Kinosaki Onsen Check-In Tour with Hot Spring Passport

【OUTLINE】

Before check-in, join a guided walk that introduces the essence and stories of Kinosaki Onsen, using a Onsen Stamp Book adorned with traditional Kinosaki straw marquetry.

The tour includes an introduction to the Ancient Bathing Etiquette once required for entering Kinosaki’s hot springs and the cultural meaning behind the yushaku (hot spring ladle), creating a meaningful and distinctive check-in experience rooted in local tradition.

【HIGHLIGHTS】

• A cultural check-in experience unique to Kinosaki, where you immerse yourself in the town’s hot spring culture—not just the baths.
• Learn the traditional bathing etiquette of Kinosaki Onsen directly from the chief priest of Onsenji Temple.
• Record your travel memories with a cultural stamp book featuring Kinosaki straw marquetry, a traditional craft with over 300 years of history.
• Store your luggage before check-in and get an introduction to Kinosaki Onsen’s history, public bathhouses, and recommended local shops.
• Travel sustainably using eco-friendly electric vehicles, with a local guide accompanying you throughout the tour.

【SCHEDULE】

Choose from two start times, 10:30 or 12:30. 

[10:30/12:30] Entrance of Ryokan Town: Kinosaki Onsen Tourist Center
Meet at the tourist center right next to the station, where you can store your luggage. The tour starts with a ride in the back seat of an electric TUKTUK. *If you wish to drive the TUKTUK or a motorcycle yourself, driving practice will be provided.

[10:50/12:50]Corridor in Ryokan Town/Store: Kinosaki Onsen Town
Travel by electric TUKTUK.
To make the most of your town walk and public bath tour, take a preview stroll with the electric TUKTUK. Learn about the features, history, and spirit of "coexistence and co-prosperity" of each of the six public baths: Jizouyu, Yanagiyu, Ichinoyu, Goshonoyu, Mandarayu, and Kounoyu. Discover the town's highlights and recommended shops tailored to your needs.

[12:30/14:30]Onsenji Temple:Main Hall
Travel by electric TUKTUK → Ropeway.
Arrive at Onsenji Temple, founded 1300 years ago by the monk Dochi Shonin who opened Kinosaki Onsen. Receive direct instruction from the chief priest in the "Ancient Bathing Etiquette" and "Yushaku", which in earlier times were not allowed to enter Kinosaki Onsen without learning this etiquette.

[13:15/15:15]Onsenji Temple:Yakushido
Travel by Ropeway → On Foot.
Descend to the town again by ropeway. Visit the historic Yakushido, a nationally registered tangible cultural property built in the Edo period (1804-1818). The temple has a long history as the guardian temple of Kinosaki Onsen, and is revered as the Yakushi-san (medicine man) who protects Kinosaki Onsen and its bathing guests. Reflect on the ancient bathing etiquette received at Onsenji Temple and appreciate the history and gratitude towards the hot spring.

[13:30/15:30]Guest Room: Accommodation in Kinosaki Onsen Town
Travel by electric TUKTUK.
Arrive at your accommodation at check-in time, with your luggage already transported to your room. After completing the true check-in with the "Ancient Bathing Etiquette," rent a "Yushaku" from the inn and embark on a tour of the public baths.
*For guests starting at 10:30: room check-in is not available at this time; however, depending on the accommodation, you may receive a “Outer Bath Tour Pass (Yumepa)” before check-in, allowing access to the public baths.

[13:30/15:30]End
Yakushi Park (Optional)
Available upon request.
Located next to the ropeway station, Yakushi Park features a foot bath fed by Kinosaki Onsen’s original hot spring source.
Here, you can relax while making your own “jiggly onsen eggs” using pesticide-free, natural local ingredients, and enjoy Kinosaki Gelato.
While this experience is usually introduced for self-exploration after check-in, it can be included in the tour flow upon request.

【DETAILS】

A Healing Journey Where Hot Spring Culture Meets Straw Craft
– Explore the Town as One Inn with the Goyu-in Stamp Book –

In 717, the monk Dochi Shonin prayed for 1,000 days, leading to the birth of the sacred spring that became Kinosaki Onsen. Since then, temples and hot springs have grown together, blending faith in healing with hot spring therapy to form Kinosaki’s enduring spa culture.

The town follows a unique philosophy in which the entire town is considered one ryokan—with the station as the entrance, the streets as corridors, the inns as guest rooms, and the public bathhouses as a shared bath. Through this worldview, residents and travelers have long shared daily life with the hot spring waters.

Historically, visitors first worshipped at Onsenji Temple, learned the Ancient Bathing Etiquette, and received a Yushaku before entering the baths. Meanwhile, Kinosaki Straw Craft, introduced by long-stay hot spring guests, developed into a refined traditional craft that continues to shape the town’s cultural identity.

