JAPAN RAIL PASSYugawara, the perfect hub for your trip

You can come toYugawara by
Japan Rail Pass
Distance fromYugawara to major cities
41 km
・to Mt.Fuji
84 km
・to Tokyo
9 km
・to Hakone
23 km・to Izu・to Yokohama 59 km
・to Kamakura 45 km
202km
・to Nagoya
305km
・to Kyoto
333km
・to Osaka【By car】
From Tokyo: take Tomei Expresswayfor Nagoya.
At Tomei Atsugi I.C. take Odawara-Atsugi Toll
Road to Odawara.
From Odawara, take the Route 135 toYugawawa.
Typical travel time: approximately 90 minutes【By train】
・From Narita Airport:take Narita Express to Shinagawa (70min.).
・From Haneda Airport:take Airport Express to Shinagawa (15min.).
・From Shinagawa: take either of the below.
①Shinkansen Kodama train to Odawara (30min.)and Tokaido Line to Yugawara (17min.)②Odoriko Express to Yugawara (70min.)③Tokaido Line to Yugawara (90min.)発行 湯河原町観光課/画 広瀬昭一朗/イラスト地図 サトコ/翻訳 綾田陽一・Smilesmith/写真 飛田貴宣・杉崎宗雲jr. 他/デザイン・制作・編集 ベリーズファクトリー/印刷 タケダ印刷

Yugawara Onsen

About Yugawara

Hot springSea, Mountains, and Historical Streets
Yugawara is located in the southwest end of the Kanagawa prefecture, 90km from Tokyo. It
is the gateway to the Izu Peninsula and is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The town
is very beautiful in nature and hot springs.
The nostalgic atmosphere of this historical spa town received high acclaim from the Michelin
Green Guidebook of Japan. It takes 60 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen (bullet train).
Yugawara is the best central location to get to Hakone, Kamakura and Yokohama. Take awalk along the stone-paved town street in kimono. We can make that happen for you.

Yugawara Onsen History ♨Yugawara Onsen has a long history. It was described in Japan’s oldest poetry collection,Manyoshu, compiled sometime after 759 AD. According to a legend monks in the Nara erabathed in the hot springs around AD700.

♨ 101 Sources – Have Effects Especially On cuts and Bruises

The Town that Artists Love

It takes about 50 years for the natural spring water to travel underground from the Hakone
volcano to Yugawara and eventually warm the water. Hot water flows at 6837 liters every
minute with an exit temperature of 90℃ (194 degrees Fahrenheit.) The quality of its springwater has been found to be especially beneficial for cuts and bruises. Yugawara Onsen wasplaced 3rd among 46 spas in Eastern Japan in the ranking of hot springs published in 1817.
Thousands of people are still bathing in hot spring every year for the purpose of curing injuries.

The best view of Mt. Fuji in Japan is from Mt. Taikan in Yugawara. Mt. Fuji is Japan’s mostbeautiful mountain. Yugawara is surrounded by sea and mountains. It is blessed with a warm
climate. Many authors, poets and painters love this town and many of their works have been
related to this town. The cover illustration on this pamphlet depicts the historical street. Youcan even stay at a 300-year old ryokan (Japanese inn), the oldest in the town.

A view of Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi from Mt. Taikan♨ Onsen Brings Forth Beautiful Skin

Shrine of marriage

The natural mineralized hot water of the onsen has aworld class beauty effect. This simple thermal hot
spring has a weak alkaline property. Some studies
indicate the water is like that of a pregnant mother,helping to smooth your skin.
Doppo-no-Yu, one of the largest outdoor foot bathingfacilities in Japan, is popular among visitors.
Doppo-no-Yu, one of the largest outdoor foot bathing facilities in Japan

Major Events

Four SeasonsUme-no-Utage (the plum festival): from beg. Feb through mid-Mar
Thousands of plum blossoms cover the slope of the mountain.

You can enjoy 4000 red and white blooming plum trees between
February and March in Yugawara Bairin (plum grove).

Events are held including geisha performances, Japanese drum

Cherry and rapeseed blossoms are beautiful along the River

concerts, kyogen (traditional comedy) play, and projection mapping.

Chitose in April. The many fields of blooming azaleas at Hoshi-

Yukake Matsuri (the hot spring water splash festival): on last Sat of May
Based on a tradition that in the Edo era feudal lords and the imperial

gayama Park in June, along with a starry night walk will create aplethora of wonderful emotions.

family were presented barrels filled with the local hot spring water.

