7 best Onsens in and around Kyoto

1. <KYOTO> Shijo Kawaramachi Onsen | Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto Bettei

Facility Overview

Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto Bettei is an annex of Shijo Kawaramachi Onsen Sora NiwaTerrace Kyoto, a natural Onsen hotel that opened in 2022 in Shijo Kawaramachi, the center of Kyoto. All rooms in the annex are equipped with open-air baths.

The hotel is conveniently located just a 3-minute walk from Kawaramachi Station, a 7-minute walk from Gion-Shijo Station, and a 10-minute drive from Kyoto Station. Above all, it is situated in the heart of Kyoto's tourist area, making it highly convenient for visitors.

As the name suggests, Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto（It means Rooftop Garden Terrace Kyoto）  features a rooftop terrace with an open-air bath.

 Additionally, there is the Sora Niwa Rooftop Bar and a terrace with a footbath, allowing guests to enjoy a relaxing time while taking in panoramic views of Kyoto. Guests staying in the annex (Bettei) are also welcome to use these facilities.

The annex (Bettei) features a separate entrance, designed to provide a more private experience. The interiors are based on traditional Kyoto aesthetics, offering a serene Japanese space away from the hustle and bustle. Here, you can truly experience relaxation in a peaceful setting.

Spending time while gazing at Kyoto's famous landmarks such as Gion, Nishiki Market, Kawaramachi, the Kamo River, and Higashiyama, which change with the seasons and the time of day, is a luxurious and enriching experience. This Onsen hotel offers the sensation of fully experiencing Kyoto.

At the hotel's Kyoto kaiseki restaurant 'Higashiyama,' we offer Kyoto cuisine that inherits the knowledge and techniques of Kyoto's traditional food culture. You can enjoy a blissful time with dishes that feature Kyoto vegetables and seasonal seafood, flavors you can only experience in Kyoto.

Onsen

The Onsen at Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto and the annex(Bettei) is sourced from Shijo Kawaramachi Onsen, a natural Onsen located in the heart of Kyoto, utilizing our own well. 

The spring water is a sodium, calcium, magnesium chloride composition (hypertonic, neutral, low-temperature). Every guest room is supplied with this spring water, and each terrace is equipped with an open-air bath, allowing guests to relax in a private setting while enjoying views of Kyoto. 

The numerous famous landmarks scattered throughout Kyoto offer breathtaking scenery that changes with the seasons.

Additionally, Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto features two rooftop open-air baths, 'Yasaka no Yu' and 'Niwa no Yu,' as well as a footbath, 'Urara no Ashiyu.'

 Both of the rooftop open-air baths have a deep bath with a water depth of 1.2 meters, allowing for a standing bath that provides a massage effect due to the water pressure.

Additionally, both open-air baths are equipped with silky jacuzzi baths, where the milky white microbubbles penetrate deep into the pores, leaving your skin smooth and soft after bathing, and making it less likely for you to feel cold afterward. 

The footbath 'Urara no Ashiyu' is located on the rooftop terrace, where you can leisurely soak your feet while enjoying a drink and spending a relaxing time.

Whether in the private open-air bath in your room or the rooftop open-air baths, you can enjoy a luxurious bathing experience. In the footbath, you can experience a time of elegance.

Ckeck Shijo Kawaramachi Onsen | Sora Niwa Terrace Kyoto Bettei

2. <HYOGO> Kinosaki Onsen | Mikiya

Facility Overview

About a 15-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. Founded 300 years ago, it is a long-established inn that is a nationally registered tangible cultural property related to Naoya Shiga's "At Jonozaki".

Naoya Shiga was a Japan writer who was called the god of novels. Shiga, who was seriously injured when he was hit by a train coming from behind while walking on the tracks, visited Kinosaki Onsen to recuperate. Shiga stayed at Mikiya and wrote his masterpiece "At Jonozaki". Shiga's favorite room is still intact.

Mikiya is located in the center of a bustling hot spring town where the sound of geta walking in yukata reverberates, but once you step inside, you will find a quiet space where quiet time flows. During your stay, you can enjoy visiting the two indoor baths in the hotel and the seven outdoor hot springs in the hot spring town.

The lounge next to the lobby has a library space of about 250 books. The book selection is by Mr. Yoshitaka Width, a book director who is involved in the publishing NPO "Books and Onsen" in Kinosaki Onsen. Mikiya was visited by many cultural figures, including artists and painters from the same Shirakaba school as Naoya Shiga. In the library space, you can spend a relaxing time with a wide selection of books, from masterpieces written by former residents to photo books with book space.

