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Yugawara Town, located on the western side of the coastline in Kanagawa Prefecture, is home to hot springs that emerge from the Chitose River valley flowing from Mount Hakone. There are few large hotels in the area; most accommodations are traditional Japanese inns and high-end standalone lodgings, preserving the atmosphere of a hot spring town. The river is situated at the border of the prefecture, with several hot spring lodgings on the southern side belonging to Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Yugawara Onsen is also the only hot spring mentioned in Japan's oldest collection of poems, the "Man'yōshū," which features a poem titled after the hot springs that flow from Yugawara (also said to refer to steam), commemorating a man's longing for love in "Man'yō Park." It has been favored by many literary figures, including the Meiji-era writers Kunikida Doppo and Natsume Sōseki, as well as the representative Showa-era mystery writer Kyōtarō Nishimura.
Surrounding the Yugawara hot spring area are several remarkable natural and historical sites, such as the "Fudō Falls," which has a height difference of 15 meters, and the cave "Shitodo no Kutsu," where it is said Minamoto no Yoritomo once hid. In early spring, over 4,000 red and white plum trees bloom in the "Yugawara Plum Grove," while in autumn, more than 540 Japanese maple trees turn red in the "Maple Leaf Village," allowing visitors to enjoy the stunning scenery of the changing seasons.
Photo provided by: Yugawara Town Tourism Division.
