Tendo Onsen Shogi Pieces

Tendo Onsen is inextricably linked to shogi — the Japanese chess for which this Yamagata city produces over 95% of Japan's handcrafted wooden pieces — and the therapeutic sulfurous hot spring water fills ryokan baths in a town that celebrates its craft identity through famous live human shogi matches played in the streets each spring. The sulfurous mineral water, valued for skin conditions and general recuperation, has sustained an onsen tradition here for centuries alongside the exacting wood-carving artisan culture that defines Tendo's economy and character. This unique convergence of therapeutic volcanic water and world-class traditional board game craftsmanship makes Tendo one of Japan's most culturally specific and unexpectedly charming onsen destinations.