Yamada Onsen's O-Yu
友人Peterさんの「長野県Top100温泉」の英語の本の作成に手伝っています。今回は山田温泉。
信州高山村の松川渓谷沿いの旅館6軒がある小さな温泉。上信越道の須坂長野東ICから約40分、長野電鉄須坂駅からバスで約35分。温泉の手前の赤い橋が写真ポイント。その辺から渓谷らしくなって、どの季節でも綺麗ですけど秋は紅葉で特に有名。温泉「街」は大湯という観光客が日帰りで使えるお風呂の中心で、お土産屋さん数件とスパ・ワインセンターがある。温泉のお湯は透明でナトリウム塩化物泉で少し塩っぽい。体が良く温まるそうです。
藤井荘が割と代表的な宿です。藤沢社長に案内して頂きました。ロビーからの警告の景色が格別でした。自慢の露天風呂もその景色をたっぷり楽しめるようにできている。
次は社長が特別で道の向こう側の滝の湯を見せてくれました。普通は住んでいる方化旅館のお客さんしか入れない木造な温泉銭湯です。源泉が60℃ぐらいで湯船は水をかけても暑い！地元のおじさんが気持ち良さそう～に入っていました。
山田温泉のもう一つな有名な宿が風景館です。松川渓谷の一番狭い所で川がすごい勢いで流れている沿い「仙人風呂」。怖い階段150段ぐらい下って、とんでもない所で設置している。ワイルドで素晴らしい温泉です。長野県にこんなに刺激的な温泉があるって知らなかった！
In my efforts to help my buddy Peter write his book "Nagano's Top 100 Onsens", this time we went to Yamada Onsen.
Located in Shinshu Takayama Village's upper reaches of the Matsukawa Ravine, Yamada Onsen is a small onsen resort with 6 inns grouped around O-Yu, the main bath house. Access is via car (35 min. from Suzaka IC on the Joshin'etsu Expressway) or bus (40 min. from Suzaka Station on the Nagano Dentetsu Line). Along the way, you pass a red arched bridge which, with the stunning backdrop of the forested ravine side makes for some picturesque scenery. Welcome to the Matsukawa Ravine. Known especially for the colors of the leaves in autumn, the area is beautiful any time of year.
One of the better known inns in Yamada Onsen is Fujiiso. The owner, Fujisawa-san, showed us around. Their elegantly appointed lobby features a series of picture windows giving you a panaromic view of the trees in the ravine. Their onsen bath also takes advantage of the scenic setting where you can soak in the onsen water (clear water high in sodium chloride with a slightly salty taste) as you enjoy the serenity of the trees. The minerals in the onsen water, by the way, supposedly work to soothingly warm your body.
Next Fujisawa-san took us across the street to Taki-no-yu. Normally this classic wooden bathhouse is only open to residents and guests of the inns, but Fujisawa-san let us in as a special favor. The onsen water originates at 60C, so even with regular tap water being added to the bath it was painfully hot. But one local elderly man was soaking away as blissfully as can be.
Yamada Onsen's other famous inn is Fukeikan. Their claim to fame is the Sennin-buro (hermit's bath). Perched on a cliff 150 scary steps down from the inn, the bath precariously looks over the roaring Matsukawa River as it is squeezed through its most narrow point along the ravine. I had no idea Nagano had such a wild onsen bath!
Footbath in front of O-Yu (notice the waterwheel in the back)
Yamada Onsen Spa Wine Center
Yamada Onsen Taki-no-Yu facade
Taki-no-Yu's hot bath and classic wooden architecture
Fujiiso's bath and ravine setting
Walking down Fukeikan's scary steps...
...to the wild Hermit's Bath
Onsen-pornography -- Fukeikan's much more sedated private outdoor bath
