🚄 JROnsen · Tohoku
Ginzan Onsen
Obanazawa, Yamagata♨ Sodium chloride-sulfate spring
Overview
Overview
A hot spring town where wooden ryokan line both banks of the Ginzan River and gas lamps light up in the evening. With a public bath and a free footbath, you can enjoy the hot springs even on a day trip. Cars cannot enter the town, so use the shuttle bus from Taisho Roman-kan.
A hot spring area whose history began with the development of the Nobesawa Silver Mine in 1457. Wooden ryokan line the river, and the evening scene with the gas lamps lit is popular. At the far end of the town is Shirogane Falls, with a drop of 22m, and the town itself can be explored on foot in about 40 minutes.
- Location
- Obanazawa, Yamagata
- Official website
- https://www.ginzanonsen.jp/
Tickets & tours you can book in advancePR
PRKlookZao Ropeway and Ginzan Onsen Day Tour (from Sendai)A bus tour meeting at the Sendai Station East Exit, visiting the Zao Ropeway, GOOD Yamagata and Ginzan Onsen. The ropeway and the Ginzan Onsen shuttle bus are paid on siteView on Klook- PRKlookGinzan Onsen and Zao Day Tour (from Sendai)A bus tour from Sendai where you can choose a plan combining a stroll around Ginzan Onsen with the Zao Ropeway, Okama crater lake and more. With an English, Chinese and Japanese guideView on Klook
- PRKlookZao Fox Village and Ginzan Onsen Day Bus Tour (from Sendai)A bus tour from Sendai visiting Zao Fox Village and Ginzan Onsen. With an English guideView on Klook
Day-Use Baths
Baths you can visit without staying
Public baths, day-use spas and foot baths open to non-staying visitors.
Public bath
Shirogane-yu
- Price
- Adults ¥500, elementary school students and younger ¥200 (as of October 2026)
- Hours
- Admission 9:00–15:00
- Closed
- Wednesdays
- Note
- A public bath near Shirogane Bridge. No reservations
- Official site
- https://obanazawa-kankou.jp/ginzan-onsen/
Ryokan day-use bath
Takimikan
- Price
- ¥1,000 (as of October 2026)
- Hours
- Admission 11:00–14:30
- Closed
- Thursdays (open on public holidays)
- Note
- No reservations for day-use bathing
- Official site
- https://obanazawa-kankou.jp/ginzan-onsen/
Foot bath
Waraku Footbath
- Price
- Free
- Hours
- 6:00–22:00
- Closed
- Open all year round
- Note
- On the bank of the Ginzan River at the entrance to the hot spring town. Uses the source water as is
Prices and hours are as of the date shown and may change, with occasional closures. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
🖋 If you have tattoos
Varies by facility, so check with each one
🔒 Private baths and in-room baths
The Omokage-yu private bath is currently closed. There is no evening bathing for day visitors
Spring
Spring type and features
♨ Sodium chloride-sulfate spring
According to Obanazawa City, it is said to be beneficial for neuralgia, rheumatism, skin conditions, wounds and more
Etiquette
Bathing etiquette
- ✓Rinse yourself with hot water (kakeyu) before getting into the bath
- ✓Do not put your towel in the bath water
- ✓Tie up long hair so it does not touch the water
- ✓Do not take photos in the bathing area
- ✓The streets of the hot spring town are narrow, so take photos without blocking other people
Sights
Nearby sights
Shirogane Falls
A waterfall with a drop of 22m at the far end of the hot spring town, with Taki Fudoson nearby. Illuminated at night
Gas-lit hot spring town
A street lined with wooden ryokan along the Ginzan River. The gas lamps come on around 16:30 from November to May and around 17:00 from May to October
Tips
Good to know
- !Cars cannot enter the hot spring town, so park at the Taisho Roman-kan parking lot (free, 8:30–17:30) and take the shuttle bus (¥500 for an unlimited one-day pass)
- !Day-use bathing ends fairly early in the afternoon, so it is best to go around midday
- !Some places are closed in winter, so follow the signs posted on site
Access
Access
- Nearest station / bus stop
- Oishida Station (JR Yamagata Shinkansen and Ou Main Line)Local buses run from the station
- From major cities and airports
- Yamagata: JR Ou Main Line to Oishida Station, then transfer to a local bus (About 40 minutes by JR to Oishida)
- Yamagata Airport: Car (About 1 hour)
- Obanazawa IC: Car (shuttle bus from the Taisho Roman-kan parking lot) (About 30 minutes)
Travel Passes
Travel passes for getting there
🚄 JR
🚄 JRWhere to Stay · Agoda
Places to Stay near Ginzan OnsenPR
Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.
Onsen
Onsen towns in Tohoku
♨ OnsenNyuto Onsenkyo
Tohoku ・ Semboku, Akita
♨ Day use Adults ¥700, children ¥300 (as of October 2026)
Private baths
♨ Onsen
♨ Onsen
♨ OnsenAizu Higashiyama Onsen
Tohoku ・ Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima
♨ Day use Adults: weekdays ¥1,000, weekends and holidays ¥1,100, peak days ¥1,650; elementary school students ¥500–¥700 (as of October 2026)
Private baths
Prices, hours, tattoo policies and spring types are based on official facility, municipal and tourism association information. They can change, so check the official websites before you go.
Last checked: 2026-10-08