Staying at the Oldest Ryokan in Japan’s Hot Spring Town Like Spirited Away | Ginzan Onsen Kozankaku

Staying at the Oldest Ryokan in Japan’s Hot Spring Town Like Spirited Away | Ginzan Onsen Kozankaku

Hi! Today, we’re staying at Ginzan Onsen. We’re heading to Oishida Station in Yamagata Prefecture. It’s ekiben (train bento) time🍙 Love the retro-cute packaging. Chicken Bento: 900 yen (6.17 USD / € 5.73). Omelette rice and fried chicken. A chicken feast bento. Simple and good! A wiener? No, it was cheese.

Beef Bento: 1,350 yen (9.32 USD / € 8.66) Since we’re going to Yamagata, my husband bought a local specialty bento. The stewed beef flavor is rich and tasty. Oishida Station is about 3 hours and 30 minutes by bullet train from Tokyo Station. Quite a distance.

Potato Chips Udon Broth Flavor: 648 yen (4.48 USD / € 4.16) Kobaton, Saitama prefecture’s mascot. I love trying local potato chips. The meat flavor is intense! Worth the price, really good. Look! Snow! Is it already snowing in the north? How about Ginzan Onsen? As we get closer to our destination, the snow disappears.

But the countryside roads are beautiful. Arrived at Oishida Station! We’re getting on the ryokan’s free bus to Ginzan Onsen. Lots of Ginzan Onsen staff at the rotary, so it’s easy to know which bus to take. About a 20-minute bus ride from the station.

Don’t forget to book the bus in advance for an overnight stay! It’s economical and time-saving. For day trips, you’ll need to take a public bus or taxi. We’ve arrived at the parking lot. We follow the staff to the ryokan.

It’s about a 2-minute walk. Even if it’s not snowing, it’s best to wear easy-to-move clothes. Oooo, we’ve arrived at Ginzan Onsen! A beautiful streetscape with historic buildings along the river. Let’s make the most of our two-day, one-night stay.

Here’s our inn for tonight. In the hot spring town, it’s the only inn entirely made of wooden construction. We chose this inn for its deep history among the scenic ryokans. The window paintings by artisans are one of Ginzan Onsen’s specialties. Lots of beautiful paintings on the second floor of this inn!

Now, let’s check into the ryokan before strolling through the town. Historical interiors like dolls representing farmers greet us. It’s like we’ve time-traveled. Switching to slippers as we enter. On the first floor, there’s the front desk, lounge, and baths. >> Staff: You can use it when the private bath is marked ‘vacant’

>> Staff: Please switch it to ‘occupied’ when you enter, and switch it back after you’re done >> Staff: All baths are available until 9 AM, so please take your time and enjoy Guest rooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors. Our room is on the 3rd floor

>> Staff: There’s another private bath on the 3rd floor as well >> Staff: Feel free to use it when it’s marked ‘vacant’ Our room is named ‘Otafuku’, a Townside Japanese-style Room. >> Staff: Here’s your room key. Please take it with you when you go out

>> Staff: Return it to the front desk when you check out >> Staff: Yukata are inside this drawer >> Staff: Bring yukata, clothes, and towel to the bath; baskets are available >> Staff: There are 3 bottles of beer, and 2 bottles each of oolong tea and cider in the fridge

>> Staff: If you drink them, they’ll be added to your bill at the end >> Staff: If you need anything else, please call us at internal phone number 9 Thank you so much! This is a serene and lovely Japanese-style room. The beams in the ceiling speak of its history. Cool.

Charming scroll paintings and vases too. Wow, the veranda offers a great view of the hot spring town! Seeing Ginzan Onsen from above is a privilege for the guests. It’s clear we’re surrounded by nature. Japanese-style table and chairs A Japanese user guide and a drink menu. Oh, manju! Yes!

A mochi-like, not typical onsen manju. Generously stuffed with green edamame bean paste. Deep edamame flavor, addictively nice. There’s a Japanese tea set with a teapot and an electric kettle. A TV Futons are stored in the closet. The restroom and washbasin are near the entrance. Clean Western-style toilet. This area is quite spacious.

