Suddenly,
“Want to relax in a quiet spa town?”
Are there any of you who would like to relax in a quiet hot spring resort?

Actually!
There is a “hot spring resort” that I would like to recommend you!
“Onogawa Onsen is the place.

A hot spring resort on the outskirts of Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture.
It is secretly popular among hot spring enthusiasts as a “hidden, unexplored hot spring.”

You can also experience something different!

Let us introduce you to the charms of Onogawa Onsen!

What is Onogawa Onsen?

Onogawa Onsen is a relatively small hot spring resort in Yamagata Prefecture.

There is a single road in the middle of the hot spring resort,
The town is surrounded by inns, stores, and hot springs.

Therefore, the number of spots to see is limited.
It has a completely different “look” in spring, summer, fall, and winter!

Let us begin by talking about “Onogawa Onsen!

History” visited by famous historical figures.

First, a brief history of “Onogawa Onsen” will be introduced!

• Hot water opened about 1,200 years ago
• Ono no Komachi healed her illness at Onogawa Onsen during her journey.
• Date Masamune cured his injury with a hot water bath.

It is a hot spring with a very long history, with famous stories.

Famous historical figures such as “Ono Komachi and Date Masamune” have also visited the temple, which also shows its greatness!

Hot spring” full of skin beautifying effects

The hot spring water is sulfur containing sodium calcium chloride spring containing radium with a PH of 6.9 (neutral).

The hot spring is gentle on the skin with little irritation. Even those with sensitive skin can bathe safely!

And it contains a large amount of metasilicic acid, which is also used in lotion,
A true “spa for beautiful skin.”

Further! It is rare in the country to be able to “drink” it.
It is also expected to be effective from the inside of the body!

Other indications: joint pain/neuralgia/atopic eczema/chronic gastrointestinal disorders/women’s diseases/stiff shoulders/relief from fatigue.

You don’t have to stay overnight! Day Trips to Onsen

In Onogawa Onsen, the only “day-trip hot spring” facilities are “public bathhouses.
Most of the “one-day bathing” services offered by ryokans and hotels are for those who wish to enjoy hot spring baths without staying overnight.
In addition to the hot springs, there are “footbaths” and you can enjoy hot spring water everywhere!

Let me introduce each of them!

Day trip bathing

Most ryokan and hotels offer “one-day bathing” as a basic service!
Currently, about twelve ryokan and hotels offer baths.
Reception hours and holidays vary from facility to facility, so it is definitely best to contact hotels directly.

Public bath that can be used for free or a low fee

The “public bathhouse” are two loccations :
Amayu (200 yen, 7:00 – 21:00)
Taki no Yu (250 yen, bathing hours: 6:00 – 20:30)
It is a great place for “enthusiasts” to directly feel the source of the hot spring!

Footbath

“Footbaths” are also available in two locations :
Footbath in front of the Information Desk (free of charge, hours: 8:00-21:00)
Footbath in front of Ryokan Association (free of charge, hours: 8:00-21:00)
The “Information Mae Footbath” is located right in front of the Information house. I recommend you to take a footbath while thinking about your future travel plans!

Three “specialty products” that are all delicious!

The main specialties of Onogawa Onsen include,
The “radium egg,” “soy bean sprouts,” and “miso” are well-known!
Here is a brief introduction to each!

(1) Radium egg

(Photo is an image only)

Radium Eggs” made from the source of Onogawa Onsen, a radium spring
The yolk is tender and the white is plump, which can never be reproduced at home.
This is a unique dish that can only be found here!

2) Bean sprouts

In winter, they are cultivated using the heat from hot springs and
Long firm stems, crunchy texture, plenty of nutrition
Onogawa traditional vegetables that contain .
Bean sprouts” that have survived the winter are a little different!

3) Miso

The proprietresses of Onogawa Onsen prepare handmade miso twice a year!
Using the Onogawa Onsen hot spring source, you can taste both saltiness and sweetness,
When you eat this “Onna Miso,” you will experience a nostalgic feeling as if you are back in the countryside.

