The locals' Secret Guide
The Raw Yamagata Experience

Twilight Tour from Tendo Onsen to Ginzan Onsen

Twilight Tour from Tendo Onsen to Ginzan OnsenTwilight Tour from Tendo Onsen to Ginzan Onsen
Time required
Up to 4 hours
Time period
Dec 7, 2024 to Mar 31, 2025
Amount
8,000 yen

DMC Tendo Onsen Co.Makoto Suzuki

POINTS

  • Direct and easy access from Tendo Onsen!
  • Enjoy the view of Ginzan Onsen before and after sunset!
  • If the timing is right, you can take pictures of the snowy Ginzan Onsen!

TIME SCHEDULE

15:30
Depart from Takinoyu Hotel
15:35
Depart Shouhakutei Azumasou
16:40
Transfer to shuttle bus at Taisho Romankan
16:50
Free time to explore Ginzan Onsen Town
18:15
Depart Taisho Romankan
19:20
Arrive at Shouhakutei Azumasou
19:25
Arrive at Takinoyu Hotel

What’s New

Update: November 15, 2024

The official website of Ginzan Onsen has announced the admission restrictions and the accompanying information on how to purchase tickets.

Please be assured that admission tickets are already included in the price of this tour.

Update: September 25, 2024

This tour will now be offered during the year-end and New Year holidays!

Originally, we had planned to suspend the tour from December 31 to January 3. However, we have received many inquiries, so we decided to offer this tour since you are coming to Yamagata.

Since it is a special day during the year-end and New Year holidays, the rate is different from the regular period. Please note that the rate will be 13,000 yen per adult (tax included).

Update: September 6, 2024

On the official website of Ginzan Onsen (winter admission restrictions page), there is an announcement regarding traffic and admission restrictions for the 2024-2025 season.

For this tour, we have cooperated with the Ginzan Onsen side to ensure that only participants will be allowed to enter the area.
Rest assured that our tour participants will have enter to the Ginzan Onsen.

In recent years, Ginzan Onsen has become extremely popular during the winter season, attracting visitors from all over the world. On the other hand, there are an increasing number of people who go to Ginzan Onsen in winter without any means of transportation or an impossible itinerary in a life-threatening environment such as snowstorms.

There have been cases of people driving into the area in passenger cars or buses and getting stuck.

As a neighboring hot spring resort, we will implement tours with the following in mind in order to solve such problems together.

We will conduct tours with the following in mind in order to solve such problems together as a neighboring hot spring resort.
Mitigation of overtourism and risk reduction in Ginzan Onsen
Creation of a system that allows travelers to enjoy sightseeing with peace of mind.

We ask for your understanding of this initiative and your cooperation to prevent accidents so that as many people as possible can enjoy the wonderful spots that represent Yamagata and Japan for many years to come.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

 

Notes! Please be sure to read the following information!

*You will transfer by shuttle bus at “Taisho-Romankan”, a souvenir shop before Ginzan Onsen town, to get to Ginzan Onsen town.

*Ginzan Onsen has a lot of snow and icy road surfaces, which can make it slippery and pose a risk of falling. Please wear non-slip shoes.

*It is not possible to enter the hot springs for a day trip due to the opening hours and length of stay. This tour is designed for those who take pictures and stroll around.

*This tour does not include overnight stay. Please make your own reservation at a ryokan in Tendo Onsen or a hotel in the area.

*This tour bus cannot be boarded and disembarked en route.

*Please confirm in advance the last start time of dinner at your inn. If you participate in this tour, it is preferable to start dinner from 19:30.

*The snow season usually starts after the new year, so there is a high possibility that there will be no snow in early December. Snow accumulation peaks in early February.

*Tour may be cancelled due to inclement weather (blizzard, etc.). In this case, we will contact you the day before the tour.

 

Tour Outline

This is a night tour that takes you directly from Tendo Onsen to Ginzan Onsen after checking in at an inn in Tendo Onsen.

The popularity of Ginzan Onsen has been increasing year by year, and it is difficult to make reservations for overnight stays. The ideal situation would be to stay at Ginzan Onsen and see the night view.

However, the popularity of Ginzan Onsen is so great that many visitors come even during a blizzard in winter. In view of this situation, since 2017, Tendo Onsen has been offering a night tour to Ginzan Onsen, taking safety into consideration.

No hassle to find out! Direct access!

We will take you directly from Tendo Onsen to Ginzan Onsen, which is difficult to book accommodations and access, by bus in about 1 hour.

If you use public transportation, you need to find out how to get there and where to change trains, but if you join this tour, you will save overwhelmingly a lot of time both in your travel mode and in your home.

Twilight in Ginzan Onsen is beautiful!

Twilight Trip, which is also the title of the tour.

This tour arrives at Ginzan Onsen town just as the sun sets, so you can enjoy the change of scenery and colors from gray during the day to navy in the evening to black at night.

It will be possible to take a day tour of Ginzan Onsen at night, which cannot be realized by public transportation.

Dinner on the day of the tour

One of the problems that you may have when participating in the tour is what to do about dinner!

This tour will return before 19:30. Dinner will be served at a ryokan if you have booked a half-board meal, or at a Tendo Onsen town if you have booked a full-breakfast meal.

If you choose to eat at a ryokan, please check the last start time for dinner.

Tendo Onsen is one of the few hot spring resorts in the prefecture that is located in the town, so there are many restaurants around the ryokan.

In 2020, there is also the Tendo Onsen Yatai Mura (food stall village) “To-Yokocho” which opened in the Tendo Onsen district, so we recommend that you casually eat and drink as much as you like in town!

INFOMATION

Dates Dec 7, 2024 to Mar 31, 2025
Meeting place The following two locations are the meeting points, but those staying at nearby ryokans and hotels are also welcome to participate.

1) Takinoyu Hotel
1-1-30 Kamata Honmachi, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture


2) Shouhakutei Azuma-so
2-2-1 Kamata, Tendo-shi, Yamagata
Meeting time 1) 15:30(Takinoyu Hotel)
2) 15:35(Shouhakutei Azumasou)
Schedule 15:30 Depart from Takinoyu Hotel
15:35 Depart Shouhakutei Azumasou
16:40 Transfer to shuttle bus at Taisho Romankan
16:50 Free time to explore Ginzan Onsen Town
   Transfer to Taisho Romankan by shuttle bus
18:15 Depart Taisho Romankan
19:20 Arrive at Shouhakutei Azumasou
19:25 Arrive at Takinoyu Hotel
Time required Up to 4 hours
Experience fee Adult (Age 13 & over) JPY8000
JPY13000(12/31-1/3)

Child (Age 6-12) JPY4000
JPY6500(12/31-1/3)

Child (Age 3-5) JPY2000
JPY3250(12/31-1/3)

Infant(Age0-2) Free

The cancellation fee will be required in accordance with the policy below.
Up to two days prior, no cancellation fee.
Day before: 50%
On the day: 100%
What's included Direct round-trip bus, local shuttle,Ticket to Ginzan Onsen, insurance

Guide not included
Payment method PayPal payment
Maximum number of applicants 30 people
Minimum number of participants 2 people
Application deadline 18:00 on the day before
Organiser Yamagata Prefecture Governor Registered Travel Agency No. 2-284
DMC Tendo Onsen Corporation
Address: 2-5-43 Kamadahonmachi, Tendo City, Yamagata Prefecture

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