Hijiori Onsen Yushin-no-yado Kangetsu

Kangetsu is a ryokan on the Dozan River in Hijiori Onsen, an old-fashioned hot-spring town deep in the Yamagata mountains. It has a men's and women's indoor bath and a rooftop open-air bath, split the same way, which is unusual for this town; on clear nights you can see a full sky of stars from up there. The water is salty and known locally for keeping you warm well after you step out. Rooms are plain Japanese-style, many with mountain or river views, and meals center on sansai (山菜), the wild mountain vegetables this area is known for. It's an unpretentious, comfortable inn rather than a polished one.