# Tendo Onsen

> A relaxing hot spring town known as the production center of over 90% of Japan's shogi pieces. The annual Human Shogi festival features costumed players on a giant outdoor board. Excellent base for visiting Yamadera.

- Prefecture: Yamagata
- Type: Onsen
- Address: Tendo, Yamagata, Japan
- Admission: Free

Soak in natural hot springs at the heart of Japan's shogi culture, where over 90 percent of the nation's traditional chess pieces are crafted by skilled artisans. Tendo's thermal waters provide relaxation after exploring workshops where craftsmen carve intricate characters into boxwood using techniques passed down for generations. The annual Human Shogi festival transforms the mountainside into a giant game board with costumed players as living pieces, creating one of Yamagata's most unique cultural spectacles.

## FAQ

### How do I get to Tendo Onsen from Tokyo?

Take the JR Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo to Tendo Station, which takes about 3 hours. The onsen district is a 10 to 15 minute walk from the station, and the station building has a shogi museum inside.

### What is Tendo Onsen known for?

Tendo produces around 90% of Japan's shogi (Japanese chess) pieces, so the town has shogi monuments throughout and piece-carving workshops you can join. Each April it holds the Ningen Shogi, a human chess match with people in samurai armor as the pieces, played under cherry blossoms on Mt. Maizuru.

### Are there fees for the baths and footbaths?

The footbaths around the onsen district are free to use. Many ryokan open their baths for day visitors at roughly 300 to 1,100 yen, so you can soak without staying overnight.

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Source: Tendo Onsen — Japan Voyage