Kawaura Onsen Yamagatakan: Hot Spring Guide & Access

In Mitomi, Yamanashi City, in a mountain hamlet near Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, Kawaura Onsen is a spa known for Yamagatakan, a lone inn with ties to the Takeda clan. Its signature is a grand bath brimming with abundant spring water, and in a quiet setting ringed by deep mountains you can enjoy the waters as the seasons turn.

Highlights

The large bath, fed by the inn's own source welling up beneath your feet, is generous in volume and impressive to behold. The water is served free-flowing straight from the source, a gentle alkaline simple spring that settles easily on the skin. Ravines and waterfalls dot the surroundings, and a short trip beyond brings you to the rich natural scenery of the national park, such as the Nishizawa Gorge. Remembered as one of the secret baths linked to Takeda Shingen, it also carries a sense of history.

Enjoying the Seasons

Early summer with its fresh greenery and autumn when the gorge blazes with color are especially popular times to visit. Summer stays cool as a mountain retreat, and winter lets you savor the baths quietly amid snowy scenery. Combining a soak with a gorge walk makes for an even more memorable trip. The Nishizawa Gorge is at its finest in the fresh-green and autumn-leaf seasons, and many people use Kawaura Onsen as a base for hiking.

Access and Basic Information

The spa lies at the end of a mountain road reached by bus bound for the Nishizawa Gorge from Enzan Station on the JR Chuo Main Line, with the bus stop right in front of the inn; the ride takes roughly forty to fifty minutes. By car, it is accessed by heading north on the national highway from the Katsunuma interchange on the Chuo Expressway, and it also serves as a gateway toward the Nishizawa Gorge and the Okuchichibu area. Set high in the mountains, it lets you savor abundant free-flowing spring water at leisure in a quiet setting. Some hours are set aside for day-use bathing, but confirming with the inn in advance is the surest way to check its status.

Practical Travel Notes

• As a lone inn, it is safest to confirm day-use availability, hours, and fees with the inn beforehand.
• Parts of the Nishizawa Gorge trail may be restricted in winter in some years, so check the opening status if you plan to hike.
• Bus services are limited, so always confirm outbound and return times when relying on public transport.
• In the mountains the mornings and evenings turn chilly, so a jacket is welcome even in the autumn-leaf season.
• Around Enzan Station you will find Koshu wine country and fruit farms, enjoyable stops along the way.

A Quick Tip

The signature bath is rich in water volume, so take your time and enjoy a long soak. Pairing your visit with a hike in the Nishizawa Gorge makes for a full day of both nature and hot springs. Dropping by after a gorge walk lets you thoroughly ease tired legs in the free-flowing spring water.