How to maximise your Japanese railway pass with the ultimate onsen stopover in Aichi

© GEIHANRO

With international travel now firmly back on the horizon now is the perfect time to plan your ultimate Japanese holiday. And after the last 18 months, some much-needed R&R at a traditional Japanese onsen might be just what you’re looking for.

Repeat travellers to Japan will know the benefits of using the ‘all you can ride’ railway passes that are available to international travellers to the country. For those who are already set on buying and making use of a pass, here are 3 different onsen stopovers in Aichi – all between Tokyo and Kansai (Kyoto and Osaka) when travelling by rail with transfers at Nagoya Station.

Soak in the history at Akariya Geihanro in Inuyama
Inuyama is a small city sitting on Aichi’s northern border. It is famed for its history of Samurai battles and iconic landmark, Inuyama Castle, now recognised as one of Japan’s 5 National Treasures. If you find yourself in Japan in April, a visit to Inuyama is a must as spring arrives when the castle becomes the centrepiece to a spectacular scene of 400 cherry blossom trees blossoming on the riverbank below. The lead up to the castle is Inuyama Castle Town, a lively shopping street with historic wooden townhouses lining the streets, now repurposed to house cafes, street food stalls and stores selling Aichi crafts and souvenirs.

Sitting at a prime riverside location at the foot of the hilltop castle is the exclusive ryokan Akariya Geihanro. Established in 1918, Akariya Geihanro was a loved getaway by literary artists, and today it is listed in the Michelin Guide as a facility offering top-class comfort and one of the most delightful places to stay in the whole of Aichi. In 2017 the inn went under renovations, upgrading all 10 rooms with elements of modern Japanese design and now including private semi-open-air baths and outdoor observation decks to enjoy the view of the Kiso River and Inuyama Castle from the privacy of your room.

Get there: Akariya Geihanro is only a 25-minute train ride north from Nagoya Station on the Meitetsu Inuyama Line, getting off at Inuyama Station.

Seaside delights galore at Hananomaru in Minamichita Hot Spring Village

© Hananomaru

Aichi is blessed with an array of inland and coastal delights, including the Chita Peninsula which is dotted with natural hot springs. Minamichita Hot Springs Village on the southern tip of the Peninsula is loved by locals as a leisure resort and is worth a stop-over to be pampered and enjoy some of Aichi’s fresh seafood.

Sitting right on the oceanfront overlooking neighbouring Ise Bay, Hananomaru is a 7-story hotel that is listed in Japan’s onsen ranking website, Selected Onsen Ryokan. Equipped with 48 rooms, including 9 that come with private open-air baths, this onsen offers travellers full-scale comfort. Being near a fishing port, guests will be able to enjoy kaiseki banquets making use of the freshest ocean delights at dinnertime. If you can’t get a room with a private onsen, don’t fret. There is a giant gender-segregated bath on the 7th floor with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bay and even a rock sauna available for all guests. You can also book one of the outdoor private baths which can be rented per hour.

Get there: Make your way to Aichi’s seaside paradise in approx. 55 minutes from Nagoya Station by using the Meitetsu Line, getting off at Kowa Station.

Revel in the lush greenery Oku-Mikawa at Yuya Onsen’s Hazu Gassho

© HAZU GROUP

Oku-Mikawa remains one of Aichi’s best-kept secrets. Located on only a one-hour train ride from Toyohashi Station on Aichi’s eastern border it is a district of lush green hills divided by valleys and pristine rivers. It stays true to its history as it is still inhabited by traditional farming communities – offering the tired traveller an increasingly rare experience to slow down, relax and take in the history of the area. Oku-Mikawa is home to the historical Yuya Onsen which has been known for its natural onsen for hundreds of years.

One of the most memorable places to stay here is Hazu Gassho, an exclusive Ryokan that only accommodates a maximum of five groups a day, also listed in the Michelin Guide as one of the prefecture’s places to stay in top-class comfort. The building is dated back 150 years ago and was originally the home of the village headman. The thatched roof residence was dismantled and rebuilt using every detail even down to its ceiling beams and pillars in the depths of Yuya Onsen alongside the Itajiki River. At Hazu Gassho there is a selection of traditional Japanese tatami rooms with private open-air baths that overlook the river below, as well as rooms nestled into the lofty sloping roof of the historic building.

Get there: The best way to access Yuya Onsen is from Toyohashi Station which is one of the stops on the Shinkansen that pass through Aichi. From here, Yuya Onsen can be reached with ease in approx. one hour by train when visiting from Toyohashi City using the JR Iida line.

Known to locals as the ‘heart’ of Japan, Aichi Prefecture boasts a colourful past as a crucial point for traffic between east and west Japan. It is highly diverse and is a melting pot where were rustic Japanese charm meets innovation and technology.

How to get to Aichi
By bullet train: One hour and 40 minutes from Tokyo, 50 minutes from Osaka and just 35 minutes from Kyoto to get to Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture’s capital and Japan’s fourth largest city.
By air: Aichi Prefecture’s international airport, Chubu Centrair International Airport offers ease of access from other airports in Japan, as well as for those flying from Australia via Southeast Asia.

The Holiday and Travel Magazine

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