Dake Onsen Yamano Hotel

Really, really good.

The water has so many minerals, including sulfur and calcium, that as it runs straight from the source, it leaves footprints on the floor. It’s also plentiful and warms you right through. This is a historic hot spring, once ranked East's Maegashira in the hot spring rankings during the Edo period, though it’s a bit far from the city center. On the third Tuesday of each month, they hold a “Yuhana Nagashi” ceremony, clearing mineral buildup from the pipes. That’s when visitors can bathe in water several times murkier than usual.

It’s unusual to find such a lovely, simple hot spring. I love hot springs and recommend Dake Onsen to everyone, including for hot spring therapy. After looking around, I got the sense that it’s a straightforward hot spring town, though many inns and shops have closed in recent years. I really admire the locals who keep bringing the town to life with summer festivals and other events. I’m cheering you on, so keep it up.

The hotel’s main attractions were Matagi-meshi, rice cooked with pheasant, wild vegetables, and maitake mushrooms that were rare at the time, and its all-wood bath. The restaurant also served game such as venison, bear, and rabbit, plus sake made from char bones, so it’s a real shame the place has closed. This is what the mountain hotel looks like now: the roof over the shop in front has fallen in, though from farther away the hotel itself still appears intact.