Visiting Ginzan Onsen in the Winter
The most beautiful sight of the deep north of Japan.
Of all the breathtaking sights in Tohoku, many flock to see what they think is the most beautiful of all, the sight of Ginzan Onsen covered in snow, warmly illuminated by its classic gas streetlamps.
With its traditional Taisho Era buildings packed tightly along the river, this small onsen town located deep in the mountains is a dream destination for those seeking the nostalgia of Japan, said to be a a large inspiration in the bathhouse design and town featured in Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away film.
To learn more about Ginzan Onsen and how to get to it in seasons other than winter, see our full article about it here.
We recommend that those taking a trip to Ginzan Onsen during the night, especially during winter, should wear an appropriate amount of clothing to keep you warm during your time there. Heavy snowfall is not uncommon, and the average temperature has been recorded to be as low as 23°F (-4.3℃). Account for buffer time in your itinerary, in the case that your bus or taxi moves slowly due to the weather (including but not limited to whiteouts).
Update for the 2024/2025 Winter Season
Ginzan Onsen has established new rules for the 2024-2025 winter season in an attempt to address overtourism.
In short this system has caused mass confusion for visitors and a huge headache for tour operators as well.
Make things simple and just arrange a charter taxi to see Ginzan Onsen which also ensures you can get tickets to see the town.
See below for this service.
This was already a good valued service for the convenience.
It allows you to bypass all the issues of overcrowding on the public buses and now the very unclear ticketing system that may result in people getting turned away after making a long journey here to Yamagata.
Use of personal and rental vehicles to travel into the town will be restricted, starting January 7, 2025. Travelers coming by car must use the Park and Ride system, leaving their vehicles at the Taisho Romankan and taking the shuttle bus into the onsen town (fare required). Please note that it is not possible to make advance reservations on the shuttle bus.
There will be no restrictions placed on the number of visitors entering the onsen town between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM. Please keep in mind while planning your trip that last entry is at 4 PM and all guests without tickets for evening entry will be required to leave the town before 5 PM.
From 5 PM until 8 PM, entry tickets are required for any guests who do not have overnight reservations to stay within the onsen town. Advance reservation is required, and must be made in the name of the guest who will actually be using the ticket. From 8 PM until 9 AM the following day, entry is prohibited to unrelated parties. Please check Ginzan Onsen’s official website for more details, ticket reservations, and the latest information (Japanese only)
Stay overnight at Ginzan Onsen
For those looking to stay in Ginzan Onsen, it is very difficult (almost impossible) during the winter. If you wish to stay here during the snowy months of December, January, and February then you generally must reserve at least one year in advance to get a room along the main street. Reservations open up at different times for each ryokan and you must reserve them right when they open in order to try to secure a room. Unfortunately many resellers buy up these rooms and make it very hard to get rooms.
If you cannot stay at Ginzan Onsen, it is a great day trip from the many hotels of Yamagata City and there are other onsen towns where you can stay here in Yamagata.
Private charter vehicle to Ginzan Onsen
One major advantage of taxis is that they have their own separate reserve of tickets to enter the onsen town.
In otherwords, this is a sure way to get to see Ginzan Onsen which greatly adds to the value of this option.
Our recommendation for those coming all the way out to Ginzan Onsen during the winter to see this beautiful onsen town is that they invest in a private charter vehicle to ensure they can have a smooth and safe visit. With reserved transport like this, this will ensure that you will be able to arrive in time to see the twilight glow just after sunset and you will not be stranded at Ginzan Onsen because you cannot miss the bus.
You can have a day-trip visit to Ginzan Onsen via private charter vehicle, at a time of your choice. Your driver will pick you up and drop you off anywhere such as your hotel, Yamagata Station, etc. The cheapest option to ride a taxi is to ride one from Oishida Station. There, you can choose to either enjoy a complimentary private guided walking tour in English, or simply enjoy free time in the onsen town. We can also provide time and access for you to enjoy a hot springs bath in Ginzan Onsen if you like.
We can arrange a round-trip private charter vehicle for you starting from the following prices below:
Note that these prices include an entry ticket for 2 people to see Ginzan Onsen in the winter.
Oishida Station <-> Ginzan Onsen : from ¥33,380
Tendo Onsen <-> Ginzan Onsen: from ¥52,900
Yamagata Station Area <-> Ginzan Onsen: from ¥69,900
The above prices include a 90-minute stay in Ginzan Onsen to explore the town and take photos.
The driver will instruct you where to meet at the end of this period.
Note that this departure time is a strict deadline and the taxi driver will have the right to leave if you are not back in time.
Extensions to this 90 minute period must be made in advance.
We recommend using this service and staying at a hotel by Yamagata Station.
Restaurants here are open late. If you stay at a onsen town such as Tendo Onsen, you will be rushed to make it back in time for your included dinner which is to risky.
You can send an inquiry for a private charter vehicle below. After we receive your inquiry, we will confirm the price and booking with you, then check with our partners and send you a booking confirmation email at least 3 days before your desired date. Please note that this form does not confirm availability or reserve it straightaway.
Public transportation
Please be aware that tickets will be required for entry after 4:00 PM during the winter period.
We do not handle or arrange these tickets apart from our chartered taxi services.
Public transportation options in the area are limited and at the mercy of weather conditions of the day, usually being late or worst case canceled. The small public bus which runs in the area departs from the closest train station only 5 times a day. The limited timetable does not allow for much time to enjoy the famous night illuminated view of Ginzan Onsen. This bus is not covered by the JR pass and costs ¥1000 yen each way. It takes about 35 minutes for the bus to drive between Ginzan Onsen and Oishida Station. See this website for the bus schedule (Japanese).
The addition of the influx of travelers to Ginzan Onsen every year, makes public transport even harder to be able to ride on. While this is the most cost-efficient option to get to Ginzan Onsen, there are times when it is not able to fit people during peak times in January and February. There have been instances where the bus becomes full, and 20 – 60 visitors are not able to board the bus, having to wait for up to 2 hours at the bus stop for the next bus.
Rental car to Ginzan Onsen
Due to its remote location, there are few public transportation options to reach Ginzan Onsen. Typically most locals will drive a car, and while our rental cars are available, we highly recommend other transport due to the vast amount of snow. Our providers also have a period of time in winter where they do not rent their cars out due to the danger the snow poses in the prefecture.
If do you choose to go by car, there is one parking lot you can use at the Taisho Romankan during the winter period. From there, you will need to take a short 5-10 minute ¥500 round-trip shuttle bus from there to Ginzan Onsen- it is dangerous to get to the town otherwise.
The shuttle bus operates:
[Winter (December to March/April) operating hours] 9:00AM– 6:00PM
[New Year’s holidays] 9:00AM – 5:00PM
[Normal operating hours] 8:30AM – 6:30PM
You will need to call the shuttle bus through the intercom at the hot-pink sign with a digital screen. See more information here. (Japanese)
To learn more about Ginzan Onsen and how to get to it in seasons other than winter, see our full article about it here.
Cancelation policy
Our general cancelation policy for our taxi and bus trip reservations is below. Cancelation fees may vary according to exceptional circumstances. In cases of cancelation due to acts of god such as weather or bus mechanical failure we will refund customers in full.
10 business days before date of experience
15% of total price
5 business days before date of experience
50% of total price
3 business days before date of experience or same day
100% of total price