Seasonal Events

Onogawa Onsen is surrounded by mountains and full of beautiful nature.
“Pink” for cherry blossoms in spring, “Green” for fresh greenery in summer, “Red” for autumn leaves in fall, and “White” for snow in winter.
One of its characteristics is that it shows various “expressions” in spring, summer, fall, and winter!

And various events and festivals are held seasonally,
Among them, I have carefully selected the following events for each season!

Spring Uesugi Festival (May)
Summer Firefly Festival (June-July)
Autumn Kaiyukai Festival (October)
Winter Skiing, Kamakura Village (December to March)

Of course, there are many more events than those listed above,
These are the five main events that I personally recommend!

Here is a brief introduction!

A big 4-day event! Uesugi Festival

Yonezawa has been associated with the Uesugi family for generations, and there is even a shrine dedicated to them.

The Uesugi Festival is held to honor Kenshin Uesugi, the ancestor of the Uesugi family.

Many people from outside the prefecture visit this four-day event,
The “Battle of Kawanakajima” is one of the most featured events!

It is a reenactment of the “Battle of Kawanakajima” that took place in actual history, a large-scale “battle” involving more than 700 people in total!

The venue is a bit far from Onogawa Onsen, but well worth the trip!

Beautiful lights illuminate the night sky. Hotaru Matsuri (Firefly Festival)

The Hotaru Matsuri (Firefly Festival) is held by the river flowing through Onogawa Onsen.
This event is held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., when it gets dark outside, and you can see “fireflies” flying along the dark river, glowing beautifully.

Fireflies can only live in clean rivers, and the places where you can see them in Japan are quite limited.
Onogawa Onsen is a testament to the “good environment and clean water” of the area, and just looking at it is a soothing event!
The festival is not just about “watching fireflies” as there are also stalls and stage events!

Thanks to the best hot springs! Hot Spring Opening Ceremony

“Kaiyu Festival” held every year in October.

You may not have heard the concept of  “Kaiyu Festival” which is “blessings of nature in the hot springs and wish for the prosperity of the spa town.”

Mochimaki (rice cake pounding), stalls, hot spring discounts, raffles, etc,
The events change every year, and all are enjoyable!
The festival is different every year, so you will never get tired of it!

Delicious ramen after exercise! “Ski & Kamakura Village”

Yamagata is one of the most “snowy” areas in Japan, so “skiing” is a must!

Onogawa Ski Resort” is located just nearby,
It is not that big, but it is enough to enjoy skiing!

And the most impactful is the “Kamakura Village”!
In this event, giant “kamakura” are set up in parks and along the river in the hot spring resort area.
What a surprise! You can eat ramen inside!

The “kamakura” is well crafted by artisans and is large enough to accommodate about four adults!

And from “kamakura” you can order delivery to a nearby ramen shop,
They deliver the ramen to the inside of the kamakura!

This is one of those events that you should definitely experience because you will not be able to have this kind of experience very often!
*There are times when this event cannot be held due to snow conditions, so please check in advance.

I highly recommend that you stop by!

I have introduced various events so far,
Apart from that, there are some recommended spots that you should definitely stop by!

I would like to introduce some of the spots that I personally recommend!

Koshi Daikokuten Main Shrine, where visitors can enjoy worship and hands-on experience

“Koshi Daikokuten Honzan” is located on a hill a short distance away from the hot spring resort area.
It offers a panoramic view of Onogawa Onsen, and in addition to worship, visitors can also make prayer beads and experience sutra copying.
You can enjoy a variety of experiences!

Here are two of them that are of particular interest!

(1) Colored paper fortune

The “omikuji” here is a little different.
What a surprise!

Further! The words on the colored paper are.
The priest handwrites all of the documents.
I hear that some of them say things that are not written in ordinary omikuji…?

