Isawa Onsen

one of the biggest onsen resorts in Yamanashi, a prefecture of hot springs

 
It takes 90 minutes by limited express train from Tokyo to get to Isawa Onsen located almost at the center of the Kofu Basin. With easy access from the Tokyo metropolitan area, Isawa Onsen is one of the biggest onsen resorts in Yamanashi, which is known as a prefecture of hot springs. It is said that Isawa Onsen originates from “Aozora Onsen,” which was created by high-temperature hot springs gushing out from the ground in a fruit farm and flowing into a river in 1961.

With mild alkaline spring water, this onsen is popular among all generations from children to the elderly. With an abundant amount of spring water, this large-scale onsen resort has more than 100 Japanese-style ryokan hotels and Western-style hotels. From reasonable hotels to luxury ryokan hotels where you can have extraordinary experiences, you can choose one that suits your purpose .

Photo：Yamanashi Tourism Organization

Photo：Yamanashi Tourism Organization

Yamanashi Prefecture is a place where you can enjoy fruit picking throughout the year, such as peaches and grapes, of which Yamanashi is the biggest producer in Japan, and strawberries in spring. Furthermore, since it is also the birthplace of wine-making in Japan, we recommend those who like wine to join a winery tour. There is also a service where you can bring wine made by a winery in the prefecture to the hotel where you are staying (a fee for bringing in wine is applied), so you can enjoy Yamanashi wine at dinner and/or in your room. If you want to taste different kinds of wine from different wineries more casually, you should go to Isawa Onsen Tourist Information Center to try the wine server! You can try samples of 16 kinds of red, white and rose wine from 10 wineries in the city. You may be able to find your favorite one.

For strolling around Isawa, you may want to use a “Yu-Yu Rental Cycle” service. This service offers free rental bicycles, which were unclaimed bicycles abandoned around JR Isawa-Onsen Station and repaired as needed to be used as rental cycles. There are also several paid battery-assisted bicycles. Using this service, you can enjoy going around the town more comfortably.

At Isawa Onsen, there are some free footbath and handbath facilities in front of the station and other places. Many ryokan and hotels accept drop-in visitors for onsen, so you can enjoy onsen casually on your day trip. Let’s travel a little way further from the Tokyo area to the onsen resort for delicious fruit and wine!

※ The information herein is as of April 2021