10 recommended onsen in Wakayama Prefecture. Includes both overnight stays and day-trip onsen all in one place.
Wakayama Prefecture has many distinctive onsen resorts! In this issue, we introduce five recommended onsen hotels and five day-trip onsen.
We will introduce onsen recommended for families, onsen in the perfect location for touring tourist attractions, and more for a variety of occasions.
Five hot spring resorts in Wakayama for a relaxing stay.
First of all, here are some recommended hot-spring hotels to stay at.
If you want to explore Koyasan｜Fukuchiin
With 800 years of history, Fukuchiin Temple was founded by Kakuin Ajari. It also houses the relics of Ii Naosuke and other famous feudal lords.
There are more than 50 shukubo (lodging houses) in Koyasan where ordinary tourists can stay, but Fukuchiin is the only place where you can bathe in natural hot springs!
The men’s and women’s baths have different atmospheres, with saunas and multiple open-air baths. There are also carbonic acid baths and family baths for those who need assistance.
The lobby has historical artwork, a coffee corner with a view of the Yusen garden, morning services from 6am, vegetarian cuisine that gives you an insight into the lives of the monks, and other experiences only and other experiences that await you. only available at Koyasan.
Address.
〒648-0211 657, Koyasan, Koyamachi, Ito-gun, Wakayama
Access.
10 mins by bus from JR Koyasan Station.
Official website.
Relieve the fatigue of trekking the Kumano Kodo｜Yunomine Onsen Yoshinoya
There are a number of hot-spring inns in Yunomine Onsen, which is said to be the oldest hot spring in Japan. The Yononoya introduced here is a small hot-spring inn run by a couple. Because it is a small inn, the couple’s hospitality is warm and their creative cuisine is highly satisfying.
The inn’s cuisine uses Yunomine onsen (hot spring). The delicious flavours of the delicious Wakayama ingredients are brought out by the hot spring water and are full of nutrients! It will make you feel beautiful on the inside and the outside.
Yunomine Onsen is a historic onsen said to have been discovered around the 4th century. Since ancient times, it is said that people walking the Kumano Kodo (Kumano ancient road) to the Kumano Sanzan (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha and Kumano Hayatama Taisha) stopped at Yunomine Onsen on their way there to relieve themselves of their fatigue.
The hot springs at Yoshinoya are all free-flowing. The indoor baths are filled with hot spring flowers and the open-air baths can be reserved for private use. It is a very luxurious bathing experience.
Spring quality.
Sulphur spring, sodium chloride hydrogencarbonate spring
Address.
〒647-1732 359, Yunomine, Hongu-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama
Access.
1 hour 40 minutes by bus from JR Kii-Tanabe Station, 1 hour 5 minutes by bus from JR Shingu Station.
Official website
It’s like being on a boat!｜Shirahama Onsen Hamachidori-no-yu Kaishu
Built on a promontory overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Kaishu is like a ship crossing the Pacific Ocean. It is popular for its hot spring baths with a view of the ocean.
The inn offers a wide range of relaxing activities, such as a dinner full of Wakayama seafood, which you can choose from two dining options, and an authentic spa treatment using 100% natural mineral Dead Sea Water and Dead Sea Mud from Jordan.
Not only is each room equipped with an open-air bath, but alcohol and coffee from Wakayama Prefecture are also available, so a drink after the bath is a no-brainer.
At the end of the cape closest to the sea is the mixed bathing open-air bath “Hamachidori-no-yu”.The “Aiki-no-Yu” and “Monju-no-Yu” offer spectacular views from their cypress indoor baths, while the open-air baths feature cypress barrels and rock baths…You can enjoy hot springs with different atmospheres.Cold drinks as well as ice lollies are available at the bathhouse.
In addition, there is a dry sauna and ‘plum salt’, which is recrystallised plum vinegar, is placed in the sauna and can be used for massages.This is a hospitality unique to Wakayama, a region famous for its plum blossoms.
Spring quality.
Sodium chloride and bicarbonate hot springs
Address.
〒649-2211 1698-1, Shirahama-cho, Nishimuro-gun, Wakayama
Access.
10-minute drive from Nanki Shirahama Airport; 30-minute free shuttle bus ride from JR Shirahama Station.
Official website
https://www.hotespa.net/hotels/kaisyu/
Hot springs for relieving fatigue｜Tsurunoyu Hot Springs
Minabe-cho, Wakayama Prefecture, where “Tsuru-no-Yu-Onsen” is located, is famous for its Kishu plums!
In addition to indoor and outdoor baths, there is also a nursing care bath (family bath). Please use this bath if you need nursing care or if you are travelling with small children. Of course, the nursing care baths also use hot water from the source.
The brownish-brown water with high iron content is effective in relieving fatigue! The open-air baths offer beautiful mountain views.
The spa is close to Shirahama, famous for its beaches, and a large golf course, so you can enjoy the spa in combination with leisure activities.