Complimentary water and paid alcohol and juices. Let’s bathe and change into yukata for a stroll♨️👘 Yukata socks Handy plastic bags Drawstring type that can be tightened with a string. Hand towels and toothbrushes Bath towels Yukatas in different sizes and colors, maybe hydrangea pattern? Two types of overcoats for yukata Obi (yukata belts)

Best to remove jewelry before bathing as it might discolor due to the hot spring minerals. The room key is a padlock type A warehouse-like atmosphere. Nice. Let’s try the private bath on the 3rd floor♨️ Oh, it’s empty! Lucky us! “Vacant” “Occupied”

There are also separate large public baths for men and women on the first floor. But private baths suit those uneasy with public baths or wishing to bathe with family. Changing and washing areas And a natural flowing hot spring bath! One shower It’s clear and colorless, but has a sulfur smell.

The water is slightly acidic and makes your skin soft! It was fantastic! Let’s explore the hot spring town. This building doesn’t have an elevator, but this spiral staircase is very impressive. The creaking sound and the worn wooden handrail tell its history.

Ginzan has nearly 300 years of history as a hot spring town, though it was once devastated by a great flood. This ryokan was built right after the reconstruction in 1915. Amazing. How beautiful The rustic and nostalgic streetscape is truly charming. It’s said that this place inspired the setting for Studio Ghibli’s “Spirited Away.”

We once stayed at a ryokan in Gunma, which felt like a scene from ‘Spirited Away’ just by its building. But here in Ginzan Onsen, it’s like the entire town feels like a story setting. Btw, Ginzan Onsen is also rumored to be an inspiration for the manga ‘Demon Slayer.’ The buildings do resemble it.

Either way, it feels like being in another world☺️ Most of the lined-up buildings are ryokans, with some souvenir shops and restaurants. There are shops that rent out traditional Japanese clothing. Ah, this is also a famous inn. Cool. A cafe & restaurant right in front of our ryokan!

Soba Ice Cream: 410 yen (2.83 USD / € 2.63) The nutty flavor of buckwheat is nice! Delicious, but chilly. Ah, note that many places in Ginzan Onsen only accept cash. And there are hardly any ATMs, so don’t forget to bring cash. We’ve reached the far end of the hot spring town.

This is also a ryokan. Cool. The river flowing through the hot spring town is Ginzan River. The current is strong here. Oh? A waterfall The ‘Shirogane no Taki,’ a rare waterfall that shines with rainbow colors, is 22 meters high. The red bridge is nice.

The small hut in front of the ryokan is a public toilet. And down the alley next to the toilet, we saw some people going in. Wait, isn’t this the tunnel that leads into the world of “Spirited Away”?

Actually, ‘Ginzan’ means ‘Silver Mountain,’ and the area was a thriving silver mining site about 500 years ago. This was a channel built for draining and transporting water from the mines. Mostly hand-dug, eventually extending over 1 km. Incredible. Water is dripping and the floor is wet, so be careful.

On the way back, we found bubbles floating around! Super cute. Sparkling🫧🫧 It’s not even 5 PM, but it’s getting dark early. The building on the left is the ryokan we’re staying at, and the one on the right is the new wing. The new wing, opened in 2017, is an Auberge.

Recommended for those who prefer Western-style rooms. It’s new and has an elevator. Ahhhh, it’s cold Let’s head back to the inn for a hot spring bath and dinner. We’ve come to the private bath on the first floor. Luckily, it’s available! You can lock it from the inside for privacy when it’s in use.

This one is more spacious than the other one. There are two showers. I’m feeling chilly. Can’t wait to warm up. Phew, we feel so warmed up. Awesome. The skincare products are great. Panasonic hair dryer. There’s only one, so it’s a bit of a hassle.

I thought I heard music from outside, and it turns out there’s a projection mapping on the river! From the guest rooms on the third floor, the view is even better. Prime seating! I later found out that the projection mapping and light-up are limited-time events. Glad we got to see it

It’s time for dinner They’ve prepared it in our room. Thank you. Colorful and appetizing. The dishes are lovely. Let’s eat! Sashimi includes sea bream, scallops, and amberjack. Soy sauce So tender! Cute Local beef hot spring stew. Can’t wait to try it. It’s not ready yet. Sake goes perfectly with Japanese cuisine. Ordered separately🍶

They keep bringing more dishes during the meal. Thank you. The hot pot is ready! Enjoying it with citrus-based soy sauce🥺 Meltingly delicious. Local delicacies like soba manju and imo-ni. Tasty and beautiful. Glad I held back on snacking. Shiny and piping hot! Miso soup The gentle seasoning is comforting. Everything is good.

