A Weekend Stay in Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen

This is a record of my trip to the Echigo-Yuzawa area during a weekend in early July, which was rumored to be the end of the world.

It was a spontaneous trip where I booked my accommodation during my lunch break the day before and bought an unreserved seat on the Shinkansen just before boarding. Being able to head out on a trip on a whim is a privilege of living alone.

Around Echigo-Yuzawa Station

I arrived at Echigo-Yuzawa Station at 2:00 PM on Saturday. Since I walked all over Mishima in Shizuoka Prefecture on my last trip, I chose a place for this trip where I wouldn't have to walk as much.

The station building is well-equipped and has an overwhelming selection of sake. For now, I took out some amazake and spent time exploring the station premises and soaking in a footbath until it was time to check into my accommodation.

I headed to my accommodation just after 3:00 PM.

Business Hotel Newmond

I stayed at Business Hotel Newmond. It is conveniently located just a 5-minute walk from the station.

Although it is a business hotel, as the sign indicates, it has a private bath with water flowing directly from the hot spring source.

The octagonal bathtub is large enough to stretch your legs out. I was able to relax while thinking about how I was working at this time yesterday.

Soba Restaurant Nakanoya

Since my accommodation did not include dinner, I went out to a nearby soba restaurant.

Since I was there, I enjoyed the local sake, crab miso tofu, and the complimentary cucumber and shiso vinegar dish.

I wanted to eat the local specialty, hegi soba, but since it's served for two or more people, I ordered the maitake mushroom soba instead. The crispy fried maitake mushrooms are fragrant and delicious.

Personally, I prefer beer.

I returned to the inn, took another bath, and read the rest of my mystery novel while drinking a local beer. As the name suggests, it is refreshing, and it leaves an impression of being a lighter, more floral version of a black label beer.

Breakfast at the inn

Day 2. I took a morning bath and had breakfast at the inn.

The homemade Koshihikari rice is delicious. Since I hadn't thought about my plans for the second day at this point, I was thinking of heading home around noon.

Ponshukan

I checked out of the inn and visited Ponshukan at Echigo-Yuzawa Station.

It's a sake tasting bar, but the sheer variety is overwhelming.

Since I couldn't choose, I picked some good ones based on famous brands and rankings. I bought the sake I liked as a souvenir, so I plan to introduce it in a separate article.

Kaikake Onsen

I could have just gone home, but I decided to extend my trip. I considered taking the ropeway or visiting the Instagram-worthy Kiyotsu Gorge, but I headed to Kaikake Onsen for a day-trip bath instead.

Kaikake Onsen is a secluded inn located about 30 minutes by bus from Echigo-Yuzawa Station. It has a history of over 700 years and is famous for its hot springs that are good for the eyes.

Once you cross the Kiyotsu River, you can see Kaikake Onsen.

I am sure I am not the only one who had Joe Hisaishi's "Summer" playing in their head upon seeing this view.

It is a landscape that feels very nostalgic.

Besides me, several other people were also signing up for a day-trip bath.

I was a little nervous as this was my first time at an inn belonging to the Japan Association of Secluded Hot Spring Inns.

The hot spring has both an indoor bath and an open-air bath. The source water is a lukewarm 36°C, and it felt like I could stay in it forever. The indoor bath had a strong scent of wood, and alternating between that and the hotter water felt absolutely wonderful.

Since it is known as a hot spring that is good for the eyes, there was a Medama-oyaji (Eyeball Father) on display inside the building.

On the way back, the inn staff gave me a ride to the bus stop. Perhaps because I didn't sweat, the pleasant feeling of the hot spring remained on my skin, feeling fresh and like a protective barrier.