This page contains promotions (affiliate links) (Editorial & ad policy)
Ginzan Onsen and Mogami ryokan with a private bath: 5 of 55
Approximate, at the rate on 2026-10-02. You pay in yen.
- Ginzan Onsen ryokan: only Itoya, of the five, stands in the village itself
- The other four: two in Hijiori, one in Akakura, one in Higashine
- Shakunageso has six baths, all private; Itoya takes four parties a night
The five
| Best for | Where to book | Score | Weeknight (per person) | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six baths, every one free to use privately — if you can’t decide | Ofurozuki no Yado Ryokan Shakunageso Check price |
82/100 | ¥18,000 | ¥19,000–20,000 |
| 8 min by car from Sakurambo-Higashine shinkansen stop | Sakurambo Higashine Onsen Nonoka Hongokan Check price |
81/100 | ¥19,000–20,000 | ¥21,000–24,000 |
| Top review score of the seven, meals in a private room | Hijiori Onsen Maruya Check price |
79/100 | — | ¥30,000 |
| Riverside Hijiori inn with irori meals and a family bath | Hijiori Onsen Yuyado Motogawarayu Check price |
76/100 | ¥20,000–22,000 | ¥21,000–24,000 |
| Four rooms a night, private indoor and open-air baths | Hatago Itoya Check price |
75/100 | ¥30,000 | — |
Prices are the cheapest per person found on Rakuten Travel for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 2026-11-04 – 2026-12-26, for 2 adults in one room (checked 2026-10-25). They move daily — the link shows live prices.
The booking links go to Agoda, which shows today’s price and lets you pay in your own currency. Its price can differ from the Rakuten Travel figures above.
Six baths, every one free to use privately
Ofurozuki no Yado Ryokan Shakunageso
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.50/5 (30)
- Small inn on high ground at Akakura Onsen; the name means “the inn for people who love baths”
- Check-in 15:00, last check-in 18:30, check-out 10:00
- Free parking for 8 cars (Rakuten listing)
Why it made the five
- Six baths, all free to use privately.
- Only three rooms.
- About ¥18,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight — the cheapest of the five.
- Breakfast and dinner each rated 4.71.
Getting there: Nearest station Akakura Onsen (JR Rikuu East line), a 50-minute walk. The inn has no pick-up and says no taxis are available, so it asks guests to come by car. Free parking for eight cars.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean. Rakuten lists Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club and Mastercard. Tattoo rules are not published; since every bath can be used privately, you need never share one.
-
Right for: Two people travelling by car who want to try one private bath after another.
-
Not for: Anyone travelling by train or bus — there is no pick-up and no taxi.
-
Worth knowing: No pick-up from the station and no taxis; the station is a 50-minute walk, so a car is needed. Only 30 reviews so far. A ¥150 bathing tax per person is paid separately.
Score breakdown — 82/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★☆ | The categories Rakuten does show (room and others) average 4.71 |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥18,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 91% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | All six baths are free to use privately; a small three-room inn on high ground; several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean; Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club and Mastercard accepted. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.5 across 30 reviews (Rakuten Travel 30) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | All six of its baths can be used privately at no charge, so you never share a bath with other guests. |
8 min by car from Sakurambo-Higashine shinkansen stop
Sakurambo Higashine Onsen Nonoka Hongokan
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.57/5 (165) · Agoda 7.9/10 (5) · 170 in total
- 15 rooms at Higashine Onsen
- Dinner is seasonal kaiseki, a meal of many small courses
- Check-in 15:00; free parking for about 20 cars across the road (Rakuten listing)
Why it made the five
- Eight minutes by car from Sakurambo-Higashine station, twelve from Yamagata Airport.
- A private family bath made from local Jinengo-yaki pottery.
- Dinner rated 4.82.
- Last check-in 21:00 and check-out 11:00 — the latest of the five on both.
Getting there: About eight minutes by car from Sakurambo-Higashine station (Yamagata Shinkansen), or 12 minutes by route bus to the Higashine Onsen stop; about 12 minutes by car from Yamagata Airport. Free parking across the road.
Language and payment: English support is not published, so ask when you book. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club and many other cards. Tattoo rules for the large baths are not published; the family bath is yours alone. The whole building is non-smoking, with Wi-Fi in the rooms, a free coin laundry and a wheelchair to borrow.
