Kinosaki Onsen - Japan Travel Guide - Japanspecialist
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Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen
Charming spa town close to Kyoto.
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About Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen is a quaint little town famous for its hot springs. It is not too far from the Sea of Japan coast, and about 2½ hours by train from Kyoto.
Nature, relaxation and hot springs
The town is built around a beautiful river with willow trees on both sides. Since the 8th century, it has been a popular destination because of its many hot springs. Well-known poets stayed at the inns here, and even today there is an old-fashioned atmosphere in the town's charming streets. Enjoy the warm baths at a traditional ryokan (inn) and then slip on a yukata (cotton kimono) and geta (wooden sandals) and go exploring. Take a stroll along the river, visit small baths and tea houses or try your luck with old-fashioned game booths and tombola.
Other attractions in Kinosaki Onsen
10 kilometres to the south lies Konotori no Sato, a sanctuary for the Oriental stork. The last wild stork in Japan died back in 1971, but recently an extensive breeding program using the same breed from Russia has started. 2007 marked the first successful hatching, and since then the project has gone from success to success. The sanctuary consists of a museum as well as wild nature, and it can be reached by taking the train from Kinosaki Onsen Station to Toyooka Station (about 10 min), and then either bus or taxi (about 10-15 min.).
