Izu Yugashima Onsen’s Yumotokan Where the Classic Novel “The Izu Dancer” Was Written!

Izu Yugashima Onsen’s Yumotokan Where the Classic Novel “The Izu Dancer” Was Written!
Sachie
Sachie 
Published
| 2 min read

Yumotokan in Izu Yugashima Onsen is a tranquil inn surrounded by Amagi mountain range. It’s famous as the place where Kawabata Yasunari wrote his acclaimed novel “The Izu Dancer” in 1872. The hot spring here is freely-flowing and you can drink the water. On the second floor you’ll find a little museum room called “Kawabata-san” devoted to the famous writer. Enjoy a splendid trip to the culture and the great hot spring of this attractive inn.

An open-air bath with a freely-flowing hot spring

izu yugashima onsen’s yumotokan where the classic novel “the izu dancer” was written! | an open-air bath with a freely-flowing hot spring

Yumotokan’s biggest pride is the open-air bath located right next to the bank of Kano River. Here you can soak in the water while listening the peaceful murmur of the stream. The pool uses freely-flowing hot spring water! There’s only one changing room so you can use this bath privately. It’s ideal for couples and families. Listen to the sound of the birds and enjoy the tranquil environment of the wild nature. You’ll be so relaxed that you’ll forget about the time!

Visited this place?

A hot spring with water for drinking

izu yugashima onsen’s yumotokan where the classic novel “the izu dancer” was written! | a hot spring with water for drinking

You can drink the water from a tap next to the indoor pool. There are even cups left for people to pour the water into. Drinking is only allowed at hot springs with freely-flowing fresh water which is a proof of good quality. There is no specific taste and the water is easy to drink.

However, you should only drink a little, as this is water with chemical elements for healing and you wouldn’t want to damage your stomach. At Yumotokan you can enjoy the hot springs with all your senses.



Some of the water is distributed to the nearby public bath “Kaijika no Yu” because this hot spring has large quantities of water. Interestingly, when it rains the temperature of the pool rises!

Hot spring data Type: Calcium-sodium sulfate (hypotonic, weak alkaline, high temperature) Temperature: 46.8 degrees Day trip visit: Available (only in the indoor bath)

Visited this place?

Kawabata’s room where he wrote “The Izu Dancer”

izu yugashima onsen’s yumotokan where the classic novel “the izu dancer” was written! | kawabata’s room where he wrote “the izu dancer”

Be sure to visit Kawabata’s room on the second floor. It’s called “Kawabata-san” and is a small room of only 4 tatami mats. Here Kawabata Yasunari wrote many of his acclaimed works such as “The Izu Dancer”. You can see some of his drafts and photos exhibited inside. The room’s ceiling is octagonal and resembles a spider’s web. This is a very rare type of ceiling so be sure to take a look.

Visited this place?

“Yamazakura” room where Kawabata Yasunari stayed

izu yugashima onsen’s yumotokan where the classic novel “the izu dancer” was written! | “yamazakura” room where kawabata yasunari stayed

“Yamazakura” is a room next to the river stream. This is where Kawabata Yasunari slept during his stay in Yumotokan. Another famous author, Wakayama Bokusui, also stayed here and you can see some of his works exhibited at the entrance of the room. The most exciting thing is that “Yamazakura” is open for guests to stay so you can book it and have a unique experience among the historical legacy of Japan’s famous writers.

Visited this place?

The staircase where the Izu Dancer appeared

the staircase where the izu dancer appeared

The front staircase is where the famous scene of the Izu Dancer’s appearance happened according to the book: “And as I saw the dancing girl on the wooden floor of the hallway, I sat down midway on the staircase and watched her intently”. This is the place where Kawabata Yasunari himself sat down and made this moment historical!

Why don’t you sit down on the stairs and take a photo of yourself?

Visited this place?

Japan’s Association of secluded hot springs

Yumotokan’s open-air bath near Kano River is protected by Japan’s Association of secluded hot springs because it’s a prime location to relax while listening to the stream’s murmur.

The fresh hot water will embrace you and beautify your skin. Here you can enjoy the blessings of the hot spring to the fullest!

Yumotokan is a great place to spend a relaxing holiday amidst the historical legacy of the immortal literary work “The Izu Dancer”.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

History


Get Trip101 in your inbox

Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data

 Want to contribute as a Local Expert?
Explore Izu
x
Good things are meant to be shared!
Back to top
Visited any of these places? Click this button to activate our "Add a Tip" feature to share your experience.