How To Spend 2 Perfect Days In Kinosaki, Japan

I first discovered Kinosaki when I was on a mission to find all the onsen towns in Japan worth visiting. When I stumbled across Kinosaki and discovered what the town offered visitors, I knew I had to visit for myself — stat!

One of the most unique aspects of Kinosaki Onsen is its “onsen-hopping” tradition. With the all-access onsen pass, you get to experience 7 different public hot spring baths dotted throughout the town… all the while strolling through town in a yukata.

Plus the fact that it was a tattoo-friendly onsen town meant that Papu could walk around freely without having to feel self-conscious about his half-sleeve.

After spending 2.5 days there taking it slow, we both fell completely in love with the town and vowed to return after we were done exploring the rest of Japan. The relaxing atmosphere, coupled with the welcoming local culture, made it a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of modern Japan.

As someone who likes to do things and experience as much of a country as possible, Kinosaki actually felt like a vacation from the vacation, if you get what I mean!

This 2-day Kinosaki itinerary contains everything we did and was written to help you plan your very own trip to the onsen town. From strolling through town in a yukata to savoring specialties like Tajima Wagyu, this travel guide will help you make the most of your visit to this enchanting onsen town!

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Table of Contents

IN THIS GUIDE

DAY 1

Arrive, stroll/shop the town, Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway, Onsenji Temple, Goshono-yu bathhouse

DAY 2

Straw craft workshop, Kiyamachi Shopping Center, Tajima beef, more bathhouses, retro arcade games

MORE PLANNING HELP

WHERE TO STAY

GETTING THERE

GETTING AROUND

WHEN TO GO

HOW MANY DAYS?

DAY 1 IN KINOSAKI

Arrive

After your train or bus ride, you’ll arrive at Kinosaki Onsen Station. The town’s charm will greet you immediately after stepping out of the train station.

You’ll find a hot spring drinking fountain, a statue of a stork (the mascot of the town), and other elements showcasing the onsen culture — like the wall of geta (traditional wooden sandals)!

Depending on the time you arrive, you can either drop your bags off at your accommodation or even check-in. We recommend staying at a ryokan like Sensui, the one we stayed at!

Upon checking into your ryokan, you’ll be given a yukata (casual version of a kimono) to wear during your stay. This is part of the local tradition and will make your experience even more authentic.

You can wear it within the hotel (even to dinner and breakfast) and out in the evenings when hopping from bathhouse to bathhouse.

Take a stroll through town

Once settled, it’s time to take a leisurely stroll through town. Kinosaki’s size and layout are designed for walking. From one end to the other (the train station to Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway), it’s just a 15-minute walk in total.

Throughout the main streets of Kinosaki, you’ll find a plethora of confectionary shops, souvenir shops, and handicraft stores. You’ll find all kinds of goodies from Studio Ghibli merch and indie-designed lifestyle products to local honey shops and storefronts selling packaged traditional confectionaries.

If you didn’t already know, Japanese people take their sweets and snack-making seriously. Everything is so beautifully packaged that you might even feel like they’re too pretty to open for yourself!

I always feel guilty opening them while I’m in Japan and end up gifting them (and enjoying them with friends/family back home) rather than enjoying them all for myself!

Along the way, take some time to admire the pretty willow-lined streets, canals, and charming bridges. Spend a few hours perusing the local shops. There are so many of them everywhere!

Pro Tip: Try to opt for an earlier train that gets you in around 11am to 1 pm. Kinosaki has this sweet spot of quietness where the previous night’s guests have all left town and the current day’s guests have yet to arrive in town. It makes for some really peaceful strolling!

Relax with a footbath

Footbaths at Kinosaki - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

In addition to seven public hot springs meant for the entire body, Kinosaki Onsen also boasts hand baths, foot baths, and even a hot spring drinking fountain!

To try the natural hot spring water for yourself, you can take a sip of the water at the hot spring drinking fountain in front of Ichino-yu Bathhouse (near the train station).

