Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉) is located in Hyogo Prefecture near the coast of the Sea of Japan. With more than 1300 years of history, the charming town where the old townscape of Japan still remains is one of the top hot spring towns in Japan for sightseeing. 

This post will be your ultimate travel guide for Kinosaki Onsen, going over the best sightseeing spots, gourmet local food, fun activities to do, and more. 

The word “Onsen” translates to Hot Spring in Japanese. But is is often used to describe the entire area with bathing facilities and traditional inns.

If you are interested in traveling to other onsen towns, make sure to check this post. Top 10 Beautiful Onsen Towns in Japan

Table of Contents

Kinosaki Onsen Travel, Kinosaki Onsen Sightseeing, Kinosaki Hotspring Travel, Travel Guide

Why You Should Travel to Kinosaki Onsen?

Rich History

Legend has it that the hot spring was discovered in 629 AD when a stork was healing its wounds in a hot spring. It became widely known to the public in the early 19th century when a famous Confucian scholar recommended the place as a great health resort. Kinosaki is famous for having 7 classic Japanese bathhouses, and people who come to this town enjoy walking around the town and sampling each of the 7 bathhouses. When you come to Kinosaki, just take a stroll, and the town’s well-preserved architecture makes you feel like you have traveled back in time.

Foreigner-Friendly

In recent years, Kinosaki has gained a reputation for being foreigner-friendly, with signs in English and tattoos allowed at bathhouses. Also, at the tourist information center just in front of Kinosaki Onsen train station, there is always an English-speaking staff to answer your questions. So Kinosaki Onsen is the ideal travel destination if you want to visit an Onsen town in Japan for the first time.

When visiting Kinosaki Onsen, it’s customary to tour the 7 bathhuses. This “bath tour” is called “Sotoyu Meguri (外湯めぐり)”

Easy to Access

Traveling to Kinosaki Onsen is pretty easy from large cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe. So it is an ideal travel destination for a quick getaway if you are visiting these cities. From JR Kyoto Station, there is an express train that directly takes you to Kinosaki Onsen in 2 hours and 30 minutes.

How to Get Here

From Kyoto

Take the JR Sanin Maine Line Limited Express Kinosaki No. 7 from JR Kyoto Station to JR Kinosaki Onsen Station.

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

From Osaka

Take the JR Tokaido Maine Line Limited Express Kounotori No. 9 from JR Osaka Station to JR Kinosaki Onsen.

Duration 2 hours 45 minutes

From Kobe

Take the JR Sanyo Maine Line Limited Express Hamakaze No. 3 from JR Kobe Station to JR Kinosaki Onsen.

Duration 2 hours 20 minutes.

Getting Around Kinosaki Onsen

Since Kinosaki is a very compact town, you can simply walk around the town. There is no need to take a bus or get a taxi to go to places. It does not take more than 5 minutes to go from one bathhouse to the next bathhouse when touring the 7 bathhouses.

Touring the 7 bathhouses of Kinosaki (Sotoyu Meguri)

Touring the 7 bathhouses is one of the major attractions of Kinosaki Onsen, so when you visit this town, we highly recommend you do it to fully enjoy this wonderful Onsen town.

If you are staying at any local Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn), you will get free access to all 7 bathhouses between your check-in and check-out times. If you are not staying overnight in the town, you still can get the Yumepa ticket for 1300 yen, which gives you access to all bathhouses for one calendar day. You can pay an admission fee to enter each bathhouse, but if you are going to visit more than 2 bathhouses, getting the Yumepa ticket is the cheaper option. You can buy the Yumepa ticket at any of the bathhouses.

Here is an English map of Kinosaki Onsen provided by the town’s tourism association with the locations of all the bathhouses. Kinosaki Onsen Map

Although visiting all 7 bathhouses is the ideal way to enjoy Kinosaki Onsen, we understand that some people may not have the time to do so. So we ranked the bathhouses based on our recommendation.

1, Goshonoyu Onsen

Goshonoyu Onsen

 Open Hours: 7 am – 11 pm, Closed: 1st and 3rd Thursday

 Admission: 800 Yen

Goshonoyu Onsen stands out from other bathhouses with its magnificent architecture, and it is one of the most popular bathhouses in the town. The bathhouse features a spacious outdoor bath that faces a waterfall, and also a steam sauna

2, Kounoyu Onsen

Kounoyu Onsen

  Open Hours: 7 am – 11 pm, Closed: Tuesday

 Admission: 600 Yen

“Kounoyu” translates to the bath of storks. Legend has it that Kinosaki Onsen was discovered when a stork was healing its wounds in a hot spring. It is believed that this is the place where the stork in the legend was healing its wounds

3, Ichinoyu Onsen

Ichinoyu Onsen

  Open Hours: 7 am – 11 pm, Closed Wednesday

 Admission: 600 Yen

Located near the center of town, Ichinoyu Onsen is famous for having a cave bath made by carving out a natural bedrock. There is also a private family bath you can use for additional 3000 Yen per 40 minutes. 

