Yukiguni Onsen Trip - Naruko Onsen Masuya Experience

📍 Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Naruko Onsen Masuya 💰Cost: 3500 TWD for two people, including one night stay and two meals 🚃Transportation: Take the Yamagata Shinkansen to Minami-Shinjo Station, then transfer to the Rikuu East Line to Naruko Onsen Station. Using the South Hokkaido JR PASS makes it quite cost-effective! Japan's winter always has a unique charm, making people yearn for the perfect combination of snowy scenery and hot springs. Taking advantage of this trip, I boarded a countryside train and headed to Naruko Onsen in the Tohoku region, staying at Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Naruko Onsen Masuya, experiencing a hot spring trip full of Yukiguni (snow country) charm. 🚆 Transportation: Enjoying the journey itself by taking a countryside train Starting from Tokyo, first take the Yamagata Shinkansen north to Minami-Shinjo Station, then transfer to the Rikuu East Line to Naruko Onsen Station. The highlight of this trip is the journey on the Rikuu East Line. The scenery along the way gradually changes from the bustling city to the tranquil countryside, with the train passing through silver-white snowfields, making one feel relaxed. Using the South Hokkaido JR PASS this time significantly saved on transportation costs, making this trip even more cost-effective. For those who enjoy deep local travel and taking countryside trains, this way of traveling is definitely a great pleasure. 🏨 Accommodation Experience: Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Naruko Onsen Masuya This time, I chose to stay at "Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Naruko Onsen Masuya," a hot spring inn that offers affordable yet high-quality experiences. The price for two people, including one night stay and two meals, is about 3500 TWD, which is quite reasonable in Japan, especially considering the hot spring and gourmet experience here, making it very cost-effective. Upon entering the inn, the most anticipated part is, of course, the hot spring. Naruko Onsen is one of Japan's famous hot spring towns, with various types of hot springs, and Masuya's hot spring is a sulfur spring. The spring water has a faint sulfur scent, and soaking in it makes the skin feel smooth and the body warm. ❄ Soaking in the hot spring amidst heavy snow is simply the most luxurious enjoyment of winter! This time, I happened to encounter heavy snow. Stepping out of the hot spring inn, the whole world was covered in white snow. Just sitting in the open-air bath, feeling the hot spring water enveloping the body, watching the snowflakes fall, the strong contrast between cold and heat makes one feel like entering a scene from a Japanese drama. This experience is truly unforgettable. 🍽 Dinner: A luxurious feast with all-you-can-eat Matsuba crab How can a stay at a hot spring inn be complete without a sumptuous meal? Masuya's dinner is served in a buffet style, with the biggest highlight being the all-you-can-eat Matsuba crab! Plates and plates of Matsuba crab are laid out on the dining table, and with a gentle peel, you can enjoy the sweet crab meat. Paired with other carefully prepared Japanese dishes by the hot spring inn, such as tempura, sushi, sashimi, etc., each dish makes one's mouth water. On a cold winter night, enjoying delicious crab meat while sipping a cup of hot sake, this combination truly brings immense satisfaction. 💭 Conclusion: Beautiful memories of Naruko Onsen This Naruko Onsen trip, from the countryside train journey to the open-air hot spring in the heavy snow, to the luxurious all-you-can-eat Matsuba crab dinner, whether it's visual, taste, or physical and mental enjoyment, is an ultimate experience. Coming to Japan in winter, I highly recommend visiting Naruko Onsen to feel this tranquil and healing atmosphere. Next time, perhaps I can explore other hot spring towns in Tohoku, continuing to search for more hidden Yukiguni secrets!