Head to another hidden hot spring - Yunodaira hot springs. When you get there, your luggage will be loaded onto a cable car that'll take you up. But you'll still have to take a little walk. Head back down the hill a little,past a beautiful lake and over a bridge towards the hotel. There you'll enjoy the magnificent views all around. This is a secluded hotel surrounded by dense forest which can only be accessed by crossing that bridge. The hotel, built during Showa 26 will cost 12,600 yen (S$163) for a night's stay with two meals included.
The hot spring at the hotel was found in the Taisho Era. To head to it, requires a walk down several flights of stairs where you'll find two hot springs, one for the men and one for the ladies. The temperature of the natural hot spring is 71 degrees celsius and is perfect for basking away stress. People usually come here to refresh their tired bodies with this acidic hot spring which used to be called "Kusatsu's refreshing hot spring".
During dinnertime, enjoy a feast of local vegetables such as skewered Konyaku, tempura Konyaku, grated yam and buckwheat. Udon is also a famous dish in the Gunma Prefecture.
Next, take the Tohoku Bullet Train and head to a hidden hotel in Kurihara city in the Miyagi Prefecture. The journey is 2 hours and 20 minutes long. Arrive at Kurikoma Plateau Station and drive to the inn. It is located deep in the forest and the journey is about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Have lunch at "Bonokura" - a buckwheat noodle house situated on a farm. The old cowshed was renovated into a restaurant and even till today, you can see the remains of the beams from the old farm days. Since the restaurant owners grow buckwheat, all the dishes served in this restaurant have buckwheat in them. Try out the deep fried buckwheat noodle dough ends as an appetizer and a main dish of cold buckwheat noodles - this is a must-try. Complete the meal with buckwheat mousse which is served as a dessert. This authentic buckwheat set can be enjoyed for just 2,000 yen (S$26).
After lunch, continue your drive into the mountains. Arrive at the carpark of the 'Hotel of Lamps'and take a seven minute walk to get the hotel itself. Along the way,enjoy the superb views all around which make the walking a pleasure. The hotel is an historical inn located in Mt. Kurikoma National Park and was established in 1876.
For dinner, try out the "Mizu" - a slimy vegetable picked fresh from the nearby forest. There are 10 dishes in total and they include vegetable and prawn tempura served with salt, butterbur sprouts, Hiratake mushroom soup and broiled char with saltare. After dinner, take an indoor bath surrounded by pretty lamps.
Another stop will start from Tokyo via Omagari in Akita Prefecture. Take the Ou Main Line to a hidden hot spring where the water in it is supposed to be white. The destination is Yuzawa city in Akita Prefecture. Before heading there, have lunch at Inaniwa udon which was established 150 years ago, the oldest in the industry. Try out the Nimi Seiro (two seasoning udon) and "Plum Oboro" which is a popular dish of Oboro kelp and plums.
After satisfying your hunger, take a bus down to Doroyu (Muddy) Hot Springs. The journey will take 1 hour and 10 minutes. Arrive at Okuyama Hotel where a night's stay there costs 9450 yen (S$122). Take a break and head over to the hotel's famous baths which are scattered all around the Okuyama Inn. Soak in one of the outdoor tubs and enjoy it's milky waters. Alternatively, you can try out the mud hot spring (Doroyu) or the River Bath (Kawanoyu) inside the main building.
Another hidden hot spring in Akita offers a colourful dinner served with dishes like water shields and carp sashimi served with vinegar and miso. Shabu shabu is also included with quality marbled beef grown in the wilds of Yuzawa Minase. After dinner, soak in the outdoor hot spring bath which is absolutely mystical at night. |
