松之山温泉 白川屋

I went to the Niigata Prefecture Ski Federation's Prefectural General Sports Tournament, a city-town ski competition. ■The venue was the same as last year: Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Resort, Niigata Prefecture ■Date of visit: The event was held March 8-9, 2025. ★The participating cities' representative athletes all showed their true talent, and just like last year, they came in second place, just a hair behind the winning team. ******************************** ■Once again, I stayed at Matsunoyama Onsen Shirakawaya Ryokan, one of Japan's three most famous medicinal hot springs. Amazing hot springs. I feel so much better now♪ ★And both breakfast and dinner here are always delicious. ■Dinner and impressions ★When it comes to rice, Niigata Prefecture is the place to be. This rice, combined with just the Nozawana greens, is so delicious I could eat bowl after bowl. ◯ Grilled Salmon As with breakfast, I could eat several bowls of this salmon alone. The fatty fillets have a deep flavor. The perfect match with the granular rice. Exquisite♪ ◯ Grilled Turban Shell Soft and flavorful with dashi. ◯ Yellowtail and Daikon Radish The sweetness of the daikon radish itself is exquisite in the broth-flavored yellowtail. It's so tender it can be easily cut with chopsticks, and it's delicious. ◯ Chicken and Meatball Hot Pot The daikon radish, carrots, and green onions were simmered until tender, and the dipping sauce was a perfect match. ◯ Chawanmushi The Japanese dashi broth, unique to this long-established inn, makes this dish incredibly delicious. It was served piping hot. Once again, we were treated to healthy dishes. ◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇ ■Location This restaurant has been open for many years on Matsunoyama Onsen's main street. ■Atmosphere ★Both the indoor and outdoor baths at this hot spring are amazing. After spending a long time soaking here last year and feeling so much better, I returned nearly 10 times this time. I could feel my body being relaxed from the inside out (lol). ・Once again, I was able to experience the beauty of Japanese culture and had a very pleasant stay. ・An elegantly aged, historic building. The interior is also full of charm, as shown in the photos. ★The famous hot spring, one of Japan's three most medicinal springs, and the hearty specialty cuisine are amazing!♪ ■Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Resort Located less than five minutes from the inn. The tournament was held with representatives from each city selected from qualifying rounds, including those with experience in the National Athletic Meet, Intercollegiate Championships, Inter-High School Championships, and All-Japan Junior High School Championships. It was an extremely high-level competition. ☆彡 Matsunoyama Onsen Ski Resort is famous for its steep slopes. This prestigious course has been the site of Niigata Prefecture's National Athletic Meet preliminaries and official All-Japan races.♪ ★ After leaving the Kanetsu Yuzawa Interchange, there was 4 meters of snow on National Route Juni Pass. The road was closed due to an avalanche, but it reopened just before we were due to pass through. By contacting the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the local government's tourism department, the Niigata Police Department, and others, we somehow managed to make it to the tournament in time. ◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

The water at Matsunoyama Onsen is very salty due to its high salt concentration. The hot spring water is actually fossilized seawater, trapped underground over 10 million years ago. Since early humans appeared on Earth 5 million years ago, it's believed that seawater absorbed deep into the earth in that distant past was uplifted by tectonic shifts and now springs forth as a hot spring. Its therapeutic properties have been known for centuries, and it's considered one of Japan's three great medicinal hot springs, alongside Arima and Kusatsu. This small, intimate inn, with only 13 rooms in a traditional Japanese folk art style, allows you to fully enjoy the medicinal bath without worrying about time constraints. The "Breast Bath" features a large breast-shaped structure from which abundant water gushes, but it seems to be more of a novelty than a historical legend or special therapeutic effect. The building is old, but the rooms were spacious, clean, and very comfortable. The meals were well-balanced, focusing on local ingredients. I've tried all three major medicinal hot springs, but this one felt the most effective.

This is an inn I visited while traveling. It's located deep in the mountains, but it's easily accessible by car. They also provide transportation from the nearest station if you contact them the day before. It's nice in the summer, but in the winter, it's better to use public transportation. It's a fun hot spring town with a Showa-era feel, complete with a modern bar. Since the renovation, the entire area is covered in tatami mats, so you can move around the facility barefoot in socks. The hot spring is unusually salty. Because it's a free-flowing spring, you may need to touch it first to check the temperature and add water or stir it. It's a great winter retreat. There are two types of hot springs: one that requires reservations, one that's timed and separated by gender. There are also large public baths, all of which feature cypress tubs. The meals vary depending on the course, but there's a satisfying selection of mountain delicacies, and you can order extras. The ordering system is a tablet, so if you have trouble using it, you can call a staff member.

The room was spacious, so even though the futon had already been laid out, I was able to relax and enjoy tea at a low table. If I had requested a yukata, they would have prepared one in a larger size, but unfortunately it was a little too narrow. I think it's probably too narrow for a chubby Westerner. Not only was the bath water excellent, but the changing room was stylish and comfortable. However, when the women's bath was switched to face the street, the seat next to the cold water in the rest area just outside the bath was right in front of the entrance to the women's bath. Even though all the other seats were empty, a perverted old man had snatched that seat. Other than that, it was a very nice inn. Since the only room available was one with breakfast, I went to a restaurant I'd heard about at the inn for dinner, but because it was a long weekend, it sold out and closed early, leaving only two ramen shops open. If you want rice or soba, I highly recommend eating in the Tokamachi area beforehand.

This was my first time visiting Matsunoyama Onsen. Famous as one of Japan's three great medicinal hot springs, this inn is apparently known for its indoor breast bath, but even more so, the friendly guidance provided by the innkeeper and all the staff made for a very pleasant stay. During my stay, when I mentioned I'd be leaving early in the morning to see the rice terraces, they allowed me to park my car next to the entrance, which I was very happy about! The rice and other side dishes for breakfast were also delicious. I would definitely stay here again if I have the opportunity.