-
Right for: Arriving by Shinkansen or plane and wanting to be in a hot bath soon after, or arriving late.
-
Not for: Wanting to sleep in the Ginzan Onsen street itself — it is about 50 minutes away by car.
-
Worth knowing: Closed on the first or second Tuesday and Wednesday of each month. A ¥150 bathing tax per adult is paid separately.
Score breakdown — 81/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.65 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥19,000–20,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 94% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00; eight minutes by car from Sakurambo-Higashine station on the Yamagata Shinkansen and twelve from Yamagata Airport; a private family bath made from local Jinengo-yaki pottery; last check-in 21:00; Visa, JCB, American Express and many other cards accepted; Wi-Fi in rooms and a free self-service laundry; a wheelchair to borrow. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.57 across 165 reviews (Rakuten Travel 165) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | Within twelve minutes by car of both the Shinkansen station and Yamagata Airport, with a private bath and a late last check-in. |
Top review score of the seven, meals in a private room
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.76/5 (93)
- In Hijiori, an old cure-bath village
- Check-in 15:00, last check-in 18:00, check-out 10:00
- Free parking for 9 cars (Rakuten listing)
Why it made the five
- 4.76 across 93 reviews — the highest of the seven that met our conditions.
- Bath rated 4.90; a family bath, a large bath and an open-air bath.
- Breakfast and dinner in a private room.
- Seven rooms, all non-smoking.
Getting there: About 40 minutes by car from Shinjo station (Yamagata Shinkansen). The inn has no pick-up; by train, it asks guests to take the Okura village bus from Shinjo to Hijiori Onsen. Drivers should come via Funagata, as Route 112 from the Sagae side is closed.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book. Cards are not accepted, per Rakuten. The family bath is yours alone. All rooms are non-smoking.
-
Right for: Two adults who want the best-reviewed inn here and quiet meals on their own.
-
Not for: Anyone with a large suitcase, or who wants to pay by card.
-
Worth knowing: No lift, with steps and stairs; large suitcases are not accepted and wheeled cases may not be rolled inside. Arrival before 15:00 is not accepted, and checking in after 18:00 adds a service charge of 10–20% of the room rate. No cards. A ¥150 bathing tax per person is paid separately.
Score breakdown — 79/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★★ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.80 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | No weeknight room was free in our search window (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 153% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Breakfast and dinner both in a private room; a family bath, a large bath and an open-air bath; seven rooms; by Shinkansen, take the Okura village bus from Shinjo (no pick-up from the inn); all rooms non-smoking. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.76 across 93 reviews (Rakuten Travel 93) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | The highest review average of the seven inns that met our conditions, with a bath score of 4.90. |
Riverside Hijiori inn with irori meals and a family bath
Hijiori Onsen Yuyado Motogawarayu
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.60/5 (401)
- 12 rooms; local, seasonal cooking
- Check-in 14:30, check-out 10:30
- Free parking for 25 cars (Rakuten listing)
Why it made the five
- On the riverbank, with 100% free-flowing spring water.
- Meals in a private room or around an irori hearth.
- A family bath and a large bath.
- 4.60 across 401 reviews — the most of the five.
Getting there: About 40 minutes by car from Shinjo station (Yamagata Shinkansen); about 80 minutes from Yamagata city via the Yamagata Expressway, Funagata IC and Route 458.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean. Rakuten lists Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners Club and others. Meals that take allergies into account can be arranged. Tattoo rules for the large bath are not published; the family bath is yours alone.
-
Right for: Wanting a real old spa-village inn and a meal around the hearth.
-
Not for: Arriving late in the afternoon — last check-in is 17:30.
-
Worth knowing: Last check-in is 17:30, early even for a ryokan. Requests to staff are taken until 21:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per adult (none for children) is paid separately.
Score breakdown — 76/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.63 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥20,000–22,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 100% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Meals in a private room; on the riverbank; 100% free-flowing spring water; breakfast and dinner in a private room or the robata hearth room; a family bath and a large bath; several staff understand a little English, Chinese and Korean; meals adjusted for allergies. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.6 across 401 reviews (Rakuten Travel 401) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | A riverside inn on 100% free-flowing spring water, known for local cooking served around an irori hearth. |
Four rooms a night, private indoor and open-air baths
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.73/5 (173)
- Dinner built on local ingredients, served in the dining room
- Check-in 15:00, last check-in 18:00, check-out 10:00
- Six free parking spaces, first come first served (Rakuten listing)
Why it made the five
- In Ginzan Onsen; only four parties a night.
