Thursday, May 7, 2020

Chubu 2016 中部の旅 - Echigo Yuzawa Station 越後湯沢駅, Yuzawa Onsen 湯沢温泉



Echigo Yuzawa Station 越後湯沢駅 is a train station on the Joetsu line 上越線 and Joetsu Shinkansen line 上越新幹線. Echigo Yuzawa is a train station away from Gala Yuzawa ガーラ湯沢, a snow resort which has it own Shinkansen station (only operational during winter season) and popular place to enjoy winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. Right at the doorstep of the train station is Yuzawa Onsen 湯沢温泉, a well known hot spring spot in Niigata Prefecture, which is frequent by many tourists and skiers especially during the peak winter season. We came here during autumn - stayed in one of the ryokan in Yuzawa Onsen for a night and visited Yuzawa Kogen 湯沢高原 on the following day.

First time seeing lockers dedicated for ski!


Trains serving this train station include:
(1) Shinkansen Toki / Max Toki とき via Joetsu Shinkansen line 上越新幹線:
- travels northwards to Urasa 浦佐駅, Nagaoka 長岡駅, Tsubame Sanjo 燕三条駅 and Niigata 新潟駅.
- travels southwards to Takasaki 高崎駅 and Tokyo 東京駅.
(2) Genbi Shinkansen 現美新幹線, a special themed Shinkansen which commutes between Echigo Yuzawa 越後湯沢駅 and Niigata 新潟駅 via Joetsu Shinkansen line 上越新幹線.
(3) Local trains via Joetsu line 上越線:
- travels northwards to Miyauchi 宮内駅.
- travels southwards to Takasaki 高崎駅.
(4) Local trains operated by Hokuetsu Express 北越急行 via Joetsu line 上越線, Hokuhoku line ほくほく線 and Shin Etsu main line 信越本線.

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What’s nearby?

(1) Echigo Yuzawa Onsen Tourist Association 越後湯沢温泉観光協会, turn right after exiting the train station from West Exit.



(2) CoCoLo Yuzawa Gangidoori / CoCoLo 湯沢.がんぎどおり, within the train station building.
http://www.cocolo-station.jp/pc?sc_name=yuzawa

- Ponshukan ぽんしゅ館 - Sake tasting
Operating hours: 0900 - 1900 hrs (last order at 1830 hrs)
- Sake spa Yunosawa  酒風呂湯の沢
Operating hours: 1030 - 1830 hrs (last entry at 1800 hrs)
Fee = 800 yen (Adult); 400 yen (Child)
https://www.ponshukan.com/

CoCoLo Yuzawa Gangidoori is a plaza comprised of shops and restaurants. Here, one can make last minute purchase of souvenirs before catching the train and/or try out local cuisine such as Hegi Soba へぎそば (a type of soba made by adding funori 布海苔, a type of seaweed, into buckwheat flour) and Tare Katsu don タレかつ丼 (instead of coating the fried pork cutlet with egg, Niigata's version is to dip the fried pork cutlet in a soy based sauce) without having to venture too far away from the train station. Fans of sake will be in for a treat at Ponshukan  ぽんしゅ館, part of CoCoLo Yuzawa Gangidoori. In Ponshukan, there is a sake tasting corner where one can try up to five different types of sake from an extensive collection of sake, sourced from all the breweries in Niigata Prefecture, for just 500 yen. In addition to that, Ponshukan also operates a communal hot spring bathhouse (Sake spa Yunosawa 酒風呂湯の沢) here. What makes the hot spring here different from other is sake with 15% alcohol content (which is used in sake bath) is added into the hot spring water pool and its therapeutic effects include making the skin more smooth and improving blood circulation. 







(3) Echigo Yuzawa Onsen Street 越後湯沢温泉通り, exit the train station from West Exit.
Many shops, restaurants, inns and hotels are situated along the 1.5 km long hot spring street. Keep a lookout for Kannakkuri かんなっくり, a complimentary footbath facility located just beside Yuzawa Museum of History and Folklore Yukiguni-kan 雪国館, to enjoy a quick foot spa.











(4) Yuzawa Kogen Ropeway 湯沢高原ロープウェイ, 8 minutes walk from train station West Exit. 
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Commemorative stamp:

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