If you’re looking for a quick rest and not fully prepared to dip your whole body in a full-blown hot spring, you can dip your toes in a foot bath instead! The good thing about foot baths is that they’re co-ed, which means if you’ve come with your partner (of the opposite sex), you can enjoy them together.

You can find a few different foot baths dotted across town.

Ride the Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway

Next, head to the Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway. This cable car ride takes you up Mount Daishi, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the entire Kinosaki Onsen town, the Maruyama River, and the Japan Sea in the distance.

This view from Mount Daishi was even awarded one star in the Michelin Green Guide Japan!

The first stop is Onsenji Temple Station, located midway up the mountain. This stop provides access to Onsenji Temple, an important cultural and historical site in Kinosaki. Skip this for now — we’ll visit it on the way down the mountain.

Kinosaki Coffee - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

Kinosaki Ropeway Historical Landmarks - Kinosaki Onsen Itnerary

At the top (the second and last stop of the ropeway), you’ll find a viewing platform where you can take in the scenery, snap some memorable photos, explore a few surrounding historical sites, and even enjoy a cup of coffee with a view at Kinosaki Coffee. The coffee is brewed to order and is great!

Included with the Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass, or 1200 yen adults / 600 yen children for a roundtrip ride.

Pay a visit to the Onsenji Temple

Onsenji Temple - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

After descending from the top of the ropeway, visit Onsenji Temple, the midpoint of the ropeway ride. The temple has been a place of worship for centuries, dedicated to the guardian deity of hot springs.

In ancient times, when the onsen in Kinosaki were first discovered, they were considered gifts from the guardian deity. Visiting Kinosaki Onsen required a pilgrimage to Onsenji Temple to pray for permission to enter the sacred waters.

You would pray to the onsen guardian to allow you to enter the sacred waters and be healed by them. Then you would get yourself a “yu-shaku” ladle that would act as proof that you visited the temple, The ladle would then be your ticket to enter the onsen.

Though modern entry to the onsen now requires just a ticket or access pass from your ryokan, starting your visit with this traditional practice adds a more authentic touch to your experience!

While it’s no longer mandatory, visiting the temple is still highly recommended. You can even hike it. The 20-minute hike offers picturesque views, and it’s a rather easy climb up.

Onsenji Temple has three buildings: Yakushido at the base, Hondo at the middle, and Daishido at the top. At the temple, you can purchase a “yu-shaku” ladle as a unique souvenir.

There is a small admission fee, but it’s also included with the Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass.

After getting off the Kinosaki Ropeway at the mountain base station, head on over to the nearby footbath for a quick R&R session. You can also try out the hot spring eggs at the nearby cafe while you’re at it!

Stroll through town in your yukata

Wearing a yukata - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

When you’re ready to experience the bathhouses Kinosaki is famous for, head back to your hotel and get dressed in your yukata.

Don’t worry about standing out or looking weird, it’s totally normal here. As you wander the streets, you’ll quickly notice that you’re blending in with other visitors, all dressed in different styles of yukatas.

You’ll find people strolling around in casual-looking yukatas (with quieter colors), as well as more bold and colorful ones. Most hotels will provide you with the basic ones, but you can always opt to rent a colorful one to take it up a notch.

If your accommodation does not provide yukatas, there are one or two yukata rental shops in town you can rent from.

Goshono-yu Bathhouse

Goshono-yu - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide - 16

As the day winds down, it’s time to experience one of Kinosaki’s most famous public bathhouses, Goshono-yu. Known for its unbelievably beautiful outdoor baths that face a waterfall, Goshono-yu offers a unique bathing experience that you really need to experience for yourself.

The bathhouse allows you to become one with nature as soak in the therapeutic hot spring water while enjoying the (truly spectacular) outdoor setting. The water here was so hot (much hotter than our ryokan’s private hot spring baths) but it was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but linger longer to fully take in the views!

If you go to Goshonoyu Bath at night, you can grab a cold refreshing beer at the English-themed pub Hananoya (since 1925!) across from it!

