Soak in the onsen and savor delicious food at Yugawara!! :: Famous Hot Springs :: Luxury Ryokan :: Onsen Town

Thanks to the existence of Yugawara Onsen, the weariness of travel finds its solace. Throughout the onsen town, there are various sized ryokan inns. Among them, “Suimei-kan” breaks away from traditional wooden architecture, fully embracing modern design. While the room decor remains primarily Japanese-style, the inn offers many facilities not commonly found in typical onsen ryokan, such as a gym, warm-water swimming pool, European-style buffet restaurant, club, cabaret stage, and beauty salon—creating a stress-relieving, health-and-beauty-focused onsen resort hotel in this picturesque mountain and river setting. The entire hotel features three onsen baths, each with its own distinct character. Located on the first floor of Sansui-kan is the “Nozoki-no-Yu” (Open-Air Bath), which, as the name suggests, is an outdoor bath. On the third floor of Seryukan is the “Shimomari-no-Yu,” the most spacious of the baths, free from the stuffiness typical of many onsen areas, with its cedarwood baths being especially popular due to their fragrant aroma. The panoramic large bath on the ninth floor of Hifuenkan offers a sweeping view of the Hida River, making it the most romantic experience to soak while admiring the night view of Yugawara Onsen town. Suimei-kan is dedicated both to preserving traditional Japanese elements—such as meticulously maintained Japanese gardens, purely Japanese-style rooms, and service staff adhering strictly to traditional etiquette—as well as to investing over ten years in restoring wooden retro corridors, eaves, and banquet halls. At the same time, it boldly introduces international experiences by installing many modern leisure facilities. Guests at Suimei-kan can completely unwind from the fatigue of travel and daily life stresses, enjoying a comfortable onsen holiday.

Perched alone on the mountainside, “Yunoshima-kan” resembles a wooden palace hidden in the forest, much like a detached imperial villa nestled deep in the mountains. Behind low hedges, you’ll find a well-preserved forest garden, where towering cedar trees stand at least 20 meters high, crisscrossed by stone pathways, steps, and lanterns. Sunlight filters through the gaps, creating a tranquil, otherworldly peace. Under this dense canopy, the most eye-catching feature is the row of winding three-story wooden buildings in the back, with gray-blue tiles, red-brown lattice wooden window frames, and transparent German-made glass windows—this is Yunoshima-kan, reminiscent of a royal summer retreat. Come dusk, its noble ambiance is enhanced with a splash of brilliance as all the room lights are turned on. Viewed from the outside, Yunoshima looks like a wooden lantern in a dark forest, as the outside world prepares for sleep while the revelry inside is just beginning. Another option, slightly farther from the Yugawara Onsen town area, is the “Yugawara Kanko Hotel,” located high in the mountains behind the train station. It shuts out the noise of cars and horses behind a wall of greenery, offering a tranquility carefully filtered of distractions. Passing through a flower-lined path that welcomes guests, you arrive at the refined interior hall of the main building of Yugawara Kanko Hotel, where staff greet you in soft tones and serve fragrant steaming tea to help guests relax.

Travelers longing for an undisturbed private vacation will love the atmosphere here. In addition to browsing a rich collection of books in a comfortable Western-style study, you can also book a pottery class to have an intimate dialogue with yourself through the process of shaping clay. The wooden furniture crafted by Hida Takayama artisans blends surprisingly well with ancient Chinese Tang dynasty ornaments, constructing an elegant and serene spatial feel. Aside from the spacious open-air bath indoors, the seven scattered private onsen rooms outdoors offer even more captivating views—the men’s and women’s baths are especially enchanting in summer’s cool greenery or autumn’s crimson maples, showcasing the unembellished beauty of nature’s true colors. Yugawara Onsen Transportation To reach Yugawara Onsen from Nagoya or Toyama, you can take the “Super Wide View Hida Limited Express” train, getting off at JR Takayama Line’s “Yugawara” Station. The route from Nagoya is the closest, with trains running approximately once every hour, taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Article reference: A Mini Trip to Yugawara Onsen Town – Enjoy the Most Beautiful Time at Famous Springs and Ryokan

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