Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [338]
YUNOMINE, WATARASE & KAWA-YU ONSEN
These three onsen are among the best in all of Kansai. Because each has its own distinct character, it’s worth doing a circuit of all three. There are several ryokan and minshuku in the area, but if you are on a tight budget it’s possible to camp on the riverbanks above and below Kumano Hongū Taisha. See Hongū (above) for transport details.
Note that you can walk between the three onsen in this section relatively easily. The tunnel at the west end of the village at Kawa-yu connects to Watarase Onsen (the total journey is a little less than 1km). From Watarase Onsen, it’s about 3km west along Rte 311 to reach Yunomine.
Yunomine Onsen
The town of Yunomine is nestled around a narrow river in a wooded valley. Most of the town’s onsen are contained inside ryokan or minshuku but charming little Tsubo-yu Onsen (; admission ¥250; 6am-9.30pm) is open to all. It’s right in the middle of town, inside a tiny wooden shack built on an island in the river. Buy a ticket at the sentō next to Tōkō-ji (), the temple in the middle of town. The sentō itself is open the same hours as the onsen and entry is ¥300; of the two baths at the sentō, we suggest the kusuri-yu (medicine water; ¥380), which is 100% pure hot-spring water.
SLEEPING
Yunomine has plenty of minshuku and ryokan for you to choose from.
Minshuku Yunotanisō (; 0735-42-1620; r per person with 2 meals ¥8000) At the upper end of the village, this minshuku is exactly what a minshuku should be: simple, clean and welcoming. The food is very good and there’s an excellent onsen bath on the premises.
Ryokan Yoshino-ya (; 0735-42-0101; r per person with 2 meals from ¥8970) Located very close to Tsubo-yu, this is a slightly more upscale place with a lovely rotemburo. It’s fairly new and the location can’t be beat. Like Yunotanisō, it’s a friendly and well-run spot.
Kawa-yu Onsen
Kawa-yu Onsen is a natural wonder, where geothermally heated water percolates up through the gravel banks of the river that runs through the middle of the town. You can make your own private bath here by digging out some of the stones and letting the hole fill with hot water; you can then spend the rest of the day jumping back and forth between the bath and the cool waters of the river. Admission is free and the best spots along the river are in front of Fujiya ryokan. We suggest bringing a bathing suit unless you fancy putting on a ‘naked gaijin’ show for the whole town.
In the winter, from November to 28 February, bulldozers are used to turn the river into a giant rotemburo. Known as the Sennin Buro (; admission free; 6.30am-10pm), the name is a play on the word for ‘thousand’, a reference to the fact that you could just about squeeze 1000 bathers into this open-air tub. It’s a lot of fun and you can dazzle locals by jumping into the main flow of the river to cool off.
SLEEPING
Pension Ashita-no-Mori (; 0735-42-1525; fax 0735-42-1333; ashitanomori-kawayu@za.ztv.ne.jp; r per person with 2 meals from ¥8550) This is in a pleasant wooden building with a good riverside location. Rooms are adequate in size and well maintained. It’s got its own private onsen bath. Inside baths are all onsen as well.
Fujiya (;0735-42-0007; fax 0735-42-1115; www.fuziya.co.jp/english/index.html; r per person with 2 meals from ¥15,900) Next door, this is a more upmarket ryokan with tasteful rooms: spacious, clean and tastefully decorated. For a very civilised place to stay after a day in the river baths, this is the spot. Needless to say, it’s got its own private onsen bath as well.
Watarase Onsen
This onsen (0735-42-1185; admission ¥700; 6am-9.30pm) is built around a bend in the river directly between Yunomine Onsen and Kawa-yu Onsen. It’s not as interesting as its neighbours, but does boast a nice collection of rotemburo. Baths get progressively cooler as you work your way out from the inside bath. Buy tickets from the machine outside the change room. The onsen itself has a restaurant, but you’ll find better choices at the adjoining Watarase Onsen Sasayuri Hotel (), which has