There are 3 reasons to visit Yamanaka Onsen. First, it's easy to reach - only 3.5 hours from Tokyo. Second, you can enjoy 1,300-year-old hot springs that are good for your skin and the beautiful Kakusenkei Gorge. Third, you can see 400-year-old Yamanaka lacquerware and eat delicious Kaga food.
Kaga Onsen area in Ishikawa Prefecture has 3 hot spring towns: Yamashiro Onsen, Yamanaka Onsen, and Katayamazu Onsen. Among them, Yamanaka Onsen in Kaga City has a 1,300-year history. The famous poet Matsuo Basho said it was "one of Japan's best hot springs." Today, many people still love this special place with beautiful valleys, good hot springs, and traditional crafts.
This article introduces the top 10 must-see spots in Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen.
5 Reasons to Choose Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen
Yamanaka Onsen in Kaga Onsen area is popular for its natural beauty and Japanese traditional culture. Here are 5 reasons why many tourists choose this hot spring town.
Easy Access
The big advantage of Yamanaka Onsen is how easy it is to reach. The transportation is well-organized and you can get there easily.
From Tokyo Station: JR Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kaga Onsen Station (3 hours), then local bus (30 minutes)
From Komatsu Airport: Local bus "Can Bus" (40 minutes)
Different Views Each Season
The views change with each season in Yamanaka Onsen. In spring, you see fresh green leaves. In summer, you can drink tea by the river. In autumn, the leaves turn bright red. In winter, you see snow. The best time is mid-November for autumn leaves, when Kakusenkei Gorge looks most beautiful and many people visit.
Hot Springs Good for Your Skin
Yamanaka Onsen's hot spring water is 1,300 years old and very soft. It's famous as "beauty hot spring." There are many hot springs in Japan, but Yamanaka Onsen is especially soft and gentle. After bathing, your skin feels smooth and the warm feeling lasts for many hours. Many people come back again and again.
Traditional Crafts
Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen area is famous for Yamanaka lacquerware - traditional crafts with 400 years of history. While walking around the hot spring town, you can see beautiful and useful traditional crafts.
Foreigner-Friendly
Many ryokan inns and tourist facilities have English support. You can receive clear explanations about hot spring bathing manners. Also, all tourist spots have multilingual information boards.
10 Must-See Spots in Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen
Among the hot spring towns in Kaga Onsen area, Yamanaka Onsen has many wonderful places where you can enjoy natural beauty and Japanese traditional culture. Here are the top 10 tourist spots you must visit.
Kakusenkei Gorge
This beautiful gorge is the symbol of Yamanaka Onsen. There is a 1.3km walking path along Daishoji River. You can listen to the murmuring river water and enjoy a relaxing walk. The views are beautiful all year, but autumn (mid-November) is especially breathtaking.
Basic Information
Admission: Free
Open: All year
Time needed: 30-45 minutes
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
Kawadoko (River Bed)
Kawadoko at Kakusenkei Gorge is a special place where you can enjoy matcha tea and Japanese sweets on a platform built over the river. This is a unique experience in Yamanaka Onsen. You can hear the river water flowing under your feet while drinking matcha surrounded by green nature. Many tourists say this is "the most memorable experience in Yamanaka Onsen."
The season is as follows:
Open: April 1 - October 31 (9:30am-4pm), November 1-30 (10am-3pm)
Price: ¥1,100 (matcha tea and seasonal sweets)
Reservation: Not needed (first come, first served)
Ayatori Bridge
A beautiful S-curve bridge over Kakusenkei Gorge. The name "Ayatori" comes from its unique shape. Ayatori is a traditional Japanese string game (called "cat's cradle" in English) - the bridge's shape looks like the string patterns children make with their hands. From the bridge, you can see the beautiful river in Kakusenkei Gorge. It's a perfect spot for taking photos. During fresh green season and autumn leaves season, the scenery looks like a beautiful painting.
Koorogi Bridge
Koorogi Bridge is a beautiful bridge made completely from hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood that spans Kakusenkei Gorge. The name "Koorogi" comes from "very dangerous," meaning it was once a steep and dangerous path to cross the deep valley.
Now it's safe to cross, and you can fully enjoy the beautiful gorge from the bridge.
Kurodani Bridge
Kurodani Bridge is the quietest of the 3 bridges in Kakusenkei Gorge. Very few tourists come here, so you can enjoy the beautiful gorge peacefully. It's at the north end of the Kakusenkei walking path. If you start walking from here, you can visit Koorogi Bridge and Ayatori Bridge in a good order.
