Mitama no Yu

Mitama no Yu is a very special kind of onsen (hot spring) bathhouse. In addition to 100-percent natural baths and one of Japan’s “100 best night views,” additional facilities enable Mitama no Yu to offer all-round restoration of the mind, body, and soul.

Since 2004, this higaeri-onsen (day-stay bathhouse) has been welcoming guests to soak in both indoor and outdoor baths fed by a gushing source of 44.9℃ water. The water’s therapeutic benefits are thanks to the presence of organic alkaline matter that formed roughly one million years ago. This water has been confirmed to benefit various ailments, from neuralgia to spraining, but just as celebrated is its ability to bring about a mental or spiritual reset.

The view that unfolds from the baths is beautiful enough by day, taking in the expansive Kofu Basin and the mountains beyond, including Yatsugatake, Mount Kitadake, and the Southern Alps. By night, illuminated by countless distant twinkling lights, it is sufficiently breathtaking to have been declared one of the country’s “100 greatest night views.” Viewing it from one of the outdoor rotenburo baths will truly put you at one with nature.

Also offered are saunas and a menu of body care treatments, including massage and reflexology. Reflecting the notion that food offers us nourishment beyond the simply physical, Mitama no Yu houses a restaurant, Miharashi-tei, and a regular farmer’s market: both make use of seasonal vegetables freshly harvested from the surrounding fields.