Dessert was an apple. Thank you for the meal! After dinner, the staff kindly prepares our futons. There’s heating, so we’ll sleep warmly. Let’s go for a night stroll. When going out, you can rent down coats and geta (Japanese sandals).

Shops are closed, but day visitors have left, so it’s less crowded than during the day or evening. Ah, the footbath that was too crowded at noon is now empty! It’s handy to bring a hand towel or something similar, as there are no towels. It’s so hot. But gradually becomes comfortable.

It’s the end of November. Just a little autumn foliage🍁 Each season here has its charm. There’s another footbath table here. This one’s even hotter! Really really hot The view from the footbath seats is fantastic. When the sky turns completely dark, the lighting and the red color of the buildings stand out more.

Maybe the whole town coordinates their lighting? It’s incredibly beautiful. The ryokan’s windows feature traditional distorted glass, which is really charming. Truly gorgeous. Good night🌙 Good morning🌥 Early morning at Ginzan Onsen is also a rare sight. There are just a few people walking around. It’s time for breakfast.

We’ll have breakfast on the second floor in the breakfast hall. Oh, we’re the first ones to get here. A gentle-on-the-body Japanese breakfast with simmered vegetables, fish, and Ginzan Onsen’s famous tofu. A hot spring egg! Not sure if it’s really boiled in hot spring water.

It’s a soft-boiled egg with a semi-set yolk and firmer whites. Yummy yummy. Today’s weather is on and off rain. Grateful we can borrow umbrellas. Ah, I didn’t notice yesterday, but there are fish! Wonder what kind they are. If anyone knows, please comment.

The cost for our stay, including dinner and breakfast for two, was 49,360 yen (340.85 USD / € 316.67). It was a warm and lovely inn! Most shops open around 10 or 11 AM. But our return bus leaves at 9:40 AM🫠 We’d like to have a coffee or something before leaving.

Oh, found something good! A Doutor coffee vending machine! “Out of Order.” The peak of snowfall in Ginzan Onsen is in January and February. During the snowy season, it’s especially popular, and it can be hard to book accommodations at any ryokan.

So if you’re looking to stay in the winter, make sure to book early. Though it’s a small hot spring town, choosing to stay overnight was a great decision for a special experience. Not only the streetscape, but we also got to enjoy the hot springs and food at our leisure☺️

Forgoing ryokan dinner to try local eateries might be a great idea💭 Thank you for watching until the end🐰🐰 Please subscribe to our channel! And if you like it, please thumbs up. See you next time.

*This video was filmed with permission from the inn.

📌It’s Time to Travel Map
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1jon84Y-_3WyjALR0oQSPBDFw3KPLcLA&usp=sharing

💻Website
https://kozankaku.com/

🗒How to book
Trip.com: https://jp.trip.com/hotels/obanazawa-hotel-detail-50853001/kozankaku/?Allianceid=3822208&SID=21734476&trip_sub1=&trip_sub3=D97439

🚶‍♀️How to get there
Approximately 20 minutes by shuttle bus (reservation required) from Oishida Station
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ojvyDJJaSGaSirpK6

💰Price
49,360 yen (340.85 USD / € 316.67). per night for 2 people including dinner and breakfast.
*Prices vary depending on plan, room, and season.

⌛️Time Stamp
0:00 Opening
0:24 Ekiben (Train Station Bento)
1:23 How to Get to Ginzan Onsen
3:13 Ginzan Onsen
4:03 Kozankaku Ryokan
5:54 Room Tour
9:01 Private Bath ①
10:30 Ginzan Onsen Evening Tour
11:47 Street Food
12:46 The Waterfall
13:26 Tunnel Leading to ‘Spirited Away’
14:13 Night View
15:07 Private Bath ②
16:04 Ginzan River Projection Mapping
16:29 Dinner in Room – Japanese Cuisine
18:38 Ginzan Onsen Night Tour
19:00 Foot Bath
20:09 Ginzan Onsen Night Tour
20:51 Good Morning
21:33 Breakfast
22:24 Ginzan Onsen Morning Tour

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https://click.jrpass.com/aff_c?offer_id=19&aff_id=1038

♫Ending Music
Akira Okumura (https://lit.link/akiraxxxx)

#japantravel #onsen #ginzanonsen #vlog #asmr #CC_for_Subtitle

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・Some translations may contain inaccuracies.
・The price in the video is based on the exchange rate at the time of editing.
・Prices may vary depending on the season.
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