(2) GOSHUIN = Red seal

There is a “GOSHUIN” at the Koshi Daikokuten head temple!
We deal in two main types of products

• Limited time period
• “Dragon God Protection” to be completed over a period of two years.

The GOSHUIN “Dragon God’s Protection” is
One special red seal is given per year, and a total of two red seals over a two-year period make a complete set!

It is a special red seal that is not often heard of elsewhere,
It is a must-have item!

Please visit the Koshi Daikokuten Main Shrine, which still has many attractions to offer!
(Click here for the official website! → Koshi Daikokuten head temple official )

A must-see for fans of the ministry “Onsen Musume”.

Let me talk a little bit about a little bit of geekery here!

There are actually “onsen musume” (hot spring girls) in Onogawa Onsen.
Its name is Onogawa Komachi.

“Onsen musume” can be found in almost all hot spring resorts in Japan,
Not all of them are in every spa resort.
There are currently 128 “Onsen Musume” ( as of February 2024)! (As of February 2024)

In Yamagata Prefecture,
5 hot spring resorts (Atsumi Onsen, Ginzan Onsen, Kaminoyama Onsen, Zao Onsen) including Onogawa Onsen,
There are a total of five “onsen musume” (hot spring girls), one for each!

There are five “onsen musume” in one prefecture, which is more than in any other prefecture in Japan. You can see how many hot springs there are in Yamagata!

We also collaborate with many inns in Onogawa Onsen,
Collaboration products such as key chains, T-shirts, and souvenirs are available.

It seems that many people are fans of “Onogawa Komachi.”
It seems that some people come all the way from far away to buy goods!

Please come and meet Onogawa Komachi, a hot springs girl!

“Delicious” with memories. Souvenirs

The “radium egg, bean sprouts, and proprietress’s miso” introduced in the “Specialties” section earlier are
All of them can be purchased as souvenirs!

Other items such as “manju, tofu, and sake” are also available to “commemorate your trip”.
Would you like one?

A little bit of attention to the ministry “Access”.

Onogawa Onsen is not that far from the center of Yonezawa,
Please note that accessibility is not that good!

Here are a few directions and notes for those coming for the first time.

For those coming by car

→ It takes about 20 minutes to get there from Yonezawa Station without using the toll road.
There are no major points to note, but visitors coming in winter should be careful of snow-covered roads!
Yonezawa is a heavy snowfall area, so there is quite a lot of snow. Every day heavy equipment is used to clear the roads of snow, but even so, those who are not used to it may feel a little uneasy. As a countermeasure, you can drive slowly with studless tires, so please do not be in a hurry!

By train

Onogawa Onsen has no nearest station, and the nearest station is “Yonezawa”.
So, if you are coming by train, please come to Yonezawa Station first,
From there, you need to rent a car or take a bus.
There are about 6 car rental agencies around Yonezawa Station, though,
Please check the bus schedule in advance, as there is only one bus every hour or two!

There are some restaurants around Yonezawa Station, but please note that there are not many places to kill time.

When in doubt, call the Information Desk.

If you are in Onogawa Onsen and wonder “What should I do now? , The “Information Center” located in the center of Onogawa Onsen is not only gathering information, but also a rest spot with a footbath!

Or just soak in the footbath and take a rest!”
Or just soak in the footbath and discuss it!”
Or soak in the footbath to warm up!”

You can stop by even if you have no business at the information center.

The inside of the information center is stylish, and just sitting in a chair and looking around is enjoyable enough!

There is also an information map of “Onogawa Onsen” for your reference!

Finally:

Thank you for your patience up to this point!

“Onogawa Onsen”
Despite being a small spa town, there are many things to see and do in each of the four seasons!

Personally, I recommend “winter”,

“A hot spring bath with a view of the snow”
“Ramen at the Kamakura”

You will be able to experience both the extraordinary and the healing that cannot be experienced anywhere else.

Please visit Onogawa Onsen!

Thank you very much!
(If you are visiting in winter, please be careful on snowy roads!)