Yamagata Prefecture (Ginzan Onsen)
Ginzan Onsen is famous for its nostalgic, traditional buildings, but the town originally flourished as a silver-mining town.
After the silver mine declined, the area gradually developed into a hot spring resort.
Today, Ginzan Onsen is known for its Taisho Romantic atmosphere, with traditional wooden ryokan inns and gas lamps lining the streets. It has become a popular hot spring destination visited by many tourists.
The hot spring town itself is not very large.
If you simply want to walk around and enjoy the townscape, about an hour is enough to see the main sights.
Several ryokan inns also offer day-use hot spring bathing, so if you have enough time, stopping for a bath can be a pleasant option.
There are also remains of the former silver mine in the surrounding mountains. However, access to some of the mine tunnels is currently restricted, so the main attraction for visitors is the hot spring town itself.
Itinerary: Day Trip
Haneda Airport → Yamagata Airport → Ginzan Onsen (bus)
Ginzan Onsen (bus) → Ōishida Station (Yamagata Shinkansen) → Tokyo Station
Nagasawa Heihachi Ryokan
Notoya Ryokan
Kosekiya Annex
Shirogane Falls
Entrance to the Silver Mine Tunnel
I had about 90 minutes to wait for my Shinkansen at Ōishida Station, so I decided to visit a famous dango shop, Mogamigawa Senbon Dango, which is about a 15-minute walk from the station.
As I had expected from the information I found beforehand, there was a line. However, it moved quickly. I was able to place my order after about 10 minutes and received my dango about 10 minutes later.
I hardly saw any people who appeared to be tourists. Most of the customers seemed to be local residents.
The dango was indeed delicious, so if you have some time at Ōishida Station, I recommend stopping by.
Mogamigawa Senbon Dango
Waiting in line to order at the dango shop
