Genroku Hatagoya Aburaya , a hotel in Yubara Onsen that was the model for a Ghibli movie! It has been in business for over 330 years.

This long-established inn has been in business for over 330 years, and on June 30, 2024, it renovated its restaurant. The chef, who trained for about eight years at a high-end restaurant in Tokyo , is in charge of the cuisine. This time, we'll introduce the charms of Aburaya, an auberge that offers new value as both a restaurant and a place to stay. Okayama is buzzing with Ghibli, with the "Suzuki Toshio and Ghibli Exhibition" ( Okayama Exhibition) being held at the Okayama Prefectural Museum of Art until September 1, 2024. Be sure to visit this inn where you can experience the world of Ghibli.

• Table of contents
• What kind of place is Yubara Onsen?
• The inn was founded over 330 years ago during the Edo period.
• Enjoy authentic Italian and French cuisine
• An open-air bath right next to the hot spring! Fresh water will leave your skin smooth and silky
• Men's bath
• Private family bath
• Day-trip bathing information
• All rooms have hot springs
• Yakushido Hall, dedicated to the god of hot springs
• summary

What kind of place is Yubara Onsen?

It's about an hour's drive from Okayama Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway. This hot spring resort is located in Maniwa City in northern Okayama Prefecture . After passing through the long tunnel just before Yubara Interchange and exiting the interchange, you'll arrive at Yubara Onsen. Surrounded by greenery and thanks to the clear waters of the Asahikawa, it's relatively cool even in summer, making it a popular summer resort. The open-air bath "Sunayu," ranked as the "Yokozuna of the West" in the national open-air bath rankings, is a rare hot spring where you can enjoy the hot spring water directly from the riverbed, and is available for free 24 hours a day. Listening to the sound of the flowing river and taking in the magnificent view of the dam while bathing in the open-air bath is the best. (It is a mixed-gender bath, but bathing suits are available for rental for women.)

When I first visited Yubara Onsen, I didn't know it was a place related to Ghibli, but when I saw this bridge, my Ghibli-loving sensors went off with a "Pikachu!". I was instantly reminded of the scene in "Spirited Away" where Haku and Chihiro meet, and where Haku buys Chihiro some time. Of course, I held my breath when crossing this bridge (so I wouldn't be found out I'm human).

The red lantern in the photo was apparently a gift from Jiufen officials as a token of friendship when tourism officials from Yubara Onsen went on a tour of Taiwan. I was so excited, but it was like the world of "Spirited Away"! Just beyond this red bridge is Genroku Hatagoya Aburaya.

The inn was founded over 330 years ago during the Edo period.

Aburaya opened in 1688 (the first year of the Genroku era) during the Edo period. Founded 336 years ago!? It is one of the oldest inns in Okayama Prefecture. The current CEO, Mr. Takahashi, is the 15th generation owner. Yubara Onsen is located on the highway to Sanin, so it was a place to stop off and provide oil for lamps to travelers.

There is a building for lodging only, "Yumesui-an," and a dining and bathing facility, "Shokuyukan." This is the entrance to "Shokuyukan." This wooden building from the Meiji era is still being used with great care. It is said that before the film "Spirited Away" was released, the owner came here to sketch. Scenes such as the Rotten God passing through the curtain of the bathhouse and the scene where he is given a medicinal bath ticket at the front desk are sure to stimulate your imagination.

Yubara Onsen is close to the hometown of Ofuku, the mother of Ukita Hideie, who built Okayama Castle, and there are stories of her coming to Yubara Onsen for hot spring cures, giving the area a sense of history. A book that has been passed down at Aburaya for over 330 years since the Genroku period contains the bathing rules of the time.

Enjoy authentic Italian and French cuisine

The restaurant, which was renovated on June 30, 2024, serves authentic Italian cuisine for lunch and a full French course for dinner. The chef is a talented chef who trained at Hotel de Mikuni in Yotsuya, Tokyo. The restaurant is located in a Meiji-era building. You can enjoy sophisticated and beautiful cuisine in a Japanese atmosphere. Children are welcome at lunch, so my husband and I were able to enjoy a luxurious time for the first time in a while.

