Welcome to Kinosaki Onsen.
The best onsen town in Japan.
Enjoy 6 beautiful tattoo friendly hot springs in the award winning hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen. Get a hot spring day-pass to enjoy all 6 bathhouses for a great deal.
First, getting here is pretty easy.
It is just 2.5 hours from Kyoto or 1.5 hours from Himeji on one of the limited express trains. No need to worry about transferring trains.
From Osaka and Kobe, it is 3hours with limited express trains or express buses.
When you first get here, may we suggest stoping by Kinosaki Tourist Information SOZORO. Our English speaking staff is eager to help you with any questions you may have.
Take the express train in the morning and arrive in Kinosaki Onsen. First head over to Sozoro, the tourist information center, for maps and details about Kinosaki Onsen.
If you have luggage, ask the staff about prices and hours for leaving your luggage at SOZORO.
Stop into one of the many restaurants or cafes located along the main road near the station or at the back of town. You will find menus featuring freshly caught seafood brought in daily from the local fishing ports, Tajima beef (local raised wagyu) burgers and steak, and delicious snow crab (limited winter cuisine).
Just 5 kilometers from Kinosaki Onsen lies Genbudo Park, home to the five basalt Genbudo Caves that had a significant role in the discovery of reverse magnetization. There is also a museum with fossils, rare gems, and minerals.
2hrs | +1h | 1day |
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¥800/bike | ¥300/bike | ¥1600/bike |
After your bike ride, slip off your shoes and slip into one of the many hot spring foot baths, “ashi-yu”, located throughout the town. These are a perfect way to rest your feet after your long travels.
Head to your ryokan to check-in. If you are near the front of town, you can catch the free shuttle bus in front of the station to your ryokan. After you check-in, your host/hostess will show you to your room. Take a moment to relax.
Now to try the real treat of Kinosaki Onsen: its onsen. There are 6 public onsen bath houses in all, and they are all within walking distance. Each one has its own charm and style, from outdoor garden baths to cave baths. All public bath houses are also tattoo friendly.
If you booked a dinner with your ryokan stay, you will want to head back for dinner around 5 or 5:30pm. Many ryokan will serve you dinner in your room between 5pm and 7pm. These ryokan dinners are a real treat.
After dinner head out onto the town again for a taste of Kinosaki Onsen’s night life. The ambience of the night is not one to be missed. Everyone heads out in their yukata to try a dip in a new onsen, play a few games in the retro arcades, or grab a nightcap at a local izakaya.