From the veranda of the guest room, you can see the expression of the Japan garden in all four seasons. The Japan garden, which covers about 300 tsubo, incorporates the surrounding Mt. Daishi into the landscape and arranges a pond. Borrowing is a traditional landscaping technique in which Japan borrows a distant mountain view as part of the garden background.

What you want to try at Kinosaki Onsen is to take a walk around the hot spring town and go around the outdoor hot springs wearing a yukata robe. At Mikiya, yukata are available in the yukata corner so that you can wear your favorite yukata and take a walk around the hot spring town or visit the outdoor hot springs.

Onsen

There are two large public baths (indoor baths) in the building, "Azalea no Yu" and "Hiiragi no Yu".

In Azalea no Yu, you can see three types of azaleas outside the window from the bathroom: Satsuki Azalea, Doudan Azalea, and Hirado Azalea. Azaleas bloom from April to May. You can spend a relaxing time while feeling the change of seasons.

At Hiiragi no Yu, you can slowly heal the fatigue of your trip while looking at the tsubo garden where Hiiragi Nanten is geguru. At Hiiragi no Yu, a new bath has been created while retaining the remnants of the original guest rooms, such as the duck house, the ceiling of the porch, and the earthen walls.

The ceiling is an atrium with only the beams left, so you can enjoy an outstanding sense of freedom.

The quality of the spring is high in sodium and calcium chloride. It is effective for neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, joint stiffness, etc. Both Azalea no Yu and Hiiragi no Yu have a fixed time of day for men and women to bathe. In hot water on both sides, men and women are swapped in a time shift system.

Mikiya is a space where Japan's cultural figures and literary figures have spent time, and it is recommended for those who want to spend a peaceful time.

Kinosaki Onsen has seven outdoor hot springs. During your stay, you can enjoy not only the hot springs in the hotel, but also the outdoor hot springs in the hot spring town. At Kinosaki Onsen, it is a daily occurrence to wear a yukata and go around the outdoor hot springs. It is also a quiet base for those who want to change into a yukata and geta and experience Japan's hot spring culture.

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3.<HYOGO> Kinosaki Onsen | Koyado Enn

Facility Overview

Approximately 1300 years ago, Kinosaki Onsen was established during the Nara period. With the spirit of 'the entire town being one large Onsen inn,' this historic Onsen town has been loved for centuries. 

The retro townscape, which gives visitors the feeling of having time-traveled, is popular with both domestic and international visitors.

Kinosaki Onsen has been celebrated in Japanese poetry since the Heian period and was loved by the literary master Naoya Shiga, who was active from the Meiji to Showa eras. It appears as the setting in his work 'At Kinosaki.'

Koyado En is located in the center of Kinosaki Onsen,  just a 3-minute walk from Kinosaki Onsen Station,  and serves as an annex to the nearby Mikuniya. 

To ensure guests can enjoy a truly relaxing and luxurious time, Koyado En does not accommodate children under elementary school age. It is a place for adults to enjoy.

Koyado En was established as an inn where guests can savor the seafood unique to Kinosaki Onsen, a town along the Maruyama River that flows into the Sea of Japan, as well as the finest Tajima beef. 

Boasting a 1300-year history of Onsens, the inn offers dining at Irori Dining Mikuni, where guests can enjoy the ultimate Tajima beef, 'Tajima Gen,' along with locally sourced vegetables, rice, salt, and sake.

Kinosaki Onsen is often likened to a single large inn, with the station as the entrance, the streets as hallways, the public baths as large communal baths, and the guest rooms as individual inns. 

Despite its compact size, Kinosaki Onsen's charming, nostalgic townscape is one of its main attractions. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy not only their stay at the inn but also activities such as touring the Onsens, exploring the retro streets, and visiting souvenir shops.

Onsen

Kinosaki Onsen is an Onsen town facing the Sea of Japan in northern Hyogo Prefecture, boasting a 1300-year history. 

The quality of its springs has made it a popular destination for therapeutic bathing (toji) for centuries.

The baths within the inns are called 'uchiyu,' while the communal baths outside are referred to as 'sotoyu,' both of which are beloved by visitors. 

Kinosaki Onsen has developed as an Onsen town based on the tradition of visiting its seven sotoyu. Therefore, it is recommended to enjoy both the uchiyu at your inn and the sotoyu around the town.

The spring water is a sodium-calcium chloride type, with an average temperature of 57 degrees Celsius, making it a high-temperature Onsen. 

