥3,200

  • The price of JR Express is "Base fare" plus "Express charge". (These are determined according to the distance.) In case of JR Express on Chuo Line, "Express charge" has two types: "Reserved seat" and "Undecided seat". Both have the same charge, which do not change depending on the season. However, the price will vary depending on where you buy. (Internet < Station < Inside the car). If you have an "Undecided seat" ticket, you can sit in any vacant seat, but you have no priority. So, if someone comes who has a "Reserved seat" ticket for the seat you are sitting, you have to give up the seat to him / her.
  • Kai City Bus Shikishima Hokubu Line, which goes from Ryuo Station to Shikishima Kinzoku Bus Stop, only operates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
    Ryuo Sta. south gateShikishima Kinzoku
    11:5312:17
    16:0816:30
    Shikishima KinzokuRyuo Sta. south gate
    10:0010:18
    (Mon, Tue) 14:0814:26
    (Thu, Fri) 14:2514:43

    As of April 1, 2024

  • Kofu City Bicycle Rental is operated in cooperation with Kofu City and the Kofu Hotel Ryokan Cooperative. You can rent an electric assisted bicycle at some hotels around Kofu Station. From 9:00 to 18:00 (from November to March until 17:00), ¥1,000, ID card required, return to borrowed place. Inquiry: Kofu City Sightseeing Department 055-237-5702
  • 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 Yamamiya-onsen

(From Ryuo Sta.)
  1. Go out the station north gate rotary and turn right (go to east) at the traffic light intersection
  2. Turn left at the T-junction (immediately afterwards you will pass under the expressway). Then go straight for about 2.3 km (1.4 mi)

Click the map to open Google Map

  1. Go past the "Wade-cho" traffic light intersection and turn right at the next intersection. (You will see the blue signboard for Yamamiya-onsen.)
  2. Cross the bridge and turn left at the T-junction
  3. In front of the junior high school gate, go diagonally forward to the right
  4. Turn left at the "Hokusei Jr. High School Ent." traffic light intersection

bus stop: bus stop

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.

Nishi-san and Kita-san are in Kofu today. Their destination is Yumura Onsen, a historic hot spring town. But, it seems that Nishi-san wants to stop by another hot spring before heading to Yumura Onsen...

Yamamiya-onsen? I've never heard of it... Is it close to Yumura Onsen?

It's pretty close. From what I've seen online it looks good.

Huh, OK. Anyway, does it have an open-air bath?

Sometimes.

What does that mean?

The men's and women's baths are switched daily, and only one of them has an open-air bath. In short, the probability is 50/50.

I see. Well, since my actions are good everyday, today the men's bath probably has the open-air bath.

No, no, no, based on your actions everyday, there will be no open-air Oh, we've just arrived at Yamamiya-onsen!

Signboard for Yamamiya-onsen on the way from JR Ryuo Station (near the Shikishima Kinzoku Bus Stop) Signboard for Yamamiya-onsen

Yamamiya-onsen exterior

exterior

Anyway they arrived.

It looks like it's still new.

Yamamiya-onsen undressing room

undressing room

Exactly. But it doesn't feel like it's aimed at tourists, so I'm looking forward to it.

Well, anyway, that's nice it's new and clean. And, if the men's bath has an open-air bath, it'll be perfect.

I'm sure it's the one without.

What you say? There definitely is!

Yamamiya-onsen was renovated in 2015.

Today, the men's bathing room is at the back.

Yamamiya-onsen bathtub

bathtub

It's spacious and clean, you know. And it has even a sauna.

Two bathtubs. It says, this one is hot spring source. It's huge overflowing, isn't it?

If this is the hot spring source, what's the other one? …Ah, the temperature is a little high.

Yamamiya-onsen bathtub

bathtub

Oh really. In short, it's heated and circulating, from the looks of it. It's not overflowing.

Ah, I see. Temperature-wise, the source one is just right, then.

The water is mild and nice. Hot springs in Kofu have really high quality.

Oh! There's an open-air bath!

Yamamiya-onsen open-air bath (pot bathtub)

open-air bath (pot bathtub)

Kita-san immediately goes into the open-air bath. Nishi-san goes to the washing area.

It's paradise ♫  It's because my actions are good everyday, you know.

Yamamiya-onsen washing area

washing area

Hey, the water from this faucet smells. It's not tap water. Could it be hot spring source?

It's paradise ♫

They uses source for faucets too, don't you think it's so luxurious, do you?

It's paradise ♫

…You don't listen to me...

After a relaxing soak in the hot springs, they had lunch. In the afternoon, Nishi-san and Kita-san headed to Yumura Onsen. (→ Continue to Yumura Onsen Tsue-onsen Koboyu)

(October 2023)

 

Impression & rating

This is a plain but capable hot spring. With reasonably charge, you can enjoy the hot spring water flowing from the source. It's easy to see why it's usually crowded with locals.

2.5 pt

Impression & rating

It's more than a downtown hot spring public bathhouse but less than a Japanese style Spa & Bath. The downside is that the probability of being able to enter the open-air bath is 50/50.

2.0 pt

→ How to rate

The Onsen facility

Address
2532-1, Yamamiya-cho, Kofu City, Yamanashi Pref.
Phone
domestic: 055-251-4263
international: +81-55-251-4263
Website
Yamamiya-onsen
Bathing hours
10:00 - 22:00(Last entry at 21:15)
Close days
First Wednesday
Charge
Adults: ¥700 / Children: (ages 2 and up to elementary school age) ¥300 / Children under 2: Free of charge
Baths
Gender-separated indoor bath (with sauna and cold water bath), Open-air bath in the back bathing room (Bathing rooms alternate daily between men and women)
Facilities
There are lockers in the undressing room

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

(Survey date: Feb. 18, 2019)

Spring quality
Sodium - Chloride spring (Hypotonic Weak alkaline Hot spring
Gushing place
2532-1, Yamamiya-cho, Kofu City, Yamanashi Pref.
Temperature
37.6 ℃ (99.7 ℉)
[air temperature: 8.5 ℃ (47.3 ℉)]
Water volume
200 L / min (Pumping)
pH value
7.7
Total ingredients
1.453 g / kg
Perception
Colorless, clear, tasteless, odorless

Today's Ekiben

Beef rice on the farm
The appearance of Beef rice on the farm The whole of Beef rice on the farm

Beef rice on the farm

(Purchased at Kofu Station)

I thought the packaging had a retro design, and it turns out it's a reproduction of the ekiben that was sold 20 years ago (until around 2002). Compared to modern ekibens with lots of colorful side dishes mainly vegetables, it might give us a sense of the trend of the times that the entirely brown appearance. That aside, the sweet and spicy simmered beef with wasabi is delicious simply.

« contents »
Rice (grown in Japan), Simmered beef, Simmered dishes (Konjac, Shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoots, etc.), Pickles, Pickled ginger

(¥1,080)
(→ Marumasa website)

  • 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.

Onsen List

Tohoku Region

Kanto Region

Kyushu Region

  • Fukuoka Pref.
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