Hot Spring Resorts

One of the things Japanese people love to do the most is to visit hot spring resorts. Yamanashi is blessed with many mountains and hot springs. It is a tremendous joy for us to bathe leisurely in these hot springs and enjoy the fresh foods of the countryside.

Most of Japan’s 2,000 hot springs originate from the rainwater and melted snow that flows down from the mountains, seeps into the ground, is naturally heated by the many volcanic zones of the nation, and springs back out.

The curative effects of hot springs have been extolled since times of old. Their secret lies in the minerals and other medicinal substances that are dissolved into the groundwater as it makes its long journey from deep underground up to the earth’s surface.

Major hot springs in the Yamanashi area are: Yumura, close to the Shosenkyo Ravine; Masutomi, with the highest radium content of any Japanese hot spring; Nishiyama, nestled in a quiet mountain area; Shimobe, known as a secret spring for Lord Shingen; Isawa, with its modern facilities; and Kawaguchiko, a relatively new hot spring gaining popularity for its proximity to Mt. Fuji.