- Private indoor and open-air baths on free-flowing spring water.
- Bath rated 4.76, dinner 4.74.
- 4.73 across 173 reviews.
Getting there: About 30 minutes by car from JR Oishida station (Yamagata Shinkansen). Six free parking spaces, first come first served, straight ahead across the Hakugin bridge.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, several staff understand a little English. Payment is cash only — no cards. Tattoo rules are not published; both baths are used privately. All rooms are non-smoking. The inn asks guests to answer its calls and emails before arrival and declines bookings from those who do not.
-
Right for: Two adults who want a quiet inn in Ginzan Onsen and a private open-air bath.
-
Not for: Families, anyone staying more than one night, or anyone who wants to pay by card.
-
Worth knowing: No children, and no stays of more than one night. Cash only. No allergy adjustments, and dinner cannot start after 19:00; phone if arriving after 18:00. A ¥150 bathing tax per person is paid separately.
Score breakdown — 75/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.72 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | ¥30,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 151% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Only four parties a night; private indoor and open-air baths on free-flowing spring water; breakfast and dinner in the dining room; several staff understand a little English; all rooms non-smoking. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.73 across 173 reviews (Rakuten Travel 173) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | Only four parties a night, with both an indoor and an open-air bath on free-flowing spring water used privately; bath rated 4.76. |
Know before you book
- Ginzan Onsen is a small hot-spring village in the mountains of Obanazawa, Yamagata, named after an old silver mine. Its wooden ryokan, several storeys high, face each other across the Ginzan river, and the street is best known for its gas lamps after dark and for deep snow in winter. Staying the night is the way to see it once the day visitors have gone.
- Oishida, on the Yamagata Shinkansen, is the station for Ginzan Onsen. The inns’ listings put it about 30 minutes away by car, or 35 minutes by the bus that runs via Obanazawa.
- Hijiori Onsen is an old cure-bath (toji) village in the hills of Okura, reached from Shinjo, the end of the Yamagata Shinkansen line: about 40 minutes by car, or by the Okura village bus. Maruya’s listing asks drivers to come via Funagata because Route 112 from the Sagae side is closed, and another Hijiori inn notes that Route 458 from the south is closed in winter.
- Higashine Onsen sits beside Sakurambo-Higashine station on the Yamagata Shinkansen and close to Yamagata Airport, which makes it the easy choice for a late arrival. Ginzan Onsen is about 50 minutes from there by car.
- Many inns here are tiny — three, four or seven rooms — and most set last check-in early, between 17:30 and 18:30, since dinner is served at set times. If your train is late, phone the inn.
- Prices here are per person with dinner and breakfast, for two sharing. A bathing tax of ¥150 per adult is paid on top at all seven inns we compared.
How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring
How we chose
- Candidates: every property in Ginzan Onsen and Mogami listed on Rakuten Travel — 55
- Passed the review filter (counts and averages on Rakuten Travel, the one site that lists every property in the area): 39
- Met every condition below: 4
- Kept: five, each the best at something different
Where the facts come from
- Facts: Rakuten Travel property information (in some articles, each hotel’s own site too)
- Prices: Rakuten Travel live availability, Wednesdays and Saturdays over eight weeks
- Reviews: the count and average on Rakuten Travel, as given in each hotel’s Trust row. Agoda’s reviews are shown under each hotel name for reference only and do not count towards the score
Conditions (all of them, not most of them)
- In Rakuten Travel’s Obanazawa, Shinjo and Murayama district of Yamagata (Mogami), with a hot spring
- At least 30 reviews on Rakuten Travel, averaging 4.0 or better
- The cheapest rate falls between ¥10,000 and ¥40,000 per person per night
- A bath you need not share: an open-air bath in the room, or a private or family bath you can use with your own party
Scoring
Five criteria, one to five stars each, weighted to one hundred points. Every star says where the number came from.
- Quality25 pts
- The average of the scores Rakuten Travel publishes for the room, the bath and the food.
- Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest rate with dinner and breakfast against the median of the inns we compared.
- Easy to stay30 pts
- The private baths, where meals are served, how you get there from the station, and check-out time.
- Trust20 pts
- Review counts and averages published by Rakuten Travel.
- Only here5 pts
- What this inn has that the other six we compared do not.
What we dropped
| Property | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ginzan Onsen Fujiya | Runner-up (74/100) | 74/100, one point behind fifth place. It matched Hatago Itoya on ease and on what sets it apart, but Itoya scored a star higher on quality (4.72 against 4.58) and on trust (4.73 against 4.59). With no rooms in our search window, its value score is a neutral three stars rather than a measured one. |
| Ginzan Onsen Kozankaku | Runner-up (73/100) | 73/100, two points behind fifth place. Like Fujiya, it lost to Hatago Itoya on quality (4.58 against 4.72) and trust (4.57 against 4.73), and it also scored a star lower than both on what sets it apart. No rooms came up in our search window, so value is a neutral three stars. |
| Ginzan Onsen Taki to Soba no Yado Takimikan | Outside the theme | A Ginzan inn with a panoramic open-air bath and its own hand-made soba, rated 4.67 across 116 reviews — but its listing shows no cheapest rate and no private or family bath, so it did not meet our conditions. |
| Ginzan Onsen Senkyo no Yado Ginzanso | Outside the theme | A 40-room Ginzan hotel with an open-air bath and a reservation-only pick-up from the JR station, 4.48 across 319 reviews, but its listing shows no private or family bath. |
| Kimuraya Ryokan | Outside the theme | A five-room Hijiori inn with a private bath and 4.75 across 210 reviews, but its cheapest rate is under our ¥10,000 floor. |
| Hijiori Onsen Oyado Daikokuya | Outside the theme | 4.90 across 40 reviews, the highest average of the 39 that passed our review floor, with a family bath and a lift — but its cheapest rate is under our ¥10,000 floor. |
Questions visitors ask
Which one would you book?
Ofurozuki no Yado Ryokan Shakunageso, the top score of the five at 82/100. All six of its baths can be used privately for free, and it is the cheapest of the five: about ¥18,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight, ¥19,000–20,000 on a Saturday. But you need a car to get there. Without one, Nonoka Hongokan is a point behind at 81, eight minutes by car from Sakurambo-Higashine station.
I want to stay in Ginzan Onsen itself. Which one?
Hatago Itoya is the one of the five in the Ginzan street: four parties a night, with private indoor and open-air baths. Weeknights ran about ¥30,000 per person with two meals. It takes adults only, for one night, and cash only. The runners-up Fujiya and Kozankaku are also in Ginzan, but no rooms came up for either in our search window, so check their own pages.
How do I get there without a car?
Take the Yamagata Shinkansen. For Ginzan Onsen, get off at Oishida; the inns put it 30 minutes by car or 35 by bus via Obanazawa. For Nonoka Hongokan, get off at Sakurambo-Higashine, eight minutes away by car. For Hijiori, ride to Shinjo at the end of the line, then take the Okura village bus or a car, about 40 minutes. Shakunageso is the one you cannot do by public transport.
I don’t want to bathe with strangers. Will that work at all five?
Yes — that was a condition. At Shakunageso every bath can be used privately, and at Hatago Itoya both the indoor and open-air baths are private. Nonoka Hongokan, Maruya and Motogawarayu each have a family bath that your own party uses alone. None of the five publishes a tattoo policy for its shared baths, so ask when you book if you want to use those too.
Can I pay by card?
At three of the five. Shakunageso, Nonoka Hongokan and Motogawarayu list Visa, Mastercard, American Express and others. Hatago Itoya and Maruya take no cards at all, and Kozankaku takes cards only through Rakuten Travel’s online payment. The ¥150 bathing tax is paid separately everywhere.
When were these prices checked?
We searched Rakuten Travel availability for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 4 November and 26 December 2026, taking the cheapest plan with dinner and breakfast for two adults and showing it per person (checked 25 October 2026, tax included). The ¥150 bathing tax is paid separately. Prices move daily — the link on each inn shows today’s.
Changes
- 2026-10-29 First published. Scored from 55 candidates.