Yamagata Prefecture
Beautiful year-round, Ginzan Onsen stands as one of our top recommendations for sightseers visiting the Tohoku Region and is an absolute must-see location during the winter.
Featuring one of the most beautiful winter views in all of Japan, Ginzan Onsen is a picture-perfect hot spring town nestled in the mountains in the deep countryside of Yamagata Prefecture. With its beautiful Taisho-Era wooden buildings, streets lit by gas lamps, and a magnificent row of luxurious bathhouses, this location is like walking through a scene from Spirited Away.
If you are viewing this article, you undoubtedly have seen pictures of it covered in snow which is quickly becoming an iconic scene of Japan and the top destination in all of Yamagata. Read on to see how you can plan a trip here.
Quick Info
Cost
Free to explore
Opening Hours
All-year round
Average Duration
1-2 hours
Address
山形県尾花沢市銀山温泉
Access
Ginzan Onsen can also be reached from Yamagata City via a local train to Oishida Station and then taking a local bus from that station.
If traveling in winter, see this article for more information.
A rental car is also advisable for this countryside region. See rental car options here.
Other tips
It is most beautiful when it is covered in snow during the winter months.
The silver mine and forest path are not accessible during the winter due to snow.
Ginzan Onsen has a general parking lot nearby the hot spring ryokan where guests can park.
See below for lodging information.
Temperatures here in the winter are usually well below 0 degrees celsius, proper winter clothes are absolutely mandatory.
Explore one of Japan's Most Beautiful Onsen Towns
Originally obtaining its name from the silver mine located near the back of this town, Ginzan Onsen translates out to Silver Mountain Hotsprings and was founded over 400 years ago when it thrived off of its silver production.
After its mines shut down, the town rediscovered itself as a premier hot spring resort by designating an entire portion of its town with over a dozen bathhouses that still stand today.
With their wooden frames and white plaster walls, these buildings preserve the elegance of their Taisho Era (1912 to 1926) architecture and are romanticized through the many dramas that this town is featured in.
The nostalgic and warm feel that visitors often praise this town for is also thanks to the gas street lamps that give this town a soft glow.
Ginzan Onsen also features a 22-meter waterfall located at the back of the town. There is also a short hike into the mountains behind the waterfall that leads to a section of the silver mine that you can still enter today.
Note that this hike and the silver mine are inaccessible due to heavy snow during the winter months and early spring. A small trade-off for the beautiful winter view you can enjoy.
To those wishing to enjoy the natural hot spring water, take note that a majority of these hot spring resorts are only for guests spending the night.
However, there are three public baths that you may enter during sepcific times. (Shirogane, Kajikayu, and Omokageyu)
Getting to Ginzan Onsen
Ginzan Onsen is located on the inland side of Yamagata Prefecture and is about one hour away from Yamagata City.
You can reach there by car, bus, or taxi.
If traveling in winter, see this article for more information.
Taxi Tour
A local guide named Mrs. Suzuki in Obanazawa City next to Ginzan Onsen offers taxi services that is specifically for foreign visitors.
She speaks very good English and can drive guests to and from Ginzan Onsen and also walk you around the town and wait in the parking lot for you to take photos and self explore.
These rates start from about 22,000 yen round-trip and are good option to take out the stress of the buses or driving with rental cars.
Please contact us for these bookings in our contact form.
Getting to Ginzan Onsen by rental car
Due to its remote location, there are few public transportation options to reach Ginzan Onsen.
Typically most Japanese people will drive a car there and rental cars are our number one recommended form of getting to this town. See rental car options here.
If you choose to go by car, parking lots we recommend include:
- Ginzanonsen Kyodo Parking Lot
¥500 yen, a 5-10 minute walk to Ginzan Onsen. Closed from December – April. - Taisho Romankan
Free parking, take a 5-10 minute ¥300 round-trip shuttle bus from here to Ginzan Onsen.
The shuttle bus operates:[Normal operating hours] 8:30 – 18:30
[Winter (December to March/April) operating hours] 9:00 – 18:00
[New Year’s holiday] 9:00 – 17:00
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)
Getting to Ginzan Onsen by bus
There is a local bus line that operates between Oishida Station and Ginzan Onsen. You can reach Oishida Station via a local train from Yamagata Station, though be aware there is likely not be any English on the trains.
The local bus is called the Hanagasa Bus and departs Oishida Station approximately every 60-90 minutes and only operates 5 times a day. Note that the bus is not covered by the JR pass and costs 720 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).
A word of warning about using the bus.
Be aware that this bus is small and is not very suitable for the surge in demand that this onsen town sees in the winter and fall season. There are cases where passengers have not been able to fit into the bus and have had to wait for the next bus or even take a taxi instead.
This is very problematic in the winter where temperatures can be around -12 degrees celsius.
This bus will stop multiple times between driving between Oishida Station and Ginzan Onsen, so be careful not to get off at the wrong stop or you will be in a very tricky situation.
To verify with the bus driver you can show them this Japanese to ask the following questions, the driver should be able to respond with a simple yes or no. We also recommend using Google Maps to monitor your location and verify yourself if you are where you want to get off.
ここは大石田駅ですか？
(Koko Wa Ooishida Eki Desu Ka?)
Is this Oishida Station?
ここは銀山温泉ですか？
(Koko Wa Ginzan Onsen Desu Ka?)
Is this Ginzan Onsen?
Staying at Ginzan Onsen
Due to its extreme surge in popularity among tourists, staying at Ginzan Onsen can be difficult to nearly outright impossible to stay at, depending on the time of the year.
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. Most ryokan here are family owned and will only accept reservations via direct phone call that must be made in Japanese. We recommend having a Japanese friend making this call for you, this is how most foreigners who live in Japan get reservations at these places.
If they detect a strong foreign accent or improper Japanese, some of these places are known to say they have no rooms available even if there are vacancies.
As always, we strongly urge you to be responsible and pay for cancellation fees when incurred. Many ryokan do not take your credit card information for the bookings and technically have no means to make guests pay a cancellation fee. However, Japan is a country built on trust and it would be extremely disrespectful to take advantage of this culture.
Our company is a local Yamagata travel agency and have relationships with some of these hotels.
Please contact us as soon as possible for reservations here via our contact form.
Ginzan Onsen is an easy day trip from the many hotels of Yamagata City, so you can always just plan a day visit to this onsen town while basing yourself in the capital of Yamagata Prefecture.
Staying at other Yamagata Onsen Towns
Ginzan Onsen is just one of many dreamy onsen towns here in Yamagata Prefecture!
If you are not able to make a booking at Ginzan Onsen, you may still be able to book a room at another onsen resort.
If traveling in the winter, one option would be to stay at Tendo onsen and take a bus to visit Ginzan Onsen.
We highly recommend a traditional onsen route that has been popular since the Edo Period when visitors to Yamagata would first visit the onsen of Mt. Zao and then bathe in the onsen of Kaminoyama to treat a variety of skin ailments, and to refresh their skin.
The waters of Zao are highly acidic and have a strong exfoliating property which is said to purify your skin while the clear waters of Kaminoyama are soothing and moisturizing to help replenish your skin.
