(銀山温泉) Ginzan Onsen

A place for perfect instagram pictures, this is a place to visit ideally overnight, not just for a daytrip, as the place transforms during dusk. I didn't have the money for that, so off to a day's visit I did.  

Budget: JPY5,440 (~USD128)

• JPY4,000. One day's worth allocated with JR East's Welcome Rail Pass OR
• In my visit, I was already in Yamagata so it only cost me JPY2,410 using the Seishu 18 pass.
• JPY1,440. Bus, Oishi Station < > Ginzan Onsen (JPY720 one way)

Visit Date 

• January 1, 2018

When to Go
Anytime during the year, but the magical pictures are all winter photos - so December to February. 

However, the caves and falls are only accessible outside of winter. 

Special Notes

• This is a whole day affair, because it can be very difficult to access!
• The entire place is only one street - with a couple of ryokan (Japanese inns). Basically the ones you see in the pictures are the entire thing. No more, no less. When I visited, it was indeed magical, and I did enjoy my entire 5 minutes of walk to cover the entire street, and was back in time for the next bus. My stay lasted about ten minutes. 
• Access.
• Train, Tokyo Station to Oishida Station (大石田駅). If coming from Yamagata, there's about two trains an hour - one bullet train and one local, so if using Seishun 18 ticket, that is something to be careful about. 
• Bus, 大石田駅 to 銀行温泉

Bus schedule, 大石田駅 < > 銀行温泉

Itinerary

• 06:12am. Bullet train, Tokyo Station to Oishida Station (transfer at Fukushima Station)
• 09:40am. ETA: Oishida Station
• 09:50am. Bus, Oishida Station (大石田駅) to Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉)
• 10:26am. ETA: Ginzan Onsen.
• Explore Onsen area. 
• 01:25pm. Bus, Ginzan Onsen to Oishida Station.
• 02:10pm. ETA: Oishida Station.
• 02:39pm. Train, Ginzan Onsen to Yamagata Station (or back to Tokyo)