Between Cotton Candy Clouds and Snakes of Light: Our Odyssey to Hottarakashi Onsen
We are from Costa Rica, and back in our homeland, hot springs were a daily gift. Every so often, we would go to relax our tired muscles and immerse ourselves in nature; for us, that connection is a sacred bond. In fact, we chose Yamanashi as our home and place of study for that very reason: its abundance of onsens and its lush nature, which somehow makes us feel like we never truly left home.
Of course, it wasn’t all roses. During this transition, we discovered that despite having so many hot springs at our disposal, the tattoo taboo played a card against us. It was sad and frustrating, but we didn’t give up until we found a place that—on paper and in fellow travelers’ reviews—was said to be tattoo-friendly.
So, one weekend, after finishing three intense months of Japanese classes, with tired minds and bodies begging for a truce, we set off toward the viewpoint and the waters of Hottarakashi Onsen, in the city of the peach blossoms.
Rolling to Devour Kilometers
My wife and I are passionate about street skating. We’ve done it in Spain, Alaska, Germany, and Switzerland; it’s our way of devouring kilometers, moving faster, and exploring the corners that maps don’t always show. With our skates ready, our adventure sprang to life at the Yamanashi train station.
Under the curious gazes of taxi drivers, locals, and tourists, we put on our gear: knee pads, helmets, and tailbone protectors (precaution is the adventurer’s best ally). Many smiled with a slight nod, as if approving of the idea. Seeing their reaction, I couldn’t help but think of this city’s potential for skating festivals like the ones we experienced in Murcia during the Acho Tour. Yamanashi is a gem waiting to be explored on wheels.
The Whisper of Identity in the Streets
As we began to roll, the city gave us a welcome full of detail. It wasn’t just the sidewalk tiles engraved with birds, grapes, and peaches; even the streetlights joined the chorus. Themed street lamps shaped like peaches, strawberries, cherries, and grapes watched over us from above. It’s a tiny detail that many overlook, but for us, it was a constant whisper of identity—a voice telling you exactly who this city is: a place proud of its roots and its aromas.
We continued our journey “down-city,” where gravity simply, effortlessly, carried us. We followed the map and the inertia, but we already felt something inside—a voice telling us: “Enjoy these moments, because against all odds we are going down, and later we’ll have to do nothing but climb.” We knew gravity was charging us an advance on a bill that, on skates, would be very hard to pay.
The Spell of Manriki Park
Suddenly, a picturesque park appeared before us that we hadn’t seen while plotting our route. An imposing statue called to us like a siren’s song and, captivated, we decided to detour. A pond full of enormous Koi fish surrounded this altar, and a beautiful bridge welcomed us to a space that felt vital to the city.
We lost ourselves in its landscapes for nearly an hour, spinning around like children on Christmas morning with a new toy. We skated back and forth, admiring the fountains and the trees. It was only after that time of play and exploration that we realized where we were: we had entered the Manriki Park Zoo, an ideal place to stroll and watch the cherry blossom petals fall.
The Scent of Nostalgia and Movie-Like Deer
As I followed a path of tulips toward a central plaza, a familiar scent stopped me in my tracks. I shouted in Spanish to my wife: “¡Amor! Aquí huele a vaca” (Honey! It smells like cows).
I hadn’t smelled that scent in months, not here in Japan. It was the smell of my farm, of the village, of the fields and the lowlands in Costa Rica. By reflex, my eyes searched for a spotted animal grazing on grass, but I found something different: deer with towering antlers, straight out of a movie. We stopped for about twenty minutes just to admire them, feeling a sense of gratitude flood our hearts. Sometimes, getting lost for a moment to notice the small details is what makes the trip truly worthwhile.
Where Gravity Laughs at Us
We resumed our path toward the mountain and, sure enough, when we reached the lowest point, the map pointed upward. We tried, but every time we attempted to skate uphill, gravity laughed at us and pulled us backward. Our back muscles pleaded for mercy and our legs began to scream for a taxi, but the visual spectacle kept us going: the city was a pink cotton candy. Yamanashi-shi was in full effervescence with peach blossoms; every meter gained unlocked a new pink cloud on the horizon.
