Japan's famous hot spring town, a place hidden away in Spiri

2019-12-22

Yesterday's article said, "Go and watch the snow ❄️ with your beloved TA." Today, Green Valley Sauce takes everyone to experience the beauty of Yinshan Hot Spring ♨️

Yinshan Hot Spring Street is a hot spring street built for the convenience of miners in nearby silver mines. Today, the hotels here are lined up in a row and still have quaint buildings. It is said that the "Yuya" in the animated film "Senjo Chihiro" directed by Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki was inspired by these hotels.

As soon as I stepped on Yinshan Hot Spring Street, time felt still. The architecture here is a wooden structure from the late Taisho period to the early Showa period, coupled with the continuous sound of gurgling water and the mists of the air, just like being in the world of Spirited Away, dreamy and magical. The popular tourist attractions here have beautiful streetscapes, and tourists are here, as if they were back in Japan's Taisho era (1912-1926). Silver Mountain Hot Spring is most popular in winter all year round. The amount of snowfall here is rare in Japan. It snows in November every year, and in December it is completely a silver-clad world. If you are tired of Hakone and Izu, come here to enjoy the snow while enjoying the hot spring!

The Okuyama Mountains, located in the center of the northeastern region of Honshu, Japan, running north-south and north-south, is Japan's largest mountain range. The Silver Mountain Hot Spring is located in Owazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, at the foot of this mountain range. If you are departing from Tokyo, it will be very convenient. Take the Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo Station, arrive at Oishida Station in about 3 and a half hours, and then take a bus from JR Yamagata Shinkansen Oishida Station for about 40 minutes. This bus looks very retro and feels like driving at 20 The bus of the 1920s.

There are colorful "镘画" on the outer walls of the houses here, which is a unique relief craft in Japan. As a sign that the owner is rich or expensive, such a concentrated appearance is rare in Japan. It can be seen that this was once a hot spring resort.

On the road, you can see street lights that dim like a gas lamp, inlaid with colorful tiles everywhere, as well as wooden grid-like architectural styles and "paintings" (colorful reliefs) on the hotel walls. These are full of The retro atmosphere evokes the nostalgia of the Japanese. In just 1 hour, you can walk around the entire Hot Spring Street. Why not take a leisurely stroll in this 1920s hot spring street.

Warm body and mind in muddy hot springs Many hotels have open-air baths. Especially in the severe cold in the snow in winter, soaking in the open-air bath feels particularly comfortable. Many hotels also offer a "soak service for the day", which can be used even if you are not staying at the hotel. In addition, there are two public baths where you can enjoy hot springs in a relaxed atmosphere with locals.

The greatest pleasure of strolling on the hot spring street is of course foot bath or public bath. There is a "Hele foot soup" at the entrance of Wenquan Street for free. After walking in the snow for a long time, it is inevitable that your feet will become cold. Take off your shoes and socks here, and let your feet soak in the hot spring while enjoying the snow scene. It is extremely comfortable. , And anyone can use it for free. The hot spring water here and the hot spring water used in the hotel are drawn from the same source. You can prepare towels and come here to warm your feet after a long walk on the hot spring street.

There are two public baths called "shirogane soup" and "kajika soup". The former is 500 yen and the latter is 300 yen. It is worth mentioning that "shirogane soup" was designed by the famous Japanese architect Mr. Kengo Kuma. Since the check-in time of the hot spring hotel is in the afternoon, if you arrive in the morning, you might as well enjoy the common bath first.

Enjoy the delicious food!

"Nanogawa Tofu House" is a 130-year-old brand that is famous for its tofu, which is supplied to the local hot spring hotels, and is located near "Helezu Soup." Come and enjoy the very popular "Tofu" and "Sheng Yang".

The other is the "haikarasan-dori" Japanese style coffee shop located deep in the hot spring street. The signature dish is curry bread, the surface is crispy and roasted, but the inside is soft and bite. The sweetness is the unique flavor of curry.

Finally, the Obanazawa city where this Yinshan hot spring is located has an "Obanazawa beef", which is a black hair Wagyu brand that has been certified by the strict inspection of the Japan National Edible Beef Promotion Fund Association. The flesh of this frosted beef is soft, and the fat part is melted in the mouth but not greasy. It can be tasted no matter which hotel. Generally, steaks are cooked or simmered in a "Japanese-style shabu-shabu" in a hot pot for guests to enjoy.

Although the snow scene in winter is impressive, Yinshan Hot Spring has a lot of fun in other seasons. After the snow melted, the hot spring town was green and full of life. On Saturday nights from May to October, lively dance performances of Huali dance can be seen on bridges and roads.