4, Mandarayu Onsen

Mandarayu Onsen

  Open Hours: 3 pm – 11 pm, Closed: Wednesday

 Admission: 600 Yen

Mandarayu Onsen is famous for its outdoor baths with a nice view. The natural scenery you will get when bathing in the outdoor bath is quite amazing. 

5, Satonoyu Onsen

Satonoyu Onsen

  Open Hours: 1 pm – 9 pm, Closed: Monday,

  Admission: 800 yen

Satonoyu Onsen is the largest bathhouse in Kinosaki and it is right next to the train station. It features a traditional Japanese bath and a Roman-style bath. Each day men and women alternate the two baths. It is also famous for having unique saunas such as a Finnish sauna and a herbal steam sauna. 

6, Yanagiyu Onsen

Yanagiyu Onsen

 Open Hours: 3 pm – 11 pm, Closed Thursday

 Admission: 600 Yen

Yanagiyu Onsen is the smallest bathhouse of all, but its cozy atmosphere and its wooden bath attract many people. You can also enjoy the footbath in front of this bathhouse for free.

7, Jizouyu Onsen

Jizouyu Onsen

 Open Hours: 7 am – 11 pm, Closed: Friday

 Admission: 600 Yen

Jizaouyu Onsen is one of the few bathhouses that have private family baths. You can use the family bath for an additional 3000 Yen per 40 minutes.

Sightseeing Spots and Activities in Kinosaki Onsen

Rent a Yukata and stroll the town

One popular thing to do when visiting Kinosaki Onsen is to rent a Yukata and stroll the town. Yukata is traditional Japanese clothing worn in casual settings. Wearing a Yukata and strolling the old streets of Kinosaki Onsen is a great way to enjoy the traditional culture of Japan.

Yukata (浴衣) is a traditional Japanese clothing that is more casual version of Kimono. It is similler to bathtobe or dressing gown.

Many Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn) in Kinosaki Onsen rent out Yukatas for free or for a small fee, so if you are staying overnight in town, make sure to ask about it. If the place you’re staying does not rent out Yukatas, you can still rent them out from Yukata rental shops. Here is a link to one of the rental shops in town.

Yukata Shop & Rental IROHA

Visit Onsenji Temple

The history of Onsenji Temple goes as far back as the beginning of Kinosaki Onsen 1300 years ago. This temple is dedicated to a Buddhist monk who is said to be the founder of Kinosaki Onsen. In the old days, it was customary for visitors to pay tribute at this temple before going to any of the bathhouses.

The temple is located on the western end of town, and it is about 15 to 25 minutes walk from the Kinosaki Onsen station.

Where to Stay at Kinosaki Onsen

To fully experience the Onsen town experience, we highly recommend that you stay overnight at one of the Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn) in town. We have listed some of the top-rated Ryokan and also some budget options as well.

Top Rated

Nishimuraya

This luxurious Ryokan has a history of 160 years. They have a beautiful Japanese garden in the center courtyard and many of the rooms look out onto the garden. Also, some rooms come with a private open-air bath.

Sensui

This Ryokan features traditional Japanese-style rooms as well as Fusion-style rooms with both Japanese and Western elements. You can also enjoy their three luxurious private baths.

Budget

Ooedoonsen

This place offers both great Japanese-style rooms and Western-style rooms at a reasonable price. Some accommodation deal comes with all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner.

What to Eat at Kinosaki Onsen

Many accommodation deals at Ryokan come with breakfast and dinner. Meals served at Ryokan are usually top quality, so there is no need to eat out in the morning and at night. For lunch, there are plenty of options you can choose from.

Sukeroku

This place is famous for serving excellent Sushi and Chirashi-Sushi (Assorted Ingredients on Sushi Rice). Their flagship dish is the Kani Chirashi-Sushi (Crab Meat on Sushi Rice). The Kani Chirashi-Sushi is usually served between mid-September to mid-June.

Okesho sengyo & Dinning room Kaichuen

This place is famous for serving fresh seafood. The first floor of the building is a fish market and the restaurant is on the second floor. Their popular dish is Kaisendon (bowl of rice topped with raw seafood).