Its benefits include relief from neuralgia, muscle pain, bruises, chronic digestive diseases, hemorrhoids, and fatigue recovery. 

Known as a warming bath, you can enjoy visiting the various baths in your yukata and geta without worrying about feeling cold afterward.

Koyado En offers two private baths, 'Tsuki no Yu' and 'Hoshi no Yu,' which can be enjoyed for free. You can spend a relaxing time with friends or partners in these baths.

 'Tsuki no Yu' features a 5 cm deep lying bath, perfect for a relaxed experience. Both baths have a usage time of 40 minutes.

All seven sotoyu are within walking distance. 

The approximate walking times are: Satono-Yu - 3 minutes, Yanagi-Yu - 6 minutes, Goshono-Yu - 11 minutes, Kono-Yu - 16 minutes, Jizo-Yu - 3 minutes, Ichino-Yu - 9 minutes, and Mandara-Yu - 13 minutes.

Kinosaki Onsen is a heartwarming Onsen destination where you can enjoy the sotoyu, uchiyu, and the entire town. At Koyado En, we strive to provide hospitality that allows guests to truly relax in this charming Onsen town.

Ckeck Kinosaki Onsen Koyado Enn

4. <HYOGO> Arima Onsen Motoyu | Kosenkaku

Facility Overview

It is about a 10-minute walk from Kobe Electric Railway's Arima Onsen Station. Boasting the highest amount of hot water and the quality of good springs in Arima, it is one of the few Motoyu ryokan in Arima that has its own hot spring. Kosenkaku is located on a quiet hill where you can overlook the mountains of Tamba from the lobby, away from the hustle and bustle of the hot spring town. On a vast site of about 60,000 tsubo, there are 55 ryokan rooms consisting of 3 buildings with a wide variety, 11 lodges, and 2 Japanese and Western restaurants. In summer, a pool is also available. At Kosenkaku, we will create a memorable situation for your trip.

All of the guest rooms at the ryokan with a wonderful Japanese taste are 8 tatami mats or more. It is a spacious space where you can relax and relax.

The lodge is the only resort lodge in Arima. It is a detached log house in the style of a highland villa using Finnish wood. Whether you're a family member or a friend, you can have a great time in your private space.

Stretching from lodges to Japanese restaurants, the Japan Garden is a treasure trove of nature. The scenery centered on "Daikoku Pond" is tasteful with references to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Shugakuin Palace, and Kairakuen Garden. At the Japan Garden, you can experience the four seasons of Japan at any time, such as cherry blossoms in spring, fresh greenery in summer, autumn leaves in autumn, and snowy scenery in winter.

Onsen

Arima Onsen, which boasts a history of about 1,300 years, is one of the three ancient springs in Japan with a long history. Arima Onsen is also known for its good spring quality. Arima Onsen has two types of onsens: the reddish-brown hot water "Kinsen" and the colorless and transparent hot water "Ginsen".

Kosenkaku is a Motoyu ryokan that has its own source of the reddish-brown hot water "Kinsen" of Arima Onsen. At the ryokan, we provide abundant hot water from Kinsen in a state of "100% natural" water that exceeds 6 tons per hour. The hot water is changed twice a day, so you can always enjoy the onsen with a fresh feeling. The quality of the spring is iron(II)-sodium-chloride strong salt onsen. It is a hot water that contains a lot of iron, and has effects such as sensitivity to cold, neuralgia, fatigue recovery, and health promotion.

The beginnings of Kosenkaku date back to 1952, shortly after the end of World War II. The second-generation president of a company that manufactures textile machine parts envisioned the idea of building a guest house in Arima to entertain business partners. At that time, there was not a single inn in Arima Onsen that had its own onsen, and all of them were supplied from other areas. The guest house's commitment is to be an inn that has its own onsen. In 1956, Kosenkaku opened as the only cooking ryokan in Arima where you can enjoy abundant private onsens in an authentic rock bath.

At Kosenkaku, you can enjoy two different onsens, the rock bath and the octagonal hall.

The rock bath is an onsen that has been flowing from the source since its founding. A flowing onsen is an onsen in which a new source is always put into the bathtub and the overflowing water is not reused. While soaking in a heavy and quaint rock bathtub, you can heal your body with fresh golden spring water.

The octagonal hall is an onsen hall built to overlook the garden. The ceiling and pillars inside the building are all made of cypress, and the floor is made of black granite, which is pleasant to the touch. From the inside of the fully glass-walled bathroom, you can take a bath while looking at the garden, which changes its flavor depending on the four seasons.

