ABOUT
About this spot
Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen is a hot spring town steeped in history and atmosphere, the setting for the opening line of Yasunari Kawabata's masterpiece "Snow Country": "The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country." Just about 70 minutes from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen at the fastest, its easy accessibility is its greatest charm, making it a place you can drop into on a weekend. Five public baths (soto-yu), including "Komako no Yu," are scattered around the hot spring town, where you can enjoy the soft, weakly alkaline waters, loved since long ago, at reasonable prices. In winter, soaking in an open-air bath while watching the quietly falling snow is exceptional and brings deep relaxation to body and mind. Echigo-Yuzawa Station, the hub, is also famous as a "holy land of sake." At "Ponshukan" in the station building, you can taste local sake from every brewery in Niigata Prefecture, and there is even a rare "sake bath" using hot spring water. Besides winter sports, you can enjoy seasonal nature and food such as spring wild vegetables and autumn foliage. It is recommended for everyone, from solo travelers to families.
Last updated March 27, 2026