Unohana Onsen Hagien

Hagi-en draws its spring from deep beneath the grounds on the edge of Nagai. The water flows into a large indoor bath and open-air bath, while a rock-bathing area adds a slower alternative to repeated soaking. The setting is practical and spacious rather than secluded, with an adjacent day-use bath that also serves the local community.

Dinner is served in a private room and focuses on ingredients from Yamagata’s Okitama region. Depending on the plan, the centrepiece may be local beef prepared as sukiyaki, shabu-shabu or steak, accompanied by mountain vegetables and inherited dishes such as simmered dried cod or sweet-cooked carp.

Hagi-en works for travellers curious about regional food traditions beyond the best-known Yamagata dishes. Its mix of ryokan rooms and a contemporary apartment-style annex also gives groups more flexibility than a uniformly traditional inn.