Kosankaku, one of the best ryokans in Ginzan Onsen

Ginzan Onsen is a beautiful onsen district in Yamagata Prefecture. Kosankaku, a ryokan in Ginzan onsen, has a great view and delicious food, and nice private onsen.

Brief description of Kosankaku

Kosankaku is located at near the foot bath.

Kosankaku is one of the oldest ryokans in Ginzan Onsen. It has been operated from Edo period, which means more than 100 years. The exterior is decorated with paintings of Japanese traditional items.

Items and interior of Kosankaku have nostalgic atmosphere.

The big table in the lobby.

Old telephone. Surprisingly, this sign says that it is still in use!

The stairs going to the upper floor

Kosankaku’s room was cozy tatami room

The room was traditional tatami room. I could look down the lovely street of Ginzan Onsen from the window.

Cozy tatami room of Kosankaku.

Pretty room key!

Dinner and breakfast of Kosankaku

Dinner was traditional kaiseki course cuisine.

Kosankaku’s Kaiseki dinner

Sashimi dish

The plate of side dish, tempura, fried lotus root, fish cake, and shrimp.

Yamagata style dumplings.

Breakfast was traditional Japanese style with rice and miso soup, plus many small dishes. Very healthy and nutritiously rich.

Many plates with traditional dish!

Private onsen of Kosankaku

Kosankaku had a big public bath on the ground floor, and two private baths, indoor bath and outdoor bath, on the third floor. Private bath could be used anytime without reservation. If the sign says “available”, you can use the baths freely.

Have a relaxing time at Ginzan Onsen!

There are about ten other ryokans in Ginzan Onsen. Kosankaku has only ten rooms, so the ryokan is very quiet and protected with privacy. Have a relaxing time.

Comments

Hiking Mt. Nabewari - walking up over 1,200 for a hot bowl of udon

As practicing hiking as my hobby, Mt. Nabewari was one of my top-list of trails that I had been willing to visit someday. Mt. Nabewari is not famous for its trails nor shrines; it's known for a hot bowl of udon noodles served at the rest house at the peak of the mountain. I waited until the beginning of December to fully enjoy a warm bowl of udon and leeches. Tanzawa Mountain Range, which includes Mt. Nabewari, is a habitat of leeches, and I heard many people bit by leeches during summer. So I decided to hike Mt. Nabewari on the first Saturday in December 2020. The weather forecast was sunny, but it turned out to be rain, which made it a tough hike. I left my house at 4:40 AM to catch the earliest bus from Odakyu Line Shibusawa Station to Okura Bus Stop. Okura Bus Stop is the most common bus stop to hike Mt. Nabewari. There is a building with a shop, benches, and restrooms near the bus stop where hikers can prepare to start hiking. You can also submit hiking registrati...

Kanazawa: a compact castle town perfect for a weekend trip

I visited Kanazawa for a weekend trip in early December. It was the best time to see autumn colors. Including the famous Japanese garden Kenrokuen. What I like about Kanazawa is that the city is compact and public transport is very convenient. Because of that, you can see most of the attractions within two days. I wasn't the exception. I could see most of the major attractions. Beginning with 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, The signature piece of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is "The Swimming Pool." Reservation is required to get inside the pool. Higashichaya District, which is a historic entertainment district with teahouses where geisha performed in the past, (now mostly turned into shops and restaurant/cafes) If you are Japanese sake enthusiast, Fukumitsuya sake shop is a must stop. Nagamachi Samurai District, where samurai used to reside and now preserves traditional samurai residences very well, Kanzawa Castle, Omicho Market, etc. In...

Visiting Nozawaonsen in summer: nothing but soak into onsen

In the past few years, Nozawaonsen, a village in Nagano prefecture, has become known for skiing in winter. Although I love to ski, I had a chance to visit Nozawaonsen in summer. It was my first time staying there during summer, but it was great because I could indulge in the onsen experience. There are 13 communal bath houses in the center of the village, and visiting each one is called "Sotoyu-Meguri." It's interesting that the bathhouses have been run and maintained by local families since the Edo Period. The bath was so hot that some of it was very difficult to soak in the whole body. I went there on the hottest time of the year but felt somewhat well after getting out of the bath. I visited 5-6 bath houses. It was interesting to see the differences; some of them had extremely hot water, while others did not. When visiting a bathhouse, remember to bring your own soap and towel. Unlike the usual onsen or sento, they offer nothing, even no shower. Also, although it is ...

Glimpses of Japan

Search This Blog