Hijiori Onsen Village

肘折温泉

"It felt like a movie, seeing the steam rise up into the air was so beautiful. The flowing Dozan River across from the forrest added to its beauty."

-Lander Manrique Cano

*All photos taken by the author

Historical Background

Hijiori Onsen Village has a history of over 1,200 years and originates from a legend of a monk who broke their elbow after falling from the peak of the mountain. Following the monks injury, they found a warm natural pool around the Dozan River. The legend states that the wounds were instantaneously healed by the hot spring waters. Over the years it became a holy pilgrimage for worshippers of the venerable Jizo-sama and has evolved into a quiet and traditional therapeutic Onsen that's established a strong community. The journey to Hijiori Onsen continues to bring a sense of wandering through a lost village that has remained much of the 17th century Edo Period's rustic atmosphere.

The same twenty founding families continue to operate all the ryokan and shops within the town. The village contains rules known as 'contract groups', which are made up of thirty six groups and have been passed down from generation to generation. These thirty six groups continue to maintain the hot springs and protect the natural environment, and culture of the town. Following the experience of the Onsen, my friends and I had a discussion in Japanese with the owner of the Onsen bath. She described the longevity of the Onsen Village which further implied the towns raw history.

Characteristics

The Hijiori Onsen Village has plenty of unique and beautiful features to explore.

One being that the Onsen water came from various sources, each source having a different colour and bathing sensation from the other. Some felt more thick, some saltier and some darker. It was interesting and enjoyable to compare the water amongst the different Onsen's within the Village.

Another beautiful feature was the water fountains and feet baths that were filled with warm purifying water which washed away old dead skin cells. This coupled with an amazing view of the Dozan River was a relaxing experience.

Lastly, the Village felt very personalized as it was very far away from main civilization. This made the overall experience more special. While it was quiet, it was interesting to see plenty of small shops that sold unique and high quality seafood, honey, and money other foods. This added to the liveliness of the Village even though it may be quiet.

One honourable mention is the Soba Restaurant Kotobukiya which had soba noodles that were freshly ground, made and boiled. They're made with Mogamiwase, which is used in 40% of the Yamagata Prefecture. The restaurant was filled with many locals and had a veranda where you can enjoy your Soba noodles while looking out over the Dozan River. This was truly brilliant.

Other interesting shops to see were the Kaneyama stores which sold local sake, souvenirs, food, and daily necessities. The morning markets are another specialty of the Hijiori Onsen. These markets are run by local women who sell fresh vegetables and side dishes from Okura Village, as well as souvenirs unique to Hijiori.

To Know More

Vehicle Tour of Hijiori Onsen Village (No Commentary)

Comprehensive Tour of the inside and outskirts of Hijiori Onsen Village (Japanese Only)

Walking tour of Hijiori Onsen Village (No Commentary)

Tour of the inside of a Hijiori Onsen (Japanese Only)

Lander Manrique Cano's Direct Voice

Lander is a close friend of mine who joined us for the Onsen experience, I spoke to Lander on his experience with the Onsen. He stated:

"In Spain we don't have these kinds of Onsen's and they're often very difficult to find. My first impression when I got there was that it felt like a movie, seeing the steam rise up into the air was so beautiful. The flowing river next to the forrest also looked so pretty. After experiencing an Onsen bath, we spoke with a women who said the Onsen was built centuries ago and explained the history of the Onsen village. This was very interesting and fascinating to me, especially while viewing historical posters and art pieces inside the Onsen."

References

Hijiori Onsen. (n.d). https://hijiori.jp/en/about-hijiori/

Hijiori Onsen, Yamagata. (2024, November 06). https://matcha-jp.com/en/17396

A complete guide to Hijiori Onsen full of retro charm. (2024, November 06). https://matcha-jp.com/en/17395

James William Vorster (Author)

Lander Manrique Cano (Direct Voice)

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