Wakayama Prefecture is famous for its abundance of hot springs, as well as its ocean views and other scenic beauty. Shirahama Onsen is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan, along with Arima and Dogo, and Ryujin Onsen is considered one of the three most beautiful hot springs in Japan. In addition, you can enjoy unique onsen such as Kawayu Onsen, a ‘custom-made onsen’ where hot spring water gushes out when the riverbed is dug up, and Kumano Hongu Onsenkyo, where Yunomine Onsen, famous for its hot spring baths, is a World Heritage Site.
［Shirahama Hot Springs] Historic hot springs from the Asuka and Nara periods.
Shirahama Onsen is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan, along with Arima Onsen and Dogo Onsen. It was mentioned in the Manyoshu (Anthology of Myriad Leaves) and the Nihonshoki (Chronicle of Japan) in ancient times, and is known as a hot spring resort where the emperors Saimei and Tenchi came from the capital to take a hot spring cure. The hot springs are rich in individuality, with chloride springs that warm the body from the core, and bicarbonate springs, also known as ‘skin-beautifying’ springs. Many of the bathhouses are close to the sea, so you can enjoy the hot springs while enjoying the location, such as the open-air baths and footbaths with sea views.
［Ryujin Onsen.] Hot springs of beauty to immerse yourself in a secluded area halfway between Koyasan and Kumano.
Along with Yunokawa Onsen in Shimane Prefecture and Kawanaka Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, Ryujin Onsen is considered one of the three most beautiful hot springs in Japan. It is said to have begun around 1,300 years ago when Kobo Daishi opened a bathhouse at the behest of the Dragon God. Situated between Koyasan and Kumano, this unexplored hot spring resort flourished during the Edo period as the holiday home of the Kishu Tokugawa family. The bicarbonate of soda is effective for skin beautification, but is also said to be good for hypersensitivity to cold, as it warms the body well.
［Kumano Hongu Onsenkyo.]A spa town with a distinctive character, from the open-air baths on the riverbanks to the jar baths.
Located near the Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, one of the Kumano Sanzan, this hot spring village consists of three hot springs (Yunomine Onsen, Kawayu Onsen and Watase Onsen). Yunomine Onsen is famous for its ‘Tsuboyu’ rock baths, which are listed as a World Heritage Site. The colour of the hot water is said to change seven times a day, and the legend of the resurrection of the Oguri Judge lives on in this mysterious hot spring. At Kawayu Onsen, where hot spring water gushes out when the riverbed is dug up, the “hermit bath” opened by partially damming the river can only be enjoyed in winter. Watase Onsen has a large open-air bath where you can relax and enjoy nature.
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