Onsen! Kinosaki hot spring at Hyogo

Tags

hot spring, Hyogo, Japan, photography, travel

I stayed at Kinosaki Onsen (Kinosaki hot spring) in Hyogo prefecture. It is very old famous hot spring in Japan, it is found that an injured stork healed this hot spring in 629. (Now this hot spring is called Kono-yu “stork hot spring” and you can take a bath.) In 717, Saint Douchi (Douchi syonin) played for curing patients and found the hot spring, and then opened Kinosaki hot spring. There are many hot-spring hotels along Ootanigawa river, and people walk around to take 7 bathes with wearing “yukata” informal cotton kimono and “geta” clogs.

Mandara-no-yu, hot spring at Kinosaki. This was found by Saint Dochi.

Otani river at Kinosaki

There is Otani river at the center of Konosaki.

Many hot spring hotel at Kinosaki

Jizo yu (guardian deity of children hot spring). One of the seven hot springs of Kinosaki. In front of the gate, there is a statue of Jizo.

Some frogs souvenir. “Frog” in Japanese is “kaeru” that pronunciation is as same as “return”, so “Money back” or “Youthfulness back” are written at this frog’s inside.

Cat dolls wearing yukata

Yanagiyu (willow hot spring) is one of 7. This bath is deep and hot.

Willow trees and Otani river at Kinosaki

Kinosaki town

Japanese novelist Naoya Shiga stayed this hotel Mikiya and wrote his famous short story “Kinosaki nite” in 1913 at this Mikiya hotel.

Kounoyu (stork hot spring) is the oldest hot spring at Kinosaki. It is said that stork cured here. There are figures of storks in the garden.

Traditional Japanese hot spring hotel Nishimuraya at Kinosaki where stayed Japanese novelist Saneatsu Musyakoji.

Traditional Japanese hot spring hotel at Kinosaki

Himenoyu (princess hot spring) or Goshonoyu (palace hot spring). One of 7 hot springs.

Gotenyu is called since sister of the Emperor Gohorikawa took a bath here in 1267.

Gotenyu is very large and nice bathes.