The restaurant uses local ingredients whenever possible, and the salad is dressed with whole grain mustard, olive oil, and white wine vinegar, and is colorfully decorated with edible flowers and radishes.

The lunch menu offers a salad, pasta, dessert, and drink course (2,000 yen/tax included), and a course with a main meat dish (2,800 yen/tax included). You can choose from three types of pasta, and I chose the "Rich Carbonara with Pancetta." The dishes, carefully selected by the chef, make the food look even more beautiful and delicious.

My husband chose the "Octopus and Olives in a Refreshing Tomato Sauce." The pasta dishes for lunch are designed to reflect the season, with ingredients changing depending on what's in season. Drinks include sparkling wine, organic wine, and soft drinks, so there's a selection to enjoy for both day trippers and overnight guests. The full bottles of wine are carefully selected by a sommelier who is an acquaintance of the chef. You're sure to find a wine that suits your mood.

The photo shows the main dish, "Skirt steak with balsamic vinegar sauce." Aburaya is probably the only place in Yubara Onsen where you can enjoy authentic Italian and French cuisine. Until now, it was mainly a place to stay overnight, but after renovations it has become an "auberge" restaurant where you can also stay overnight, so you can enjoy both meals and accommodation. You can also use it for just lunch or just dinner, so why not visit just for the delicious food?

【restaurant】

Business hours: Monday to Wednesday, Friday to Sunday, public holidays, and the day before public holidays 11:30 to 15:00

(Last orders for food 14:00, last orders for drinks 14:30) / 18:00-22:00 (Last orders for food 20:00, last orders for drinks 21:30)

Closed: Thursdays

Children's chairs: available *Dinner is available for junior high school students and above

An open-air bath right next to the hot spring! Fresh water will leave your skin smooth and silky

The sources of Yubara Onsen are mainly the Sunayu open-air bath, the basement of Yumoto Onsenkan, and the basement of Yumesui-an in Aburaya. At Aburaya, you can enjoy exceptionally fresh hot spring water. The photo shows the women's open-air bath, Hanaeminoyu. This is an open-air bath where you can feel the rich nature of Yubara. This photo was taken around 11:30 in early July, and at this time there was shade under the roof, so there was no need to worry about sunburn.

Men's bath

In the men's bath, down the stairs from the changing room you will find the indoor bath "Rourou no Yu" and a cascading bath. Further down the stairs you will find the semi-open-air bath "Isore no Yu". Oku the blinds is the mountain. You will be enveloped in the sound of flowing water and feel very relaxed. Yubara no Yu is a colorless, transparent, tasteless and odorless hypotonic alkaline hot spring (simple alkaline hot spring). With a pH of over 9, it has a slimy texture even without soap.

Private family bath

The private family bath "Yakuo-yu" in the basement of the accommodation-only building, Yumesui-an, is a natural hot spring bath. In the summer, the water is used directly from the source without adding water or heating. The source temperature is 44.8 degrees. The larger bath closer to the source is a little warmer, so it is recommended for those who want to warm up thoroughly. The baby, who is 1 year and 2 months old, was in the bath at the front. Once warmed up, he enjoyed a foot bath by dipping his feet in.

Yakushi Nyorai is enshrined at the place where the hot spring water gushes out from within the bathhouse. We were told that Yakushi Nyorai is the god of hot springs. We expressed our gratitude for today and enjoyed some time with our family.

Day-trip bathing information

[Daytime bathing]

Hours: 11:00-15:00 Adults: 1,100 yen Elementary school students and younger: 550 yen

[Private family bath]

Hours: 13:00-18:00 Overnight stay: 3,300 yen (50 minutes) Day trip: 5,500 yen (50 minutes)

All rooms have hot springs

From the Japanese-style rooms, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of Yubara throughout the seasons. The baths in the rooms are supplied with fresh hot water that springs from underground, so you can enjoy the hot springs whenever you like. It's a luxurious time to be healed by the hot springs and nature of Yubara.

