Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [291]
Bentenhama camping area (; 0796-47-0888; camp sites per adult/child ¥1000/500; Jul & August only) is on the seafront at Benten-hama. It’s a decent, if crowded, spot to pitch a tent. Kitamaekan (; 0796-47-2020; onsen adult/child ¥400/250; 11am-10pm) is an onsen complex where the baths are on the 2nd floor with a great view of the beach and sea. It’s at Takeno-hama, in a large grey building about 150m west of the information office.
Takeno Station is on the JR San-in line, an easy trip from Kinosaki (¥190, nine minutes). The train trip is a good chance to enjoy some of the coastal scenery.
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KINOSAKI
0796 / pop 4140
Kinosaki is one of the best places in Japan to sample the classic Japanese onsen experience. A willow-lined canal runs through the centre of this town and many of the houses, shops and restaurants retain something of their traditional charm. Add to this the delights of crab fresh from the Sea of Japan in winter, and you’ll understand why this is one of our favourite overnight trips from the cities of Kansai.
Information
Opposite the station is an accommodation information office (; 32-4141; 9am-6pm) where the staff will gladly help you find a place to stay and make bookings, as well as provide maps to the town. The same office has rental bicycles available for ¥400/800 per two hours/day (return by 5pm).
Sights & Activities
Kinosaki’s biggest attraction is its seven onsen. Guests staying in town stroll the canal from bath to bath wearing yukata and geta (wooden sandals). Most of the ryokan and hotels in town have their own uchi-yu (private baths), but also provide their guests with free tickets to the ones outside (soto-yu).
Here is the full list of Kinosaki’s onsen, in order of preference (get a map from the information office or your lodgings):
Sato-no-yu (; admission ¥800; 7am-11pm, closed 2nd & 4th Thu) Fantastic variety of baths, including Arab-themed saunas, rooftop rotemburo (outdoor bath) and a ‘Penguin Sauna’ (basically a walk-in freezer – the only one we’ve seen anywhere – good after a hot bath). Women’s and men’s baths shift floors daily, so you’ll have to go two days in a row to sample all of the offerings.
Gosho-no-yu (; admission ¥800; 7am-11pm, closed irregularly) Lovely log construction, a nice two-level rotemburo and fine maple colours in autumn. The entry area is decorated like the Kyoto Gosho (Imperial Palace).
Kou-no-yu (; admission ¥600; 7am-11pm, closed irregularly) Nothing fancy, but a good rotemburo and pleasant inside baths.
Ichi-no-yu (; admission ¥600; 7am-11pm, closed irregularly) Wonderful ‘cave’ bath.
Yanagi-yu (; admission ¥600; 3-11pm, closed irregularly) Worth a quick soak as you make your way around town. Nice wooden construction.
Mandara-yu (; admission ¥600; 3-11pm, closed irregularly) Small wooden rotemburo.
Jizo-yu (; admission ¥600; 7am-11pm, closed irregularly) Spacious main inside tub but no rotemburo. Good if others are crowded.
In addition to the town’s great onsen, visitors might want to have a peek at the Kinosaki Mugiwarazaikudenshokan (; admission ¥300; 9am-5pm, closed last Wed of every month), which has displays on one of the local handicrafts known as mugiwarazaiku, a decorative technique that employs barley straw cut into tiny pieces and applied to wood to form incredibly beautiful patterns. It’s located off the canal, a short walk north of Mandara-yu onsen.
Sleeping
Mikuniya* (; 32-2414; www.kinosaki3928.com, in Japanese; r per person with 2 meals from ¥18,900; ) About 150m on the right on the street heading into town from the station, this ryokan is a good choice. The rooms are clean, with nice Japanese decorations, and the onsen bath is soothing. There is an English sign.
Suishōen (; 32-4571; www.suisyou.com, in Japanese; r per person with 2 meals from ¥21,675, r per person without meals Sun-Fri ¥7875, r per person without meals Sat ¥9450; ) This excellent modern ryokan is a short drive from the town centre, but they’ll whisk you straight to the onsen of your choice in their own