Kumano Shrine enshrines a god of hot water, and hot water runs down the purification trough. There are 'Yukake-matsuri' on the fourth Saturday of May, and regularly held festival takes place at the same weekends. At the Manyo Park located at the center of spa town, there are so many Manyo plants (plants cited in the Manyoshu). There are also Manyo-tei modelled after ancient architecture of Manyo era, a monument engraved with a waka which is the only waka about hot water, and a monument of Doppo Kunikida, whose novels are focused on Yugawara.

This is a hot-spring facility without accommodations. You can enjoy hot spring from Yugawara. An open-air bath surrounded by invigorating scent of the woods would warm your heart and body.

Yugawara Onsen is famous for being taken up in the Man'yoshu, Japanese classic book. Hot spring Ryokan, "The Ryokan Tokyo" was visited by many Meiji and Taisho cultural figures. This ryokan is a 'Cool' hot spring onsen remixed with the contemporary culture and the old Onsen culture from Nara era. Tatoos are allowed here.

A festival unique to this hot spring area where hot spring water is thrown over four mikoshi (portable shrines) as they are paraded through the hot spring town. One of the four mikoshi has open recruitment for those who want to experience being a mikoshi-bearer, so check it out.

It is said that during the reign of Emperor Tenji, when this area was developed by Futami Kaganosuke Shigeyuki, five deities—including Amaterasu Omikami—were enshrined here as the guardian shrine (sochinju) of the Doi region. Since then, the shrine has been deeply revered by the local community and continues to prosper as their tutelary deity.