👉 If Goshono-yu is too busy at night: Ichinoyu Bath is another really cool one to check out instead. The main bath is an indoor one (fits about 20-25 comfortably), but there’s also an outdoor cave that can fit about 10-12 people too. The water in the cave seemed less hot than the indoor bath too. This one is way less crowded than Goshono-yu Bath.

DAY 2 IN KINOSAKI

Try your hand at straw craft

Straw craft in Kinosaki - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

Did you know you could experience the rare art form of “mugiwara zaiku”, also known as straw craft, in Kinosaki?

Mugiwara zaiku (straw craft) was introduced to the region around 300 years ago, when a craftsman from Tottori arrived in Kinosaki Onsen. Back then, he started his business by sticking colored straw to frames and flutes, selling them to make money for his lodgings.

At Kamiya Mingei Shop, you too can learn the art of straw craft with a 30-minute activity under the guidance of a local third-generation craftsman! The workshop will not only teach you this delicate art form but also allow you to create your own souvenir to take home.

At the workshop, we learned techniques for gluing straw onto objects and made little bookmarks that we could take home. It was also super cool getting to meet one of the few remaining straw craftsmen in all of Japan!

Explore the Kiyamachi Shopping Center

Kiyamachi Shopping Center - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

After finishing up with the straw craft workshop, you’ll find yourself on the outskirts of the Kiyamachi Shopping Center (Kiyamachikouji). This little shopping plaza is home to some cute shops, restaurants, a vinegar drink shop, and some specialty stores.

While I was here, I bought a pair of high-quality birchwood chopsticks to bring home. We also tried a few snacks here, including a gluten-free canelé from Katashima Seikodo which was actually pretty darn delicious for being gluten-free!

Included with the Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass.

Try Tajima Beef

For lunch, treat yourself to a meal featuring Tajima beef, the renowned local specialty. Known for its exceptional marbling and rich flavor, Tajima Wagyu is a must-try for any foodie visiting Kinosaki.

Many local restaurants serve it in various forms, such as steak, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, and even as a hamburger. If you enjoy meat, do not leave Kinosaki without enjoying this melt-in-your-mouth experience at least once!

Did you know?

Tajima beef is beyond popular in Kinosaki, as is Matsuma crab! While Tajima beef is fresh and available all year round, the crab is best from November to March. During the rest of the year (non-winter months), try as much fresh fish and vegetables as you can!

Snack on daifuku mochi

First off, I don’t use the word “best” lightly. When I say “best”, I really mean it! With that said, you can find some of the best daifuku mochi in Kinosaki.

Specifically, I’m talking about one specific local business — 角谷藤兵衛商店餅菓白玖 (Sumitani Tobee Shoten Mochigashi Shiroku).

We tried both the strawberry and the kiwi daifuku. Both were AMAZING. The mochi skin was one of the softest, most delicate that I’ve ever tasted, and white bean was used instead of red bean, which made for such a lightly sweet addition. And the fruit used inside of these treats was always sweet and dripping with juice!

This was hands-down one of the most memorable confectionary shops in the area. It was so good we went back twice!

I even told another couple of friends who were visiting a few days after us to try this place. After trying it, they agreed it was the best daifuku they’ve ever had!

Enjoy a few other bathhouses

Goshono-yu - Kinosaki Japan Travel Guide

After lunch, continue your onsen-hopping adventure by visiting more of Kinosaki’s famous bathhouses. Each of the town’s seven public onsen offers a unique bathing experience.

Whether it’s the cave baths of Ichi-no-yu, the open-air baths of Mandara-yu, or the historical charm of Yanagi-yu, each visit promises relaxation and rejuvenation.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the seven public bathhouses in Kinosaki:

Kono-yu

Oldest bathhouse in Kinosaki
Quiet sanctuary with an outdoor bath surrounded by nature
It was discovered when a priest found an oriental stork healing its wounds in the waters (which is why the stork is the mascot for the town)

Mandara-yu

Waters are said to have appeared after a priest prayed for 1,000 days
Features an outdoor ceramic barrel bath
Offers views of the beautiful mountainside

