Enzan Onsen is a hot spring village located at the southeastern foot of Mount Shionoyama. It is said to have been discovered in 1380 by Bassui Tokusho, founder of Kogaku-ji Temple.
According to a village register called “Kamiozomura Murakagami Meisaicho,” there were sixteen hot spring inns in the area in front of Kogaku-ji Temple in 1724, receiving more than 10,000 visitors in a year. There were also said to be many visitors who came from afar via Daibosatsu-toge Pass to cure themselves of a disease through the power of the hot spring.
Kogaku-ji Temple managed the hot springs as it managed the town in which they were located, but they were placed under private management in 1961 at the same time as the opening of the Chuo Railway Line.
Today, seven hot spring inns operate in Enzan Onsen village. Koyukan and Nakamuraya Ryokan, inns that were founded in 1903, retain traces of their erstwhile appearance.