It's the most wonderful place...

Location: Kinosaki Onsen (North of Kyoto, on the Sea of Japan coast)
Date: January 3-4, 2007
Who? The Yamamotos and Laura

Info: The Yamamotos invited me to join them on their new year vacation to Kinosaki Onsen, which is a hot springs town. It turned out to be the highlight of my time in Japan so far - I HAD A BLAST!! Good food, good onsen-ing and most of all good company, it was perfection!

Leaving from Kyoto station

Kinosaki: Onsen and crab. Need I say more?

Here I am, ready to go to the onsen (above). Because the whole town revolves around the onsens you just wear your yukata and go from onsen to onsen. So awesome. Unbelievably relaxing.

The view of the Maruyama River (which flows into the Sea of Japan a little farther down from Kinosaki) from our hotel room.

At first I didn't know what the point of all the geta were (above). Then I realized that each ryokan (hotel) has a pair on these shelves with their name on it! I think it's a kind of a creative billboard advertising the hotels in the area.

Goshono-yu (above)
This was my favourite onsen and the first we went to. The building was beautiful and there was an amazing outdoor bath. We sat in the outdoor hot springs and looked out onto a waterfall and forest. It was like something out of a Japan travel ad.





Kouno-yu (above)
This onsen has a local legend: when a stork was injured or ill it would bathe in the marshes that once existed on the area of this onsen. The healing properties of the water became famous and this was Kinosaki's first bathhouse.



Ichino-yu (above)
This onsen had a cave-like outdoor pool. One cool thing about going from onsen to onsen was that at each one you'd take off your sandals and the women who worked at the onsen would line them up. Then when you were leaving they would bring you back the right sandals. How did they know which sandals belonged to who? Well I think they memorized the hotel's geta and their yukata (colour, pattern?)


Jizou-yu (above)
This onsen had water jets coming down from the ceiling that massaged your shoulders. So great.
The streets of Kinosaki at night (above). With everyone dressed in their yukatas and the sound of wooden geta on the streets it felt like you were transported back in time (ok so maybe not with the glowing plastic ice cream cone)(below).


Back at the hotel - We had the dinner to rival all dinners. In the winter Japan goes crazy for crab! And Kinosaki is famous for theirs. I ate more crab that night than ever before. Get ready to drool, mom.



I think the grilled crab (above) was my favourite. The guys below were made into a delicious nabe. I'm drooling just writing about it...




The sun about to rise over the river. We got up really early and went to the largest onsen before breakfast.

Satono-yu (above)
We sat in the outdoor bath (on the roof) and watched the sun rise over the mountains. Breathtaking.

After breakfast we headed to the ropeway to see the view of Kinosaki and to visit Onsenji (Onsen temple).

Waiting for the cable car...
View of Kinosaki Onsen from the top of the mountain. To the top left of the picture is where the Sea of Japan is located. Here is Mr. Yamamoto's panoramic photo of Kinosaki.




Onsenji was built in 738 to commemorate the founding of Kinosaki Onsen, in memory of Douchi-Shonin. He is said to have prayed for 1000 days in order for the source of the hot spring to appear. Way to go him.

Laura pretending to ring the bell (above).

Even the cable car had crabs on it (above).

Laura touching the source of Kinosaki's hot springs - it was hot and smelled like eggs.

Talking about eggs, here are onsen tamago (eggs) cooking in the naturally hot water. I once thought these were disgusting but I have come to almost like them. I know, mom...it still surprises me too.

Foot onsens were found throughout the town. You just sit down, pull off your shoes and socks and stick your feet in the wonderfully hot water (like the couple below, who I spy-photo-ed).


A box of dancing crabs. And yes Christopher, I did line them up and make them race. And yes, I got it on video. For your enjoyment, here is the Crab Race.

Kinosaki is famous for their river/canal and the bridges. You should have seen it at night. It was all lit up and everyone was walking around in their yukata. It was magical.



Saying goodbye at Kyoto station. This photo was taken just before I burst into tears. Thank you Yamamoto family for inviting me on your holiday - I had an amazing time!