Spring quality.
Sodium hydrogen carbonate hot spring
Address.
〒645-0028 47 Kumasegawa, Minabe-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama
Access.
20-minute drive from the Minabe IC on the Hanwa Expressway and 20-minute drive from JR Nanbu Station.
Official website
Reaching across the sea｜Hotel Urashima
Hotel Urashima in Nachikatsuura, famous for its tuna, offers a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
Hotel Urashima even offers all-you-can-eat tuna. What a luxury to be able to enjoy tuna with Kishu plum wine and sake until your stomach is full..! There is also an overnight stay with no meal plan available, but we hope you will enjoy the tuna of Nachi.
Hotel Urashima is about a two-hour walk from Kumano Nachi-taisha shrine and about a 20-minute drive from Daimonzaka, a spot on the Kumano Kodo that is easy to walk and recommended for beginners.It is a convenient location for those wishing to enjoy the Kumano Kodo easily by a combination of car and on foot.
A special boat to Hotel Urashima operates from Katsuura Port and Kanko Jetty, about a 6-minute walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station, and the ferry crossing the sea to reach the hotel is a fairy-tale.It is reminiscent of the story of Urashima Taro. Who rode a turtle under the sea.
The attraction of Hotel Urashima is its five hot springs on its vast grounds.One of these, called Kibo-do, is a large cave with a hot spring gushing out of it, and from the entrance you have a panoramic view of the sea.The view is so impressive that the lord of the Kishu domain, Tokugawa Yorimichi, named it “so that you may forget to return”. You can hear the sound of the rough waves of the Pacific Ocean up close, and you can bathe while feeling the sea.
There is also a wide range of other hot springs, including Genbudo, a cave bath with rough waves, Harumine-no-yu, where you can enjoy the sunset over the mountains of Kii, Taki-no-yu, with a natural rock waterfall, Hamayu-no-yu, which promotes beautiful skin, and Isono-yu, which is perfect for a therapeutic bath.
Spring quality.
Include sulphur-sodium calcium chloride spring (weakly alkaline hypotonic high hot spring)
Address.
〒649-5334 1165-2, Katsuura, Nachikatsuura-cho, Higashimuro-gun, Wakayama
Access.
Hotel Urashima private boat from the boarding point about 6 minutes’ walk from JR Kii-Katsuura Station.
Official website
http://www.hotelurashima.co.jp
Feel free to drop in!Five day spa recommendations
After swimming or trekking, you may want to stop off at a day spa to refresh yourself! After swimming or trekking, you may want to stop off at a day-trip hot spring to refresh yourself.
Here we introduce some recommended day-trip onsen in Wakayama Prefecture. From hot springs where you don’t need to bring anything, to affordable hot springs where you can enjoy a real onsen experience!
You might see a sea of clouds!｜Kirinosato-Takahara
Kiri-no-Sato Takahara, located along the World Heritage Kumano Kodo, is the perfect hot spring for walkers on the Kumano Kodo.It is located a 2-minute walk from the Kumano Kodo ‘Nakahechi’.
The plateau is located at an altitude of 320 m and is famous for its sea of clouds, which can be seen if you are lucky. It is a place that shows different faces from season to season.
The concept is ‘There are no national borders and no language barriers here’. People from all over the world and Japan come to Kumano Kodo to interact with each other here.
The hot springs you can enjoy at Kiri-no-Sato are drawn from the nearby Watarase Onsen. The hot springs, which are fired by firewood from local thinning, are soft on the skin.
A 10-minute walk away is the SEN.RETREAT TAKAHARA, a perfect accommodation for trekking tourists.
Opening hours.
11:00-20:00 (Tuesdays from 15:00).
Amenities
Rinse-in shampoo, body soap.
Bathing fee.
Adults 600 yen
Child 400 yen
Address.
〒646-1416 826 Takahara, Nakaheji-cho, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Access.
45 minutes by bus from JR Kii-Tanabe Station, 30 minutes by bus from JR Shingu Station.
Official website
https://kirinosato-takahara.com
If you want to go trekking in Nakabeji｜Chikaruro Onsen Hisui no Yu
This one-day hot spring is located 400 m from the sightseeing spot Chikatsura Oji along the Kumano Kodo (Nakahechi). The guest house Chikatsuyu is next door.
The colourless, clear, lukewarm hot spring water is free-flowing. This hot water is the only private source at the guest house along the Nakabeji. It is an indoor bath, but it has a large window which, when opened, offers a panoramic view of the Hioki River and the mountains of Kumano.
The container villa accommodation facility SEN.RETREAT CHIKATSUYU has just opened nearby in April 2022. Dogs are welcome, and there are BBQ facilities and a pizza oven, so if you like outdoor activities, we recommend staying at this accommodation.
