The Bath Houses of Kinosaki

I recently visited Kinosaki, a famous hot spring town in northern Hyogo. In the town there are seven famous bath houses you can visit. Each one with its own unique design and feel. Some of them are more popular than others, and you can check anytime online how full each one is. While I did not have enough time to visit all seven, I did get the chance to experience three of them as well as a private bath at the inn I stayed at.

On the first night, the first bath house we visited is called Goshono-Yu. It is the most popular of all seven bath houses. It is regarded as a most beautiful of them, and so, many people want to prioritize going to it. It has an outside bath with a small waterfall leading into it. The second we entered is called Yanagi-Yu. This bath house is simpler, and the hottest of all. To be honest, it was too hot and not so big, so I was not able to enjoy it so much. The next morning, we went to Kono-Yu. This bathhouse had an inside and outside bath. The inside bath was very hot, but the outside one was a good temperature. It was raining at the time, but it was still very relaxing.

Sadly, we did not have enough time to go to the other four bath houses. But there are other things to enjoy in Kinosaki. There is a gondola which can take you up one of the nearby mountains. There is also an aquarium by the ocean about ten minutes north of the town. There are also many kinds of food shops and other activities to enjoy. Particularly, crab is a specialty and can be bought at many places. If you are looking for a relaxing weekend away, Kinosaki is a great place to visit. Just be ready to bathe a lot.