Enjoy the relaxing vibes of
Yamashiro Onsen’s
Yunogawa and Kosoyu
Yamashiro Onsen, a Hokuriku Kaga Onsen Hot Spring Town
Enjoy the relaxing vibes of
Yamashiro Onsen’s
Yunogawa and Kosoyu
Yamashiro Onsen, a Hokuriku Kaga Onsen Hot Spring Town
During the Edo period (1603-1867), hot spring towns were developed with pubic bathhouses at the center and hot spring inns lining the surrounding streets. Visitors would enjoy making numerous trips to the communal baths to ease their aches and pains, and also enjoy taking a stroll in the town or nearby countryside.
In the local Hokuriku dialect these public bathhouses were called soyu and the central district that developed around the bathhouses was called Yunogawa.
Yamashiro Onsen Hot Springs boasts a history dating back roughly 1,300 years, having been formed in the year 725 A.D.
A famous tale regarding the hot spring’s origin states that a high priest named Gyoki was on a pilgrimage to the sacred Mt. Hakusan when he spotted a crow bathing in what appeared to be a pool of water. Drawing closer, the priest noticed that the water was actually a hot spring that the crow was using to heal its injured wing, and this location forms the site of the current hot springs.
Yamashiro Onsen is said to be the birthplace of the modern Japanese syllabary table. Whilst the English alphabet begins with “A,B,C” sounds, the Japanese alphabet begins with the vowel sounds in the order of “A,I,U,E,O”.
The first syllabary table was apparently made in the late Heian Period (11th century AD) by the monk Myogaku, who was the first head priest of Osenji Temple.
The Japanese syllabary table is a pronunciation chart for the Japanese language that all students must learn when they enter elementary school.
Many foreigners studying Japanese also start by writing and pronouncing the syllables in the order of "A,I,U,E,O”, as a first step to learning the language.
Yamashiro Onsen, with its rich history and culture, is the perfect base for exploring famous sightseeing areas in Hokuriku. Kenrokuen Garden, Eiheiji Temple, and the Shirakawa-go World Heritage Site can all be reached within a day trip.
Yamashiro Onsen itself can be reached in about 3.5 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen bullet train, and is about 2.5 hours from Osaka.
ExperienceVisitors to the area can enjoy a variety of local activities, including taking a dip in the hot springs, visiting historical and cultural attractions, or taking part in a Kutani pottery making experience.
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Japanese HotelsPlease enjoy a relaxing stay at one of the many unique hot spring inns in the area.
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Hot SpringYamashiro Onsen produces three slightly different types of hot spring water, even though the water is coming up from the ground in the same area. Visitors can enjoy the various healing properties provided by these historic hot springs which have been known to locals for around 1,300 years.
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RestaurantsWith fishermen catching fresh fish all year round, visitors can enjoy a variety of seafood during their stay.
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