2016年5月16日

Serenity at Kinosaki Onsen

A charmingly old-fashioned onsen town

來自 Tinka Weener

社團作家

Willow trees and stone bridges are a typical view in Kinosaki Onsen.

Snow crab is a very popular local delicacy.

Everything looks straight out of a movie scene.

Tourists and locals are encouraged to wear a yukata and geta to move comfortably from one place to another.

You can find many interesting souvenir shops and restaurants.

Yanagi-yu is a cozy bath house that is said to ensure the fertility of women.

The garden of one of the many traditional Ryokan.

The locals take great pride in ensuring their town looks perfect.

Many of the traditional Ryokan have stunning private gardens.

You can find cute restaurants and coffee places everywhere.

If you wander into the mountains you might find some hidden gems such as this.

You can reach Kinosaki via an express train from Osaka or Kyoto.

You can find beautiful ponds everywhere.

Mandara-Yu bath house is said to bring luck for business and agriculture.

There are many fish markets with restaurants upstairs.

Many people walk on geta (wooden sandals) in Kinosaki.

The white stork is the symbol of the region and can be found everywhere.

Kinosaki has many hidden surprises, such as these stairs leading towards a shrine.

A couple wearing traditional yukata (cotton kimono) in the main street.

Just a short train trip away from Kyoto or Osaka, one can find Kinosaki Onsen. It's a peaceful, serene town surrounded by mountains and the sea.

Kinosaki Onsen is famous for amazing seafood, natural hot springs, and classic Japanese architecture. The town was founded over 1,300 years ago and still has a small village vibe where strangers greet each other on the streets.

Every ryokan in this town provides their guests with a yukata (a cotton kimono), geta (wooden sandals), and a pass that provides access to all seven of the hot spring bath houses.

The popular guidebook, Lonely Planet, named Kinosaki Onsen the best onsen town in Japan and I agree with this completely.

Kinosaki Onsen Station is a 2.5-hour shinkansen ride from Kyoto Station or a 3-hour ride from Osaka Station.