Hijiori Hot Spring

The day after the Shikamura Rice Terrace Firefly Concert, we started our day exploring Hijiori Onsen early in the morning. First, we checked out its famous morning market! Hijiori Onsen celebrated its 1,200th anniversary in 2007. It's unclear when the morning market started, but it's now a local favorite. We parked our car in the public parking lot and walked to the hot spring town. There were many shops lined up. Local specialties and vegetables were sold at bargain prices, and although the market was mainly for tourists, we could see many people buying them as souvenirs. I also bought some souvenirs (^^♪ I also snapped a picture of the picture lantern! Next time, I'd like to stay in the hot spring town and take a picture of the lights on. There were information signs hanging around the hot spring town. There were also posters for the Firefly Concert I saw yesterday and the picture lanterns. Near the center of the hot spring town is the public bathhouse "Kaminoyu." Unfortunately, it didn't open until 8:00, so I couldn't take a bath. And then there was the old Hijiori Post Office, with its Showa-era vibe. It really matches the hot spring town. The source of Hijiori Onsen is located at the very top of the river. It's currently off-limits, so I snapped a picture with my telephoto lens. Behind it is the Hijiori Dam. The white, cascading water is beautiful. It's easy to see why it's designated a registered cultural property. Now that I've thoroughly enjoyed my stroll, it's time to head back to the inn and have breakfast!

A retro hot spring resort!! Time flows slowly, so you can soothe your daily fatigue. The roads around the hot spring inn are narrow, so it may be a bit difficult to navigate if there are cars passing by. The corner bar in the hot spring town is highly recommended, as it serves local sake from Okura and rare local sake from Yamagata Prefecture!! I visited during the autumn foliage season, and enjoyed the truly beautiful scenery. The morning market, a specialty of Hijiori Onsen, was amazing. The dialect of the cute ladies was also soothing!! Fresh vegetables, homemade steamed rice, and pickles were incredibly cheap and incredibly delicious 😋 I highly recommend Hijiori Onsen (𓂂꜆◕⩊◕꜀𓂂)

I took the shortest route to Fukushima from Date City, stopping off at a hot spring bath, taking the Tohoku Expressway, Yamagata Expressway, and regular roads, a 2.5-hour one-way trip. Even though I didn't drive, I was exhausted. 😮💨 My stay in Hijiori was only about 2.5 hours, so I stopped off at two hot spring baths, ate at a soba restaurant, and shopped at a souvenir shop, so I didn't have time to leisurely stroll around the hot spring town. However, I thought it was a charming hot spring resort nestled in the mountains. Next time, I'd like to stay overnight and enjoy the sights. It was just too far from Fukushima for a day trip. (^_^;)

When I visited Hijiori Onsen in winter, they happened to be holding an event called "Fantasy Snow Corridor." It had a very handmade feel to it, but was very beautiful. Hijiori Onsen is truly a great place. Also, the day after my stay, I tried my best to go for a run in the falling snow lol. The hot spring town is cleared of snow and waterproofed to melt it, so it's difficult to run. So I think it's better to run on the road across the bridge. I guess I'm probably the only person running in Hijiori Onsen in winter.

In the middle of winter, Hijiori Onsen is covered in a spectacular amount of snow ⛄️, and the scenery is just like the heavy snowfall areas you see on TV ✨ Even as someone who normally lives in a snowy region, I was impressed ♨️ (I imagine it must be hard for those who live there to shovel the snow), so if you want to experience something out of the ordinary, this is the place to go 🙌