HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Scenic Strolls in Yutagawa Onsen
Visit the shrines and temples of a traditional hot-spring village in Yamagata Prefecture
Yamagata Prefecture
Yutagawa Onsen, a hot-spring village in Yamagata Prefecture, is located at the foot of Mt. Kinbo, a popular hiking destination. The hot springs were a gathering place for practitioners of Mt. Kinbo’s Shugendo religion (a syncretic mix of Buddhism, Shinto and mountain worship) from the 13th to the 19th century. For that reason, many ancient shrines and temples can be seen around Yutagawa Onsen.
One of them is Mizusawa Kumano-jinja Shrine, designated as a National Natural Monument and accessible in 10 minutes by bicycle from Yutagawa Onsen. Just a few minutes from there on foot, Mizukami Hachimangu Shrine, a National Important Cultural Property, awaits with its moss-covered paths and thatched-roof main shrine. As you return to Yutagawa Onsen, you will also encounter Tagawa Hachimangu Shrine, where you can take in a view of the serene countryside and its rice paddies.
After spending the night in one of Yutagawa Onsen’s ryokan inns, complete your adventure by climbing Mt. Kinbo, a National Place of Scenic Beauty. The hike from the village to the top of the mountain takes less than two hours, and your efforts will be rewarded with a view of Kinbozan-jinja Shrine, a National Important Cultural Property.
How to get there
By plane: From Haneda Airport, fly to Shonai Airport (about 1 hour). Take the airport bus to Tsuruoka Station (about 20 minutes), and transfer to the bus bound for Yutagawa-Sakanoshita-Koesawa. Get off the bus at Yutagawa Onsen (about 35 minutes).
By train: From Tokyo Station, take the JR Joetsu Shinkansen to Niigata Station (about 2 hours). From there, take the Inaho Express train to Tsuruoka Station (about 2 hours), and board the bus bound for Yutagawa-Sakanoshita-Koesawa. Get off the bus at Yutagawa Onsen (about 35 minutes).
47 Yumoto, Yutagawa, Tsuruoka-shi, Yamagata-ken