Kosenkaku is a quiet place surrounded by the mountains of Arima, and is recommended for those who want to experience the famous onsen "Kinsen", which is counted as one of the three ancient springs in Japan. Kinsen has the effect of relieving neuralgia and fatigue, so you can heal your tired feet and body from travel in the onsen.

Check Arima Onsen Motoyu | Kosenkaku

5. <HYOGO> Arima Onsen | Ginsuiso Choraku

Facility overview

A 10-minute walk from Kobe Electric Railway's Arima Onsen Station. It is the only onsen inn in Arima Onsen where you can enjoy hot water from both its own onsen and silver spring. Choraku is located on a hill overlooking the onsen town and the Rokko Mountain Federation, and you can see the mountains of Arima and the rich nature of the surrounding area from your room.

There are various types of rooms such as Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and Japanese-Western rooms. In addition to general guest rooms, there are also three rooms available, including a 40-tatami Japanese-style room with an open-air bath and a steam bath, and a separate residence with an open-air bath, "Shiki". It is an adult hideaway inn that is attractive because you can enjoy the gold and silver springs of Arima Onsen in private. There is also a day-trip onsen bath.

There is also a café corner, a restaurant, an esthetic salon, a lounge, and a shop in the building. At the shop, you can buy soaps and cosmetics using Choraku's original onsens. In summer, you can also use the pool.

You can enjoy dishes that make use of local ingredients and seasonal specialties.

Onsen

At Choraku, you can enjoy the onsens of gold and silver springs from your own source in a bath with various tastes.

Kinsen is a reddish-brown water that contains a lot of iron. The quality of the golden springs that spring up in various parts of Arima varies slightly depending on the source. The golden spring of Choraku contains a lot of lithium ions and can be expected to have a healing effect. The quality of the spring is iron-containing carbon dioxide-sodium-chloride strong salt spring. Hot water has a moisturizing and bactericidal effect. It is effective for cold sensitivity, back pain, joint pain, wounds, burns, and various allergic skin diseases.

Ginsen is a colorless and transparent hot water that contains radioactivity. Radioactivity has an image of being scary and dangerous, but the amount of radioactivity contained in ginsen is said to activate the cells of the body and have a positive effect. The quality of the spring is radium spring, and by sucking in the gases scattered in the air from the respiratory system, the natural healing power is enhanced and the effect can be obtained.

In the open-air bath of Kunugi no Yu, a large amount of the radioactive gas radon is taken into the body in a jacuzzi that stirs silver springs. Standing hot water stretches the lower back of people with back pain and promotes blood circulation.

In the large public bath, there is an open-air bath of Kinsen and an indoor bath of Ginsen. There is also a private open-air bath of gold spring and silver spring.

In addition to the private open-air bath, for those who want to secure their privacy and enjoy the onsens, there is "Choyoan", a Japanese-style room with an open-air bath, and "Shiki", a separate residence with an open-air bath.

Choyoan is a 40-tatami Japanese-style room with a ginsen open-air bath and a ginsen steam bath overlooking the Japan garden. This spacious room has been renovated from a small banquet hall and can be used by a large number of people.

At Shiki, you can enjoy the open-air bath of Kinsen, the outdoor steam bath of Ginsen, the semi-open-air bath, and the foot bath. There are Japanese-style and Western-style rooms.

The attraction of Choraku is that you can secure your privacy with guest room onsens and private baths, and you can enjoy both gold and silver onsens. Even those who are reluctant to take a naked bath with strangers in the public bath can take a bath with peace of mind. Recommended for couples, families, and those who want to enjoy a luxurious onsen time with a special person.

Check Arima Onsen | Ginsuiso Choraku

6. <HYOGO> Arima Onsen | Spa Terrace Shisui

Facility overview

Located a 10-minute walk from Kobe Electric Railway's Arima Onsen Station, it is a sister store of Choraku.

SPA TERRACE Shisui is an inn in Arima that weaves the goodness of Japan and the present where you can enjoy gold and silver springs. Rooms are available according to the purpose, such as Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and Japanese-Western rooms. The Japanese-Western room is a Japanese-modern room with a sense of Japanese tradition and modernity. It has a photogenic appearance that expresses the colors of Rokko, which is rich in nature, with the sensibility of a female designer. Some rooms have a mixed onsen bath, which is a mixture of gold and silver springs. The cuisine is a Japanese-style French cuisine with a colorful mix of Japanese and Western styles that look like flowers have bloomed suddenly.