In October you can enjoy the autumn red maple leaves at Momi-

Among a line of mikoshi (portable shrine) marches, Josei mikoshis,ji-no-Sato (the home of maple trees).

carried only by women, are the highlight of the festival.
Yassa Matsuri: on August 2nd and 3rdThis historical festival is based on a traditional dance that farmers

Overlooking Cape Manazuru from Hoshigayama: featured in the Michelin Green Guidebook of Japan

performed in praise of Sanehira Doi, a local lord. Kimura Gallery

About 4000 white and red plum trees blossom
beautifully from the beginning of February to March.

displays samurai sword from the Kamakura era, approximately 800 years old.

Cherry and rapeseed blossoms from the end of March through AprilYugawara Year Planner 1

JAN.

Flower Calendar
Activities

EventsHistorical Yukake Matsuri (festival) in May

Fireworks in July, August and October

The Bamboo Lantern Festival gently illuminates the riverbank in Oct

2FEB.

3MAR.

Plums: mid-Jan to mid-Mar
Camellias: beg. Feb to mid-Apr

Hiking, Trekking and Golf (all year round)

Surfing (except sea-bathing season in mid-summer)
Fishing Sea fishing (all year round)River fishing

Setsubun (bean-throwing
festival): at Gosho Shrine
on Feb 3

4APR.

5MAY.

6JUN.

7JUL.

Satsuki Azaleas: mid-May to mid-Jun
Cherry Blossoms:
end Mar to mid-Apr
Mandarin Blossoms: mid to end May Sweet flag: mid to end Jun
Azaleas: mid to end Apr
Hydrangea: mid Jun to beg. Jul

8AUG.
<Sea-bathing season>

Cherry trout: opens in Mar

Ume-no-Utage:in Yugawara Bairin frombeg. Feb to mid-Mar

Ayu fish: opens on Jun 1

Brook trout: opens in Apr

Samurai Parade:beg. Apr

Yukake Matsuri:
last Sat of May

Yassa Matsuri: Aug 2 and 3
Fireworks:
at Yoshihama Beach
Satsuki-no-Satoin Jul, Aug and Oct(Azalea festival):in Hoshigayama Park from beg. to mid-Jun

The geisha performance in Ume-no-Utage

9SEP.

Leaves aflame beautifully with autumn tints from October to November

10OCT.

11NOV.

12DEC.

Hiking,Trecking,Golf(all seasons)Surfing (except Sea-bathing season)
Fishing Sea fishing (all seasons)River fishing
Bon Festival Dance:
mid-AugMomiji-no-Sato: mid-Nov to beg. Dec

The Bamboo Lantern
Festival: mid-Oct

Jugoya-no-Utage(Full moon festival): mid-Sep

Mandarin Picking:end Oct to end Jan

The Town for Gourmands

Have More Fun in Yugawara
A number of shops offer visitors various opportuni-

There’s one reason why it’s worth getting up

Having been loved by a number of intellectuals and artists, Yugawara has nurtured

ties to observe and experience the Japanese

early in Yugawara: to watch the sunrise on

its gastronomic culture: a one-Michelin-star rated Japanese cuisine restaurant; atradition: a one-time pottery lesson allows you tothe sea horizon. The sea shining with thetofu shop with their choicest ingredients; a bakery that attracts people from all overmake your own handmade plates and cups; agolden spectrum reflecting the rising sun isJapan; a ramen-restaurant, awarded No.1 by several gourmet guidebooks, includ-

sake-tasting lets you choose from a vast variety ofunutterably breathtaking. Also don’t forget toing the Tokyo Ramen of the Year; a yakitori-bar that perfects the art of grill.

selections; also enjoy making and eating wagashi,take pictures of the mysterious sunrise fromThe town satisfies even the most demanding of epicureans.

Japanese traditional sweets.

Mitsuishi in Cape Manazuru (photo: right).
Enjoy trekking amongst colorful plumblossoms with a lovely scent.

A senbei shop sellingsenbei, Japanese ricecrackers.

An elderly

shop owner grills thedough on a hearth.
Why not experiencing
the traditional Japan in
Yugawara where timemoves more slowly?

There are a number of historical shrines and temples in
Yugawara. Neno Jinja near the port has beautiful paintings
on its ceilings, called Kachojugyo-no-Zu (the pictures offlowers, birds, animals and fish) (photo: right).
They are made of 84 pictures that were created by a Tokugawa-shogunate-appointed female artist and her male apprentice. Being in love with each other, they left their hand-prints
on some of those paintings as pledges of their love. Isn’t thatromantic?

All illustrations by Mr. Shoichiro Hirose