Yuzawa (Akita)
Discover Yuzawa (Akita)
Yuzawa (湯沢市; yuzawa-shi) is a city at the southeastern corner of Akita Prefecture, along the border with Yamagata and Miyagi. It is southeast of Yurihonjo and south of Yokote. Yuzawa is accessible by train. The main station is Yuzawa Station (湯沢駅). By car, Yuzawa is located on Highway 13, which goes to Yokote and Daisen in the north, and Yamagata in the south. The expressway is free between Yuzawa and Yamagata — however, Yokote is not free.
Taste of Yuzawa (Akita)...
Yuzawa's most famous dish is Inaniwa Udon (稲庭うどん), one of Japan's top three udon varieties. They are thinner than typical udon that dates back to 1665 and were gifted to shogun in Edo. Inaniwa, the district of the city where the udon originated, has a variety of restaurants that serve the famous dish. Some travelers sleep in their cars, which is typically not a problem. However, if you drink in the evening and sleep in your car, it is a good to use a personal breathalyzer before driving the next morning — even a small amount of alcohol in your system makes driving illegal, and the police are known to watch for this.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsYuzawa is accessible by train. The main station is Yuzawa Station (湯沢駅). By car, Yuzawa is located on Highway 13, which goes to Yokote and Daisen in the north, and Yamagata in the south. The expressway is free between Yuzawa and Yamagata — however, Yokote is not free. Most of the city's attractions are far away from any stations, so walking is not recommended. There is a bus that runs to Oyasu Gorge from Yuzawa Station, passing Inaniwa Castle. In order to help tourists who come by train to visit the city's sites, the Komachi Shuttle is a sightseeing taxi service that offers a variety of different travel packages to sights around the city. They have 4-hour and 8-hour taxi tours. Reservations are required. You can reserve one of the shuttle taxi tours on their website. Kijiyama Kokeshi (木地山系こけし) are souvenirs of Oyasu-kyo Onsen, but the shops where you can buy them are located away from the onsen area. You can buy the kokeshi at Abe Hajime Kokeshi Shop (below) and Inaniwa Castle....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Most of the city's attractions are far away from any stations, so walking is not recommended. There is a bus that runs to Oyasu Gorge from Yuzawa Station, passing Inaniwa Castle. In order to help tourists who come by train to visit the city's sites, the Komachi Shuttle is a sightseeing taxi service that offers a variety of different travel packages to sights around the city. They have 4-hour and 8-hour taxi tours. Reservations are required. You can reserve one of the shuttle taxi tours on their website. Kijiyama Kokeshi (木地山系こけし) are souvenirs of Oyasu-kyo Onsen, but the shops where you can buy them are located away from the onsen area. You can buy the kokeshi at Abe Hajime Kokeshi Shop (below) and Inaniwa Castle. Yuzawa's most famous dish is Inaniwa Udon (稲庭うどん), one of Japan's top three udon varieties. They are thinner than typical udon that dates back to 1665 and were gifted to shogun in Edo.
Where to Stay
Some travelers sleep in their cars, which is typically not a problem. However, if you drink in the evening and sleep in your car, it is a good to use a personal breathalyzer before driving the next morning — even a small amount of alcohol in your system makes driving illegal, and the police are known to watch for this.
Money & Budget
Kijiyama Kokeshi (木地山系こけし) are souvenirs of Oyasu-kyo Onsen, but the shops where you can buy them are located away from the onsen area. You can buy the kokeshi at Abe Hajime Kokeshi Shop (below) and Inaniwa Castle. Yuzawa's most famous dish is Inaniwa Udon (稲庭うどん), one of Japan's top three udon varieties. They are thinner than typical udon that dates back to 1665 and were gifted to shogun in Edo. Inaniwa, the district of the city where the udon originated, has a variety of restaurants that serve the famous dish. Some travelers sleep in their cars, which is typically not a problem.