HyogoTravel

Kinosaki Onsen Station (城崎温泉駅)

Flow of the course

About 30 min here

About 10 min to the next stop

Next stop: View materials on writers connected to Kinosaki, including Shiga Naoya, and soak in the literary town

About this spot

The gateway to Kinosaki Onsen, served by the limited express Konotori (こうのとり) from Osaka and the limited express Kinosaki (きのさき) from Kyoto. Step out through the ticket gate and the hot-spring town is right there, and in front of the station a drinking fountain, where you can taste a sip of Kinosaki's famous spring water, and a free foot bath open to anyone welcome travelers. After getting off the train, it's the Kinosaki way to first loosen your legs in the foot bath and warm up a little before setting out on foot. The calm, Japanese-style station building blends naturally into the hot-spring townscape, and shops selling yukata accessories, bath baskets, and seafood souvenirs line up nearby. Many couples rent yukata in front of the station to enjoy strolling the town, making it a place where the mood for the trip naturally switches on. From here, your stroll together begins into the hot-spring town lined with three-story wooden inns.

Tips

No transfers needed: take the limited express Konotori from Osaka, or the limited express Kinosaki from Kyoto. The water at the drinking fountain is quite hot, so it's handy to have a small cup to sip a little at a time. Don't forget a hand towel for the foot bath. If driving, park around the station or in the hot-spring town's parking lots, and it's best to get around on foot from there.