Goshono-yu

Known as the “Water of Beauty” and is said to bring luck in love
Built to resemble Kyoto’s Imperial Palace
Interior features beautifully painted screens and panels and outdoor baths that face a waterfall

Ichino-yu

Resembles a kabuki theater and is a popular landmark
Features a cave made of natural boulders with soft lighting

Yanagi-yu

Is said to ‘ensure fertility and safe childbirth for women’
Cozy bathhouse with a rustic wooden interior and cypress bath

Jizo-yu

Retro-style bathhouse with a building design inspired by a Japanese lantern (hexagonal windows)
Local favorite, especially among neighborhood families

Sato-yu

Located next to the station with a panoramic outdoor bath on the third floor
Features a sauna with aromatic herbs
Modern amenities and beautifully designed baths

👉 Pro Tip: If you arrive early enough to be the first person into any public bath house, you will be given a commemorative ‘first customer’ plaque. Such a cute souvenir to bring home!

Play retro arcade games

End your day with some light-hearted fun by playing retro arcade games. Kinosaki Onsen has a few retro game centers where you can enjoy a blast from the past. Some arcades carry classic pinball machines, while other storefronts offer vintage carnival-style shooting games. Some game centers will also have hand-made pachinko too!

It was so cute seeing people lining up trying to win prizes at the carnival games while wearing their yukatas!

WHERE TO STAY IN KINOSAKI

More than 70 ryokans and hotels are available all throughout Kinosaki. Some are much older than others.

Since the ryokan research can be quite tedious (a lot of ryokans only have sites in Japanese or are really hard to book if you’re not Japanese), I’ve chosen a couple of accommodation options that I recommend most:

Sensui

My Top Pick / Where I Stayed

After hours of research, this was the hotel we chose to stay at for our 2 nights in Kinosaki. We loved it so much!

Quietly set one block back from the hot spring town’s main street, Sensui is just a 6-minute walk from the train station. It was so conveniently located for strolls through the town and visits to the open-air public bathhouses!

Unlike other ryokan that have public baths, Sensui has a total of 3 private baths, free for guest usage any time it’s vacant. They also provided us with Yumepa Tickets, all-access passes for all the seven public bath houses, for the entire duration of our stay.

While you could opt for a room-only stay, you really shouldn’t stop there. I’d 100% recommend you opt for the half room and board so you can have the full ryokan experience! In total, we had 2 kaiseki dinners and 2 delicious breakfasts at the hotel. Everything we ate, prepared by the one and only head chef, was amazing! They even had free self-serve sake tasting each night.

Sensui - Where To Stay In Kinosaki Japan - 2

Ayuri and Peco, two of the staff members at Sensui were also so sweet. They did everything they could to accommodate us, make us comfortable, and make our stay completely memorable. Including drawing us as cartoons on little table placards each night!

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Nishimuraya Honkan

Luxury Option

This traditional ryokan is everything you could hope for in a traditional Japanese inn experience.

There are 34 guestrooms at Nishimuraya Honkan, with a lush Japanese garden at the center of the property. Most of the rooms of Nishimuraya look out onto the garden of tall ancient pine trees, moss-covered stone statues, intricately trimmed bushes, and gentle ponds full of koi fish.

The ryokan maintains all of the traditional elements to ensure you get a truly authentic experience — expect tatami mat floors, sliding paper window doors, wooden terraces, and seasonal kaiseki meals. There is both a large indoor bath and outdoor bath set in a bamboo grove.

If it’s within your means, Nishimuraya Honkan is worth the splurge. Like many other ryokan stays in Japan, you’ll get exceptional service all throughout your stay.

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HOW TO GET TO KINOSAKI ONSEN

By Train

Getting to Kinosaki Onsen by train is relatively straightforward, especially if you’re coming from major cities like Kyoto or Osaka.

From Kyoto: you can take the JR Kounotori Limited Express (covered by the 5-day Kansai Wide Area Pass), which will get you to Kinosaki Onsen Station in about 2.5 hours.

