Literary sites in Manyo Park, a day-use bath, pottery activities and seasonal wagashi experiences give you several ways to enjoy a stay in Miyakami. There is also Fudotaki Waterfall, with a 15-meter drop. When planning your trip, consider whether you’d like to focus on literature, bathing, crafts or the surrounding landscape.

Literature and Religion in Manyo Park

Manyo Park has two monuments with different literary connections. One is engraved with a passage from Kunikida Doppo’s work “Yugawara-yuki.” Another, a stone monument, refers to the only poem in the Manyoshu to celebrate a hot spring. The park is also home to Kumano Shrine, also known as Yugongen. It is revered locally as a shrine of the hot springs.

Day Baths, Books and a Café

Yugawara Soyu Books and Retreat is located in Manyo Park and includes the Soyu Terrace day-bathing facility and Genkan Terrace, which has a café area. Genkan Terrace is free to use. It offers book borrowing, a café serving light meals such as sandwiches, and a coworking area. Genkan Terrace is the place to go for books, the café and coworking; the day-bathing facility is in Soyu Terrace.

Soyu Terrace offers spring-fed baths, including two open-air baths, as well as a lounge. Meals made with seasonal ingredients are also available. Free drinks are included with meal plans. As operating details and meals may change, check the latest information before your visit.

Pottery and Wagashi

do陶芸館 offers one-day pottery experiences and lessons in both traditional and contemporary techniques. This gives you the option of hands-on activities in addition to visiting cultural sites. If you plan to take a class, confirm the latest booking arrangements with the studio before your trip.

At Mirakuan, you can make seasonal wagashi. Experiences are held twice daily by reservation, except on Tuesdays. Tours of the factory and the art confectionery gallery are free. As schedules and access may change, check the current options before your visit. Mirakuan’s Mikan Monaka is a confectionery specialty designated by Kanagawa Prefecture; product availability may vary.

A Reconstructed Jinsha and Fudotaki Waterfall

Mirakuan also displays a reconstructed jinsha, a human-powered railcar. It is considered the model for Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short story “Torokko.” If you would like to see the exhibit, check the latest access arrangements before your trip. Fudotaki Waterfall has a drop of 15 meters.

The Wider Oku-Yugawara Travel Area

Oku-Yugawara is a hot-spring resort along a stream, with traditional inns. Camellias bloom there in spring, and the leaves turn red in autumn. The Amateruyama and Ikemine hiking trails are recommended for walks through the autumn scenery; Momiji-no-sato is also a regional destination for this season. Writers Hideo Kobayashi, Chiyo Uno and Fumiko Hayashi are also associated with Oku-Yugawara.

A bus runs from JR Yugawara toward Oku-Yugawara. The ride takes about 16 minutes to Oku-Yugawara-Iriguchi or the final stop, Oku-Yugawara. As timetables may change, check the current service before departure.

For the wider travel overview: Yugawara.