My dream came true having an outdoor open-air public Onsen during winter season with full of snowy white background along the Asahi river, which is just right in front of the Yubara Dam, known as the "Yubara Onsen"! The Yubara Onsen is a very unique natural Onsen (hot spring bath) in Okayama prefecture that has been awarded with the title of "Nishi no Yokozuna" which means the Champion of Western Japan, in the category of National Hot Springs.
How dreamy it was! It was still fresh and mesmerizing in my memories - woke up early in the morning to get the first dip before any other people, enduring the cold weather while walking towards the Onsen area with just wearing a yukata and an outer jacket. The most challenging part was during the clothes changing process right before and after the hot dip. Imagine, the wind was blowing strong and you are naked without any winter coat - that was insanely cold. However, I truly enjoyed the whole experience and I love it very much. I will want to do it all over again.
It opens 24 hours a day, as well as everyday of the year. You can enjoy the Onsen area anytime you like even during the late midnight. This Onsen bath serves both men and women, therefore, women is recommended to rent a special bath dress while bathing (rental is available at a fee). I got it rented from the hotel I was staying. It was about 500yen/dress.
My experience travelling to Yubara Onsen Sunayu from Okayama Station
Arrived at Okayama station 岡山駅, exit through west gate and walk towards the highway bus counter area located at bus stop 10. I quickly went to the bus counter located at bus stop 10 and asked if the Google bus time table and route shown was correct and accurate for the journey from Okayama station 岡山駅 to Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅, however, I was told that it was inaccurate. They called the bus hub to reconfirm the scheduled time table for me. After everything were confirmed, I bought the return tickets for the trip to Yubara Onsen 湯原温泉 and waited at the respective bus stop for the bus to arrive. Noted that there was an exchanged from highway bus to local bus at Katsuyama station 勝山駅.
Okayama station 岡山駅 (highway bus) > Katsuyama station 勝山駅 (local bus) > Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅
Arrived at Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅, the roads were all covered with snow and was raining heavy snow too, cannot really walk to the hotel with our luggage, therefore, I called the hotel receptionist and asked them to pick us up at the Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅. Actually the walk to the hotel from Yubara Onsen station was about 5mins only. Very near but with thick heavy snow road, we cannot even tow our luggage, that was so hard, everything were stucked to the fluffy snow. Actually, in this hotel, they have Chinese speaking receptionist, however, I did not know about that until I reached the hotel and so I spoke using my simple Japanese language with them and luckily they were able to understand me. After check-in, we went to have a quick look around the area like the outdoor open-air "Yubara Onsen" by the Asahi river bank and the wooden bridge, which was just located 3mins walk from our hotel. Everywhere were covered with fluffy white snow, soooo pretty. Words cannot express finished the beauty of the snow bed. We were playing around with the snow and had so much fun by ourselves. No tourists at all.
The hotel we chose to stay here was the Yubara Kokusai Kanko Hotel Kikunoyu. Luckily, it was just located nearby the Yubara Onsen, a 3mins walk only. During winter season, I think it is best to choose a hotel which is just located nearby the onsen if not you will need to walk under the cold weather for a longer period of time to reach to the Onsen area. For other seasons like summer, autumn, spring, you can consider those hotel that needs about 5 mins walk or maybe within 8 to 10 mins walk, that should be good. The weather will not be as cold as the winter season.
I love travelling to places or outskirts of Japan which is more quiet and without much tourists around the area. The cons for travelling to more outskirts places which is not much known or popular to tourist, shops and restaurants will not be open everyday or might even close very early. Therefore, you might need to book a hotel which comes with breakfast and dinner (full board).
Another cons for travelling during winter season to outskirt places is to endure the longer travel period of time as there is lesser public transports like buses or trains going to the outskirt areas. Therefore, check properly and precisely with the local bus and train counter for the exact time table for the public transportations, in case you missed out the last bus or train to the area. Some public transports even got cancelled because of the heavy snow. Google directions and time is not working and not accurate for some outskirts places. It might be very hassle to travel with kids and elderly to outskirt places during winter season, as well as if you are not familiar with the language, that will be more hectic.
