Japan’s Favorite Hot Spring Town
Kinosaki Onsen in Toyooka, Hyogo Prefecture is perhaps Japan’s most picturesque onsen town. With lazy riverside walks, seven hot springs within walking distance and a postcard-worthy old-town aesthetic, it’s a well-known retreat among Japanese holiday goers. But it’s becoming increasingly popular with travelers and expats for its almost dreamlike appeal.
Kinosaki Onsen has so many ryokan (Japanese inns) that the town itself is often said to be one big guesthouse, with the streets as hallways and individual guesthouses as the rooms. As a result, people are encouraged to relax and wander around the area in their yukata (light cotton robes) as if they were still in their rooms. For many Japanese people, the sound of geta clacking around the town is a romantic affair, and has nostalgic associations with well-known writers and artists like Naoya Shiga, who came to Kinosaki Onsen for inspiration.
Travelers can stay in a traditional ryokan and visit the seven public hot spring baths spread out over town. Along with the hot spring town, Toyoka City is home to Izushi, an Edo-era castle town with beautiful castle ruins, a samurai house (Karo Yashiki), and a traditional Kabuki theatre. Unwind in the hot springs and experience one of the city’s lively festivals in the same trip!
Kinosaki Onsen has so many ryokan (Japanese inns) that the town itself is often said to be one big guesthouse, with the streets as hallways and individual guesthouses as the rooms. As a result, people are encouraged to relax and wander around the area in their yukata (light cotton robes) as if they were still in their rooms. For many Japanese people, the sound of geta clacking around the town is a romantic affair, and has nostalgic associations with well-known writers and artists like Naoya Shiga, who came to Kinosaki Onsen for inspiration.
Travelers can stay in a traditional ryokan and visit the seven public hot spring baths spread out over town. Along with the hot spring town, Toyoka City is home to Izushi, an Edo-era castle town with beautiful castle ruins, a samurai house (Karo Yashiki), and a traditional Kabuki theatre. Unwind in the hot springs and experience one of the city’s lively festivals in the same trip!