This is the view from the room. The river is so clear you can see the fish swimming. It's also a popular spot for fly fishing, and anyone can enjoy fishing by purchasing a fishing license. One of the charms of Aburaya is that you can choose your stay to suit your purpose, whether that be soothing nature, enjoying fly fishing, relieving the fatigue of daily life in the hot springs, or enjoying delicious food.

Yakushido Hall, dedicated to the god of hot springs

Next to the Aburaya is the Yakushido Hall, which enshrines Yakushi Nyorai. The water basin where you purify your hands and mouth before praying is actually hot spring water. "Medicinal bath" is a word that often appears in "Spirited Away." You can feel the power of the hot springs to wash away the fatigue and impurities of everyday life.

summary

I had the opportunity to cover Aburaya, one of the locations that served as inspiration for Ghibli films, and was able to experience the charm of this inn, which has been in business for over 330 years. I was particularly impressed by the friendly and helpful service of the staff. After my bath, they had the lobby cooled down and were waiting for me, saying, "It's still hot outside, so please come and cool off." I was really touched by their hospitality. Why not spend a wonderful time at Aburaya, a long-loved, long-established inn?

[Genroku Hatagoya Aburaya ]

Address: 27 Yubara Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture Yubara Onsen

TEL: 0867-62-2006

Parking: Available (4 spaces) *Free parking available at Yubara Onsen

Strollers: You can leave them at the entrance

Genroku Hatagoya Aburaya Official Website

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Yubara Onsen "Hand Bath and Foot Bath"

717-0402 Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture

A hot spring spot at the foot of Tsuzumi Bridge in Yubara Onsen town where you can warm your hands and feet together. By bathing all four limbs at the same time, you can get a great warming bath effect.

Shimoyubara Onsen Sunflower Museum

24-1 Shimoyubara, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture 717-0403

This tourist facility has an open-air bath and a hot spring exclusively for pets (dogs and cats). In addition to our specialty soba, we also manufacture and sell handmade soba noodles made from green soybeans, handmade tofu, and sell fresh vegetables and souvenirs. You can also try making soba noodles.

Yubara Onsen Museum

124 Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture 717-0402

Yubara Onsen Sunayu is ranked as the west yokozuna in the open-air bath ranking, and the Noguchi Memorial Materials Room is lined with books and favorite items donated by travel writer Fuyuto Noguchi, who ranked Yubara Onsen Sunayu as the west yokozuna in the open-air bath ranking, as well as displays of materials explaining the history of the hot springs, and hot spring table tennis. This is a facility where you can enjoy many things. There is also a tourist information center.

Yubara Hot Spring

Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture 717-0402

Located downstream of the Yubara Dam, this popular hot spring resort stretches along the Asahi River. The amount of hot water is large and the quality of the hot spring is highly alkaline, making the skin feel smooth. The symbol of the hot spring town is the large natural open-air bath "Sunayu" made of hot spring water that wells up from the bottom of the river. It is open 24 hours a day for free, so you can enjoy the natural hot springs in the great outdoors at any time. It has been praised as one of the "West Yokozuna" in the national open-air bath ranking, and you can enjoy baths with different temperatures, such as Bijin-no-Yu, Kodakara-no-Yu, and Choju-no-Yu. Nearby sightseeing spots include Hiruzen Kogen, a vast plateau that is very popular with families. Dairy products made from jersey cattle that are raised on pastures are also recommended as souvenirs. About 200 wild monkeys may welcome you at Kanba Falls, which was selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls.

Yubara Onsen Sand Bath

717-0402 Yubara Onsen, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture

A popular hot spring located downstream of Yubara Dam and spreading along the Asahi River. There is a large amount of hot water, and the quality of the spring water is highly alkaline, making it smooth on the skin. The symbol of the hot spring town is Sunayu, a large natural open-air bath made from hot springs gushing out from the river bed. Thanks to the cooperation of local people, it is open 24 hours a day for free, so you can enjoy the natural hot springs in the middle of nature anytime. It has been rated as the ``Yokozuna of the West'' in the national open-air bath ranking, and you can enjoy baths with different temperatures: Bijin-no-yu, Kotara-no-yu, and Choshu-no-yu. ・As it is a mixed bathing area, women are recommended to wear bathing clothes (rental). There is a simple changing room