SPA TERRACE Shisui is a modern Japanese inn for women that satisfies the five senses of women. On-site amenities include a lounge, spa and relaxation rooms.

Onsen

SPA TERRACE Shisui has a large public bath for women, "Totoya no Yu", a large public bath for men, "Sumiya no Yu", and rooms with open-air baths.

Totoya no Yu is a large public bath with the trees of the Arima Mountains spreading out in front of you. There is an open-air bath with a wood-scented spring and an indoor bath with a silver spring. In addition to the hot water of Kinsen and Ginsen, the aroma mist sauna uses the antioxidant properties of Ginsen to promote energy charge and detoxification of the mind and body. Sumiya-no-yu has an open-air bath with a golden spring where you can feel a pleasant breeze while looking at the blue sky and greenery, and a small indoor bath with a silver spring.

The onsen in the guest room with an open-air bath is a mixture of gold and silver springs. There are Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and Japanese-Western rooms.

As it is a sister store of Choraku, guests can also use the onsens of Choraku during their stay.

SPA TERRACE Shisui is recommended for women who are interested in beauty and health who want to heal their daily mental and physical fatigue.

Check SPA TERRACE Shisui

7.<HYOGO> Arima Onsen | Motoyu Ryuusenkaku

Facility Overview

Motoyu Ryuusenkaku in Arima Onsen is a Onsen inn operated with the concept of being family-friendly, allowing families to relax and spend quality time together.

 It is conveniently located about a 10-minute walk from Arima Onsen Station and a 25-minute drive from Shin-Kobe Station on the Sanyo Shinkansen. Arima Onsen is an Onsen area that has been cherished by many people for a long time.

Located at the northern foot of the Rokko Mountains, Arima Onsen is not only renowned for its Onsen but also for its rich natural surroundings and scenic beauty, despite being close to urban areas.

 For this reason, it has long been referred to as the 'hidden retreat of Kansai.'

 With a history spanning approximately 1300 years, historical records show that it has been cherished by emperors, military commanders, and shoguns, as well as by literary figures and cultural personalities after the Meiji period, earning it the title of one of Japan's three oldest Onsens.

Motoyu Ryuusenkaku in Arima Onsen is a Onsen inn where you can enjoy the renowned Kinsen (gold spring), sourced from its own well on the premises. 

This inn allows families to enjoy the famous Onsens together. 

While Onsen inns often cater primarily to adults, Motoyu Ryuusenkaku operates under the concept of being 'child-friendly,' offering a variety of facilities and services that children can enjoy.

In order for families to relax together, the inn features private open-air baths attached to guest rooms, an indoor heated pool, a forest pool, a kids' room, and an open-air plaza. This Onsen inn is filled with facilities that bring smiles to the faces of the entire family.

Onsen

Arima Onsen features two types of Onsen: 'Kinsen(gold spring),' which turns reddish-brown when exposed to air due to its iron content, and 'Ginsen(silver spring),' which is colorless and transparent. At Motoyu Ryuusenkaku, you can enjoy both of these Onsen.

Kinsen' has a unique composition that includes elements of simple thermal springs, carbon dioxide springs, bicarbonate springs, chloride springs, sulfate springs, ferruginous springs, and radioactive springs. 

It is said to have high moisturizing effects and be effective for infectious skin diseases, chronic eczema, various allergic skin diseases, hives, wounds, and burns. 

'Ginsen' includes bicarbonate springs and radium springs.

The indoor large baths include 'Ryu no Yu' for men and 'Tama no Yu' for women. 'Ryu no Yu' features large, open windows, while 'Tama no Yu' is decorated with tiles and illustrations and has a separate bath for children. 

The open-air baths are made of cypress wood and offer great views from an elevated position. 'Tsuki no Yu' is for men and 'Hoshi no Yu' is for women. Both types of baths allow guests to enjoy two kinds of Onsen.

In addition, there are three types of rooms with private open-air baths to choose from depending on the number of guests and the style of stay: 'Sora,' 'En,' and 'Hyotan.' 

Every open-air bath guest room is supplied with 'Kinsen' Onsen  from the hotel's own source, offering some of the most spectacular views in the Arima Onsen area."

The concept of being 'child-friendly' is also reflected in the guest rooms, with features such as child-sized sinks and a kids' bouldering corner.

 The rooms are designed without steps, making them comfortable for not only young children but also the elderly.

Motoyu Ryuusenkaku is an Onsen inn where families can comfortably enjoy an authentic Onsen trip without any worries.

Ckeck Motoyu Ryuusenkaku