Kinosaki Onsen’s first hot spring was discovered over 1300 years ago. Today, there are now 7 hot spring bathhouses located within the town. Each bathhouse has its own unique style, from a cave to bathing alongside a waterfall.
Kinosaki Onsen is built around the idea that the entire town is one large ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. All 7 hot spring bathhouses, or onsen in Japanese, are placed within walking distance of each other; it only takes 20 minutes to walk from the train station, or “ryokan's entrance”, to the other end of town. Guests enjoy donning their yukata and strolling through town, down the streets with willow-lined canals. When guests stay in a ryokan, they're provided with a rental yukata and a pass to go "onsen-hopping" in all 7 public bathhouses.
There are several other hot spring towns in Japan, but very few have so many public bathhouses of varying style in such close proximity. All 7 of the onsen bathhouses can be walked to from one another, with some staying open until as late as 11 pm.
Guests can also experience so many different aspects of traditional Japanese culture--from yukata-wearing and onsen-hopping to Zazen meditation and calligraphy. Additionally, Kinosaki Onsen has special activities that are only available in Kinosaki Onsen. One of these is our straw craft workshop, an activity involving an art that is unique to Kinosaki Onsen. Due to this, we believe that Kinosaki Onsen can be best enjoyed in a few days' stay.
While staying in a ryokan, guests can experience the onsen culture and savor delicious food. We encourage travelers to stay an extra night or two and join in various activities in order to alleviate the body and soothe the soul, all while experiencing traditional Japanese culture.
Check out Kinosaki's surrounding towns, which have diverse landscapes and landmarks. These nearby towns are Izushi, the historic castle town; Takeno, the beach village; Kannabe, the adventurous highlands; Tanto, the quiet countryside; and downtown Toyooka. These areas can be easily visited as a day trip, giving you plenty of time to get back to Kinosaki Onsen in time for your ryokan’s kaiseki dinner.
All of the towns near Kinosaki can be accessed within 30 minutes of each other, meaning that you can tour mountains, the countryside, and the coast all in one day.
Experience local countryside life and nature in a town where people and Oriental White Storks live together in harmony. Guests can see breathtaking landscapes and try dishes made from natural ingredients grown right here.
Visitors can touch the lives of the locals and the Oriental White Storks through various experiences.
One such way is to go on a cycling tour through the Kannabe Highlands, where participants stop at various local shops and farms along the way to collect and harvest organic vegetables to use for lunch. Another activity involves going on a more leisurely pace through the seaside village of Takeno, while also learning how locals make sea salt. Guests can also learn about the Oriental White Stork's story of extinction and revival on a guided tour through a park and wetlands.
We would like to help you with creating tours to sell to your clients. We can get you in touch with local hotels, restaurants, and activity providers to help you provide quality tours for your customers.
