I Escaped to Japan's HIDDEN Hot Spring Village

@Abroad in Japan

Abroad in Japanyoutubethe post

Kick off a 21-day journey across Japan's Tohoku region, starting with a stay in Kinugawa Onsen, exploring its miniature world, and then heading to the samurai town of Ouchi-juku and Aizu Wakamatsu for local food and a famous cat.

1 plan · 5 places · 2 experiences

Plan · 5 places · Tohoku, Japan

Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip

“Our 2,000km Journey Across Japan kicks off as we head deep into the mountains to a town that time forgot, then continue our road trip north to the Fukushima town of Aizu Wakamatsu, our first destination in Tohoku.”

Experience · 1 place
Floating over the Kinugawa River
Wake up to sweeping views of the Kinugawa River, feeling like your room is floating right over the water. It's the perfect, serene start to the Journey Across Japan, especially after a chaotic drive through Tokyo. I stayed here last night and found it to be a really nice place, despite its unfair reputation as a 'post-apocalyptic wasteland' due to abandoned bubble-era hotels. If you're visiting Nikko, I actually recommend staying here for a peaceful escape.
1
Kinugawa Onsen
Nikko
Creator's voice
A hot spring village nestled in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, about two hours north of Tokyo. Once a popular destination for company trips during Japan's bubble era, it now has a mix of active resorts and abandoned hotels. Despite some negative press, it's a really nice place to stay, offering spectacular views over the Kinugawa River.
Kinugawa Onsen, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan
Experience · 1 place
Exploring the world in miniature
Step into Tobu World Square, where you can see entire countries shrunk down to the size of a field. It's the only place where you can see the Louvre and the Empire State Building in the same shot, and even the Tokyo Skytree is almost to scale. It's a pretty damn cool 'compact world' to explore.
2
Tobu World Square
Theme park · Nikko
4.2 (9,590)Closed · opens tomorrow 9 AM
Outdoor theme park with 1:25 scale models of world's iconic buildings, plus guided tours & eateries.
Tobu World Square, 209-1 Kinugawaonsen Ohara, Nikko, Tochigi 321-2522, Japan
3
Ouchi-juku
Tourist attraction · Shimogo
4.2 (1,533)Open · until 5 PM
Creator's voice
An old samurai postal town located deep in the mountains on the border between Tochigi and Fukushima. This remote area used to be a vital route for travelers heading to North Japan 300-400 years ago. It's beautifully preserved, with thatched roofs and buried electricity cables, maintaining its Edo-era appearance. However, many shops might be closed on rainy days.
Ouchi-juku, Ouchi, Shimogo, Minamiaizu District, Fukushima 969-5207, Japan
- Pickled radish — A sample of pickled radish, offered out front of a shop in Ouchi-juku. It was a welcome, albeit desperate, lunch when most other shops were closed due to the rain. They were very nice!
4
Ashinomaki Onsen Station
Train station · Aizuwakamatsu
3.9 (355)
Creator's voice
A small train station in Fukushima Prefecture known for its cat station master, Sakura-chan. It's part of a trend where a cat with a hat is placed at a decrepit station to attract visitors, boosting the local economy. Sakura-chan typically has Wednesdays off.
Ashinomakionsen Station, Kashū Ōtomachi Kamimiyori, Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima 969-5122, Japan
- Sakura-chan, the cat station master — The famous cat station master of Ashinomaki Onsen Station. While I didn't get to see the real Sakura-chan (it was her day off), her presence is a huge draw, with people traveling hundreds of miles to visit. These cat station masters are big business, like Tama in Wakayama, which is worth $10 million to the local economy.
5
Aizu Wakamatsu
city · Aizuwakamatsu
Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima, Japan
- Sauce katsudon — The famous dish of Aizu Wakamatsu: deep-fried, breaded pork cutlets served over rice, drenched in a savory sauce. The pork cuts are thick and very fatty, making for a rich and satisfying meal.

5 extraction issues

collection "Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip": member in a shape the assembler does not write: {"meId":1,"meRef":"ing_jbPI0cWJrHs_me_0"}
collection "Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip": member in a shape the assembler does not write: {"meId":2,"meRef":"ing_jbPI0cWJrHs_me_1"}
collection "Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip": member in a shape the assembler does not write: {"poi":"Ouchi-juku","placeId":"ChIJsRZu4rH8H2ARMPL0O-FTKWI"}
collection "Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip": member in a shape the assembler does not write: {"poi":"Ashinomaki Onsen Station","placeId":"ChIJmY2Rudb9H2ARF7ugGfJbN_0"}
collection "Kinugawa Onsen to Aizu Wakamatsu Road Trip": member in a shape the assembler does not write: {"poi":"Aizu Wakamatsu"}