If you’re traveling from Osaka: You can hop on the JR Hamakaze Limited Express or the JR Kounotori Limited Express (both covered by the 5-day Kansai Wide Area Pass), which takes roughly 3 hours.

Here are estimated travel times for other nearby cities:

From Osaka: about 3 hours
From Kyoto: about 2h 30mins
From Himeji: about 1h 45mins
From Kobe: about 2h 40mins

By Bus

Alternatively, there are direct buses available from both cities, though the train is often the more comfortable and the faster option.

Here are travel times by bus in case you choose this option:

From Osaka about 3h 20mins
From Himeji about 2h 15mins
From Kobe about 3h 10mins

When you arrive…

Once you arrive at Kinosaki Onsen Station, you’re just a short walk, taxi, or hotel shuttle ride away from the heart of the town. Since there are only a couple of trains throughout the day that stop at Kinosaki, you’ll find helpful staff members at the train station upon arrival.

There is a free shuttle bus that runs between the train station and ryokans further uphill in town. This shuttle is available for check-in only, available at the arrival time of express trains between 12:30pm and 6pm.

HOW TO GET AROUND KINOSAKI ONSEN

Kinosaki is a relatively small town, so getting around by foot is 100% doable. In fact, during the 2.5 days we were there, we never once used a car or public transportation.

The town is designed for walking, with its seven public bathhouses, ryokans, shops, and restaurants all within easy walking distance of each other. Even the Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway, the furthest tourist attraction from the train station, was pretty easy to get to on foot. (It’s a 15-minute walk away from the train station.)

If you are able to, I’d highly recommend getting around on foot! The charming willow-lined streets and picturesque bridges make strolling around the town so pleasant.

If you need to go a bit further, bicycles are available for rent, and there’s also a convenient shuttle bus that loops around the main attractions.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KINOSAKI?

Kinosaki is one of those rare places where “anytime” is truly the best time to visit. No matter the time of year, there’s one perk or another that gives you a good reason to visit.

During the spring, cherry blossoms are the main draw. Kiyamachi Street is where you’ll find pink cherry blossoms adorning the streets. At night, with lanterns lighting the trees up, you can enjoy a totally different ambiance from the daytime.

There were no cherry blossoms when we visited in May, but the weather was extremely pleasant, despite a day and a half of rain. Rain barely made a dent in our itinerary because we were there to relax, enjoy our ryokan, and soak in hot springs anyway!

During summer, fireworks light up the night sky! Every weekday from late July to August, fireworks are shot off over the town and there is a small festival held at the local shrine. At
the end of summer, the Toronagashi Festival is a big draw, where visitors can decorate paper lanterns and send them off in the river.

Autumn is also a great time to visit, given the combination of colorful fall foliage scenery, seasonal sweets, and outdoor hot spring soaks with a crisp fall breeze. Every year in October, there is also a very special autumn festival where gorgeous danjiri and mikoshi parade around town.

Winter brings snow and crab season! Gazing down on the onsen town from the top of the ropeway station, you get beautiful views of the Maruyamagawa River and the surrounding area lightly dusted with snow. Then, there’s the famous Matsuba crab, available mostly during the winter months.

HOW MANY DAYS ARE NEEDED FOR KINOSAKI?

While some people would say you really only need a 1-night stay to experience a ryokan in an onsen town, I’d actually suggest 2 nights (2.5 days) if you’re visiting Kinosaki. Here’s why.

It takes about 2.5-3 hours to get to Kinosaki Onsen from Kyoto / Osaka. Having to pack, unpack, and sit through a total of 5-6 hours of roundtrip train travel for just one night in a new destination hardly seems worth it.

If you ask me, this is just too much travel time and packing effort for just an overnight stay.

Plus, check-in at many hotels starts at 3pm, and check-out is ~11am. That’s simply not enough time to see Kinosaki’s natural beauty, browse the many shops, try the local restaurants, or soak in the seven public baths (there’s only so much you can bathe in one day)!

With two nights, you’ll be able to fully explore the town, experience more bathhouses, and truly take it slow. The true magic of a place like Kinosaki can be best felt by taking it SLOWWW.

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