Traditional onsen in a hot-spring village 30 minutes from Kanazawa by bus; day bathing from ~800-1.200 ¥.
Yuwaku Onsen is the closest hot-spring resort to Kanazawa, a small spa village nestled in the forested hills southwest of the city about 30 minutes away by bus. Its alkaline and mildly sulphurous waters rise at 46-52 degrees and have been prized since the Nara era for their properties for the skin and joint pain. The village has around twenty ryokan and inns offering access to their wooden outdoor baths (rotenburo) with forest views. Several establishments admit day visitors (higaeri nyuyo) without the need to stay; the bathing pass usually costs between 800 and 1.200 ¥. The most recommended place for day visitors is the Miyoshian inn, with a mixed rotenburo of hinoki wood and an outdoor garden. The Kanazawa Loop bus or the Hokutetsu company buses depart from Kanazawa station. Combine the visit with a stroll around the village and a kaiseki dinner at one of the ryokan that admit external diners.
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