One more thing is that if you are taking public transport to the hotel, make sure when you reach the nearest bus or train station, you can call the hotel receptionist and asked for a pick up at the station. It is because during winter season with heavy snow falls, you might not be able to carry or tow your luggage to the hotel even the hotel is just located around the corner. You might need a pick up or drop off from the hotel.
Driving to outskirt places are more convenient I would say, however, the hassle of paddling the snow away from your rented car might be a trouble, as well as the snowy road was not easy to handle too. Both have their own challenging parts, therefore, choose the most convenient way that suits you the most to travel to outskirt places that you wish to explore.
My experience traveling from Yubara Onsen station to JR Okayama station.
We checked with our hotel receptionist for the early morning local bus schedule from Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅 to Katsuyama bus station 勝山バス駅 so that we did not missed out the time that we wanted to reach Osaka city since there was less frequent bus around the area due to heavy snow. The local bus was late for an hour due to heavy snow road and while we boarded the local bus, the local bus operator asked us if we were to take the highway bus from Katsuyama station 勝山駅 to Okayama station 岡山駅 and we said yes and he told us that all the highway buses to Okayama station 岡山駅 from Katsuyama station 勝山駅 were suspended until the late afternoon, we were so worried but left no choice, we still took the local bus back to Katsuyama station 勝山駅 first and see if there was any other ways to get back to Okayama station 岡山駅 from Katsuyama station 勝山駅.
Once we arrived at the Katsuyama bus station 勝山駅, we were told there were no highway buses until late afternoon, we were dead looking at the clock which was only around 1030am, what are we gonna do now? I questioned the bus station receptionist again and again, if there were any ways to travel back to Okayama station 岡山駅. They were so helpful, trying to ask and call any person-in-charge to get an answer for me. He even went opposite to the train station of JR Chugoku-Katsuyama 中国勝山駅 station to see if there will be any trains arriving and able to transport us back to Okayama station 岡山駅. He told us that currently trains were suspended as well, my heart dropped again, however, he told us to get a quick check at the JR train website if happens there were any trains available for the next hour.
And so I did a quick check up for the latest train schedule at JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅, I was so happy to see that there was a train coming in the next 30mins and I asked if this train able to send us back to Okayama station 岡山駅, the bus operator told me Yes, it can and get a train exchange at JR Niimi station 新見駅 and from there, you guys were able to get back to Okayama station 岡山駅. We were soo happy and excited to hear about it.
Yubara Onsen station 湯原温泉駅 (local bus) > Katsuyama bus station 勝山バス駅 (walk) > JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅 (train station right opposite Katsuyama bus station 勝山バス駅) > JR Niimi station 新見駅 (train) > JR Okayama station 岡山駅
The outside view from the way of JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅 to JR Okayama station 岡山駅 was sooo soo soo beautiful. The view here was speechless, it looks like a little Grindelwald of Switzerland. How beautiful it was! If the highway buses were not suspended, we were not able to enjoy and experienced the view here. There were so much gain from this trip. So grateful.
Entrance: FREE (*Women need to rent a special bath dress for about 500yen).
Access: A total of 2 hours 35mins by highway bus from Okayama bus station 岡山駅 to Katsuyama bus station 勝山駅, then a local bus exchange at Katsuyama bus station 勝山駅 to Yubara Onsen bus station 湯原温泉駅 and then a 5mins walk to Yubara Onsen Sunayu 湯原温泉砂湯.
OR
Train from JR Okayama station 岡山駅 to JR Niimi station 新見駅 then transfer to another train at JR Niimi station 新見駅 to JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅, ride local bus at Katsuyama bus station 勝山駅 (right outside & opposite to JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅) to Yubara Onsen bus station 湯原温泉駅 and walk 5mins to Yubara Onsen Sunayu 湯原温泉砂湯.
Round-trip Highway bus ticket: 2700yen/person.
Local bus ticket: 200yen/way/person.
*Train from JR Okayama station 岡山駅 to JR Chugoku-Katsuyama station 中国勝山駅 (covers by the 5 days Kansai Wide Area Pass).
28 Jan 2023, Winter season, Sunny, -6 degree
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