Michi-no-Eki Yunishigawa

Michi-no-Eki Yunishigawa sits about 300 meters off Route 121, the old Aizu Nishi Kaido, where the road to Yunishigawa Onsen branches away. It stands at roughly 600 meters above sea level and connects straight to Yunishigawa-Onsen Station on the Yagan Railway, so you can arrive by train as easily as by car. The building, the Yu-no-Sato Yunishigawa Tourist Center, has visitor information, a cafe, a dining room and a shop on the ground floor.

Upstairs is Yu-no-Sato, a day-use hot spring with indoor and outdoor baths. The rock sauna was listed as suspended at the time of checking. Outside there is a free footbath, which is the easy option if you only have a few minutes. The dining room is known for its dam curry, with the rice shaped like a dam wall, along with venison croquettes and soba.

The shop sells smoked salamander, which is exactly what it sounds like and sold as a stamina food. Strawberry bread is the gentler souvenir. Published opening hours and closing days disagree between sources, and winter closures have been reported, so call or check the Nikko tourism page before a long drive into the valley.