Kinosaki Onsen Hanami

#cherryblossom2024
Historical onsen
Kinosaki is an ancient resort town in the north of Hyogo Prefecture. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, it is beautiful at any time of the year. Sakura blooms here in spring, it is cool in summer and snowy in winter. You can read more about the city on its official website.
Recommended
Take a dip in one of the hot springs
Walk around the city in yukata
Go to the Onsen-ji Temple and the mountains
How to get there
From Kyoto and Osaka, you can take the Sanin Main Line. The nearest station is Kinosaki Onsen.
A direct trip from Osaka to Toyooka Station takes about two and a half hours. Next, you need to take a local train to Kinosaki Onsen Station.
The city on the shore
There are many Japanese ryokan hotels along both banks of the Maruyama River. Most of them have onsen.
Seven public baths in different parts of the city are the main attraction of Kinosaki. Guests of the city are offered to buy a ticket for 1000 yen, which allows access to all the baths. In addition, foot baths with hot carbonated water are scattered around the city. Those who stay in one of the ryokan can visit public onsen for free: you only need to take a pass at the hotel.
Around the city in Yukata
It is quite common to see visitors to the city in yukata, a thin cotton garment that is often associated with Japanese onsen cities. In the cold winter months, a haori jacket is worn over the yukata.
The mystical history of the city
The Onsen-ji Temple is located in the western part of Kinosaki. It is dedicated to a Buddhist monk who supposedly founded the city in the 8th century. According to legend, the priest Douti-senin came to Kinosaki in 717. He had a vision that he needed to pray for the health of local residents for 1000 days. After the prayers of Douti-senin, a hot spring was hammered out of the ground, around which baths were built, and then the city.
Once upon a time, visitors were obliged to pray in the temple before bathing. The custom is a thing of the past, but the temple remains an interesting attraction of Kinosaki. After you visit there, you can take a walk in the mountains to the west of the city.
The main building of the temple can be reached on foot or by funicular, which then goes further to the observation deck at the top of the mountain.
Stork Reserve
Due to the reduction of their habitat, the Far Eastern storks in Japan had practically disappeared by 1971. The last bird in the country died in the vicinity of Kinosaki. Konotori no Sato Park was created to bring back storks. They were imported from Russia. The park is 10 kilometers south of the city, and can be reached by bus from Toyooka Station.