Kikunoyu (Public Bath)
Kikunoyu is a public bathhouse in the center of Yamanaka Onsen. This is a must-visit place when you come to Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen. For only ¥500, you can experience a 1,300-year-old hot spring. The surprisingly soft hot spring water makes your whole body relax. It feels different from luxury ryokan hot springs - you can feel how local people love their hot springs that are rooted in the community. Tattoos are OK.
Basic Information
Open: 6:45am-10pm
Price: Adults ¥500, Children ¥150
Closed: 2nd and 4th Tuesday (if Tuesday is a holiday, closed the next day)
Bring: Towel, soap (you can buy on site)
Hot Spring Manners
Wash your body before entering the bath
Don't put towels in the bathtub
Enjoy bathing quietly
If you have tattoos, check with your accommodation first
Yuge-kaido Street
Yuge-kaido is the main street in Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen. You can feel the old hot spring town atmosphere on this stone-paved street. There are souvenir shops, restaurants, cafes, and Yamanaka lacquerware galleries. If you wear a yukata (Japanese robe) and walk here, it feels like you traveled back to the Edo period.
Basic Information
Time needed: 1-2 hours
Yamanaka-za Theater
Yamanaka-za is a cultural facility where you can watch local traditional performances like Yamanaka-bushi (folk songs) and lion dance. Weekend shows offer powerful live music and dance for only ¥700. The show is about 40 minutes long, perfect to visit while walking around the hot spring town.
Basic Information
Shows: Saturday, Sunday, holidays 3:30-4:10pm
Price: Adults ¥700, Children ¥350
Iouji Temple
An old temple connected to the legend of how Yamanaka Onsen was discovered. The quiet temple grounds are a perfect place to calm your mind and take a break from the busy hot spring town.
Basic Information
Admission: Free
Time needed: 20 min.
Kayano Osugi (Cedar woods)
Kayano Osugi is a giant sacred tree at Sugawara Shrine that is carefully protected as a sacred tree. It's said to be 2,300 years old - one of Japan's largest trees. The overwhelming size - 54.8 meters tall and 11 meters around - has a sacred energy that photos can't capture. When you actually visit, you feel the overwhelming scale and sacred atmosphere that photos cannot convey.
Basic Information
Entry: Free
Time needed: 10 minutes
Kaga Iryokuen
Kaga Iryokuen is the second villa of "Yoshinoya," a traditional ryokan representing Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen. Emperor Showa (Hirohito) actually stayed here - it's a prestigious historic building. You can see the beauty of traditional Japanese buildings and craftsman skills up close.
Basic Information
Open: 10am-6pm
Closed: Thursday (open if Thursday is a holiday)
Entry: ¥600
Souvenirs from Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen
Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen have many wonderful souvenirs - traditional crafts and local special products. Here are 4 specially recommended souvenirs. You can find them at shops along Yuge-kaido Street.
Yamanaka Lacquerware
Yamanaka lacquerware is a traditional craft from Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen area. These beautiful lacquerware items (dishes with lacquer coating) have 400 years of history. They are both beautiful and useful - wonderful products.
Price Range
Bowls: ¥3,000-15,000
Stacked boxes: ¥10,000-50,000
Small boxes: ¥2,000-8,000
Chopsticks: ¥1,500-5,000
Kaga Boucha - Roasted Tea
Kaga Boucha is a special product from Ishikawa Prefecture. This roasted stem tea has a nice roasted smell and smooth taste. It's very popular as a souvenir. You can also find it in plastic bottles locally - perfect to drink while walking around!
Price: ¥1,000-3,000
Good points: Light and easy to carry
How long it lasts: Long (about 1 year)
Package: Elegant, good for gifts
Onsen Tamago - Hot Spring Eggs
Onsen tamago (hot spring eggs) are made using the hot spring water in Yamanaka Onsen. You can eat them fresh or buy vacuum-packed ones as souvenirs.
Eat fresh: ¥200 for 1 egg
Vacuum pack: ¥800 for 6 eggs (lasts 10 days)
Local Sake - Japanese Rice Wine
Ishikawa Prefecture is a famous production area for Japanese sake. In Kaga Onsen and Yamanaka Onsen area, you can buy delicious sake made by local sake breweries.
Recommended Local Sake
Kaga Tobi: Dry taste with sharp finish
Manzairaku: Smooth and easy to drink
Tengumai: Made with traditional method - the best recommendation!