There came a point where the ascent became impossible. We stopped by a rock, swapped our skates for shoes, and continued on foot. We crossed crops, spotted new birds, and walked through a tunnel covered in graffiti (a reminder that even in Japan, urban art has its place). Looking back, the view was alive: the buildings were transforming into structures hidden among clouds of pink.
Upon reaching the Fruit Museum, I found my favorite spot: a clearing in the canopy of white cherry trees from which you could see the entire city in pink. A secret viewpoint where the two flowers most beloved by foreigners converged, teaching us that development doesn’t have to eliminate nature—it can integrate, love, and respect it.
The Law of Attraction and “Suicide” on Skates
Each step brought us closer to the hot springs, and we joked to trick our exhaustion: —“Can you imagine if we finally get there and it’s closed?” —“Or if it starts raining and they close due to bad weather?” And since the Law of Attraction is powerful, a few drops began to fall. We went silent immediately, laughing in complicity.
We passed a GoKart track that we never would have imagined finding up there. We stopped to rest, and the locals treated us wonderfully despite our primitive Japanese. Seeing the skates on our backs, the inevitable question came: “Do you skate here?”
We laughed: “No! Skating up here would be suicide; we skate where it’s flat and controlled.” The laughter was immediate, and we shared a pleasant exchange about where we were from and what we were doing there. Definitely a place to return to for a quiet coffee.
The Exile of Prejudices and the Pac-Man of Lights
After a three-hour journey, a giant wooden turtle and the aroma of freshly cooked food welcomed us to Hottarakashi. After eating, the moment for the bath finally arrived. I said goodbye to Tefa and set off on my solo adventure.
Entering, undressing, and moving to the washing area with those charming little stools is a fun personal hygiene experience. There, among strangers who were perhaps talking about baseball or lost in thought, nudity was simply something normal and honest.
But the most powerful thing happened when I stepped outside. I immersed myself in the pool at the top of the mountain while the sun tucked itself in to sleep, stepping aside to let the moon be the great protagonist of the night. It was in that instant, under the cool breeze, that I felt true peace. That old, worn-out bandage of antiquated traditions, which said nudity was something to be ashamed of, was finally put on trial in my mind and condemned to exile.
What a marvel that liberation is. I simply surrendered to the water, watching the moon watch me from space; for the first time, we looked at each other with nothing else between us. As it grew dark, the city turned from pink to yellow. From above, the trains played Pac-Man, looking like little snakes of light appearing and disappearing between the buildings and mountains. The red traffic lights in the distance confirmed that there was no better place to be than away from that congestion, surrounded by the sounds of the night.
The Return to the Encounter
After several hours in the water, our stomachs made the decision for us. I stepped out to meet Tefa again at that table on the edge of the viewpoint. We ate and enjoyed the view as a couple, without rushing. We laughed as we shared our solo “micro-adventures,” comparing what each of us had felt and seen on our respective sides of the onsen. That dinner, with the city shining like a hidden treasure at our feet, was the perfect closing for a trip that wasn’t planned, but was absolutely necessary.
If this story has resonated with you, I invite you to live it. It’s not just the destination; it’s getting lost in the landscape, feeling the scent of the countryside, and daring to climb the mountain even when gravity laughs at you. Being surrounded by nature after a hike like that makes the journey a thousand times more enjoyable.
Practical Info
- Entrance fee: 900 yen per adult
- Tattoos: Allowed, no need to cover them
- Payment: Cash only (credit cards are not accepted)
- Access:
No public transportation from Yamanashi Station- Walking required or
- Taxi (~3000 yen)
- Onsen areas:
- Mountain side (views of Mount Fuji)
- City side (views over Yamanashi)
- Facilities:
- Paid lockers (available in common areas and changing rooms)
- Towels available for purchase
- Food:
- Several restaurants with a variety of interesting and tasty dishes
- Food service until 9:00 PM
- Hours:
- Onsen open until 10:00 PM
- Baths:
- No mixed baths (separated by gender)
- Our Komoot detailed adventure path:
