Sunday, September 10, 2006

Hottarakashi Onsen

Yesterday I took my second excursion to Hottarakashi Onsen a great hot spring in Yamanashi about 80 miles from my house. It takes about 2 hours to get there just getting out of Tokyo is a good one hour. There were too many people there so I didn't get any pictures this time. There are 2 different baths, kochinoyu and achinoyu, litterally transated the bath here and the bath there. I had been to achinoyu before so I tried kochinoyu this time. It was a little smaller but I think in some ways it was a little nicer. The view of Fuji from here is nicer, although I just saw a faint shadow of it. And the lower bath was surrounded by plume grass and cosmos. The evening draw here is to see the city lights below. It was actually really nice and I was hoping that we would get a glimpse of the full moon but it hadn't shown its face by the time I left. I think this is going to be my stress get away place. I would be nice to go there spend the night and come back in the morning, they are open an hour before sunrise every morning and from pictures I have seen it is really nice then.

2 comments:

Carol STOTT LEGRAND said...

Hi Mike,
I am intrigued by your description of Hottarakshi Onsen! Especially as you mention it as a place to get away from stress.

I'd love more details on it, but I don't read or speak Japanese. Do you have any links to it in English?

Thanks for your help.
Best wishes

Mike Wagner said...

Sorry I don't have any links in English. I can tell you that it is north of Yamanashi shi station. Head toward the fruit park and it is just past that. It is about 2 hours out of Tokyo. Get off at Katsunuma exit of the Chuo Expressway, head towards Yamanashi on route 20. When you see a large shrine gate you turn right and head Toward the fruit park.