営業時間
14:00〜20:00(木曜定休)
Amenities
Shampoo and soap
Bathing fee
600 yen (250 yen for children aged 4 to primary schools)
Address.
40 Chikaro, Nakaheji-cho, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan
Access.
From JR Kii-Tanabe Station, approx. 70 mins by Ryujin Bus or 50 mins by Ryujin Bus from Kumano Hongu Taisha, 2 mins walk from Chikarou Oji bus stop.
Official website
https://nakahechi641002.wixsite.com/minsyuku-chikatsuyu
Natural water bath in sauna hut!｜Kishu Ninobi-no-yu Ninomaru Onsen
Just completely renovated! It is a lodge-style building with a pop design. You can enjoy an open-air bath with the Yamada River flowing in front of you, a cypress bath, a sauna and a water bath. The alkaline simple spring water is expected to beautify your skin!
What’s more, there is even a Finnish-style sauna hut (with a Goemon bath) that is open by reservation only. You can create your own preferred steam level by sprinkling water on the sauna stones yourself. And you can cool your body down in the clear water of the Yamada River right in front of you. A Sauna in the midst of nature – it’s a real treat.
You can also wear a clothing for inside the lodge to get around the lodge and have a special bowl of ramen at Strike Ken, a ramen shop that attracts a long queue. Furthermore, guests who wish to stay overnight can also rest assured, as there is a cottage-type accommodation and lodging facility next door. There are also camping facilities limited to one group per day, so you can eat your fill here too!
Opening hours
Weekdays 10:00-21:30, weekends and holidays 8:00-21:30.
Sauna huts are open weekdays 11:00-18:30, weekends and holidays 9:00-18:30.
Amenities.
clothes, towels (at extra cost), body towels (at extra cost), shampoo and body shampoo.
Bathing fees
Adults 1200 yen, children 500 yen
Sauna hut 3000 yen (90 min)
Address.
〒643-0001 1638-1 Yamada, Yuasa-cho, Arita-gun, Wakayama
Access.
10-minute drive from Yuasa IC, 15-minute drive from JR Yuasa Station.
Official website
Excellent view!| Yuasa Onsen Yuasa Castle
Yuasa, where Yuasa Onsen is located, is said to be the birthplace of soy sauce brewing. The streets that flourished in the soy sauce brewing industry still remain, and the area has a great atmosphere for walking around.
As the name suggests, the entire facility at Yuasa Castle is built like a castle, with a beautiful Japanese garden at the base of the castle tower and an observatory on the fifth floor from which you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire town.
The onsen is a tepid alkaline spring with skin-brightening properties. Although it is an indoor bath, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the town of Yuasa and the sea from the windows. You can also enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring. The men’s and women’s baths change on a daily basis.
The spring water is simple sulphur spring water. It is said to be effective for neuralgia. Overnight stays are possible, and there is also a dining room available.
Opening hours.
12:00-22:00.
Amenity.
Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, lotion/milky lotion, bath towels (at cost).
Bathing fees.
Adults 500 yen, children 250 yen
Address.
〒643‐0002 75 Aoki, Yuasa-cho, Arita-gun, Wakayama
Access.
40-minute drive from Wakayama IC, 5-minute drive from JR Yuasa Station.
Official website
Hot springs that keep the water warm｜Katsuragi Hot Springs Happo-no-yu
From Katsuragi Onsen, it is a 40-minute drive to Koyasan, 45 minutes to Wakayama Castle and 20 minutes to Niutsuhime Shrine, making it a good location for visiting various tourist attractions.
The onsen is unusual in that it contains fossilised seawater, which keeps you warm for a long time after bathing. There are two large baths, one lukewarm and one hot, and an open-air bath. All are free-flowing hot-spring water. There is also a line-up of other essentials for hot spring lovers, including a sleeping bath, a earthenware pot bath, a dry sauna and a water bath.
Simple day-trip bathing is available, but there is also a plan that allows you to use a private room with on open-air bath for overnight stays on a day trip, so if you want to make your stay a little more luxurious, this plan is recommended. In addition to a relaxing stay in your room, you can also enjoy a sumptuous lunch.
There is also a ‘Bath + Meal Night Plan’ (1,760 yen or 2,200 yen), which offers a discount on meals if you use the bath at night.
Opening hours.
10:00-22:00 (last admission 21:00)
Amenities
Shampoo, conditioner, body soap, lotion/milky lotion, towels, bath towels, housecoat (all free of charge).
Bathing fee
Junior high school students and over Weekdays 1,300 yen Weekends and holidays 1,500 yen After 8 pm 700 yen
4 years old – primary schools students Weekdays 600 yen Weekends and holidays 700 yen After 8pm 300 yen
Address.
〒649-7174 702 Sano, Katsuragi-machi, Itsu-gun, Wakayama
Access.
5-minute walk from JR Kasada Station, 20-minute drive from Hashimoto Station on the Nankai Koya Line.
Official website
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