In this guided plan, you explore the town as one inn while carrying a Goyu-in stamp book featuring a cover made with 300-year-old Kinosaki straw craft. As you visit public bathhouses and temples, you follow the footsteps of historic hot spring guests, tracing the prayers, craftsmanship, and healing spirit that define Kinosaki’s hot spring culture.

<Kinosaki’s Unique Hot Spring Culture>
Ancient Bathing Etiquette
A tradition rooted in gratitude for the sacred spring that emerged after Dochi Shonin’s prayers, centered around Onsenji Temple.

The Spirit of Coexistence and Co-Prosperity
A town philosophy shaped through reconstruction after the Great North Tajima Earthquake.

The Whole Town as One Inn / Public Bath Culture
A sustainable system where limited hot spring resources are shared and protected by the entire community.

<Kinosaki’s Traditional Craft>
Kinosaki Straw Craft dates back about 300 years to the Edo period, when a hot spring visitor named Hanshichi from Tottori began decorating toys with straw. Over time, techniques such as patterned layering and fine line work developed, all crafted by hand.
In the Meiji era(1868-1912), the craft evolved from folk art into fine art, receiving international recognition, including the Grand Prize at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.

★About the Vehicle:
This plan primarily involves riding in the back seat of a TUKTUK. If only one person can fit due to body size, the following options are available:

⑴Switch to a bike that does not require a license.
⑵If the guest has a Valid International Driving license, they can drive the TUKTUK, with another person riding in the back seat.

【THINGS TO NOTE】

• Duration：3 hours
• Meeting point：Kinosaki Onsen Tourist Center in front of JR Kinosaki Onsen Station [MAP]
  78, Yushima, Kinosakicho, Toyooka, Hyogo,669-6101
  
• Access： Located across the road from the JR Kinosaki Onsen Station exit.
• Language support：Japanese, English
  
• Included：
  ・English-speaking local guide
  ・Goyu-in Book (Onsen Stamp Book)
  ・Luggage transportation (limit: 1 item per person)
  ・Round-trip ropeway ride (including the guide’s fare)
  ・Instruction in “Ancient Bathing Etiquette”
  ・Yushaku (hot spring ladle) rental
   (available for purchase at ¥3,000 each) 
• Excluded：
  ・Additional luggage transportation fees (from the second item onward)
  ・Kinosaki Straw Marquetry craft experience fee
  ・Onsen egg-making experience and gelato purchases at Yakushi Park
• Items to bring：
  ・Passport
  ・If you wish to drive an electric TUKTUK or motorcycle yourself:
  　A valid driver’s license with an International Driving Permit (IDP) is required.
  *This tour is designed primarily for guests to ride in the passenger seat of a TUKTUK.
  If you prefer to drive, an International Driving Permit is required for TUKTUKs and motorcycles.
  License-free electric bikes are also available.
• Clothes：
  What to Wear – Guided Check-in Tour
  For those wishing to drive a Tuk-Tuk or motorbike, please wear clothes that allow easy movement.
  *Complimentary rental of warm clothing is available depending on the season.
• Participation requirements：
  【Age】
  ・Children able to ride in a slightly bumpy vehicle are welcome at any age.
  ・License-free bikes are available for participants aged 16 and over.
  ・Children under 13 years old can participate for free.
  【Weight restrictions】
  ・Tuk-Tuk / Total weight 220kg or below (up to 3 people can ride one vehicle)
  ・Electric bicycle/100kg or below
  【Other things】
  ・When children 13 years old or younger join the tour, please select the TUKTUK option (optional upgrade).
  　－TUKTUK operation requires a valid driver’s license.
  　－As the TUKTUK capacity is limited to 3 passengers, families of four may be asked to have one participant ride a bike.
  　－For infants aged 3 and under, four passengers may ride together if the infant is seated on a lap.
  ・Not recommended for travelers with back problems.
• Special support：Luggage storage is available.
• Free Wi-Fi：Yes
• Toilet：Yes (Western-style)
• Other things to note：
  【Meeting】
  ・You can choose between 10:30 / 12:30 departure time. The itinerary and experience duration may vary slightly.
  ・If you arrive more than 30 minutes late for your reservation without prior notice, your booking will be treated as a cancellation, and a 100% cancellation fee will apply (same-day cancellation).
  【Yushaku】
  The "Yushaku" can be purchased for 3,000 yen instead of renting.
  【In case of cancellation due to weather or other circumstances】
  We will notify you by e-mail by 3:00 p.m. the day before the tour.

【CANCELLATION POLICY】

Until 72 hours before the experience start time: 0%
From 72 hours before the experience start time to start time: 100%
Cancellation after the experience has started or cancellation without contact: 100%