Yumura Onsen (Hyogo)
湯村温泉 (兵庫県)
A hot-spring destination where the bath itself is the sightseeing.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
What this place is
Yumura Onsen (湯村温泉) is a small village located in Shin'onsen town in Mikata District, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, Yumura township had a population of 1,206, and its surrounding area (known as Onsen) had a total population of 6,454. Local legend states that the town's hot springs (onsen) were uncovered in AD848 by the priest Jikaku Daishi. The town is said to have been inhabited since this time, and the local temple is claimed to have been built soon after the discovery of the hot springs. Here is one of the major geosites of San'in Kaigan Global Geopark.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Mineral-rich water that locals have soaked in for generations — each source has its own temperature, colour and smell.
- A bathing town you can wander in a yukata, with steam drifting between wooden inns and public baths.
- Open-air rotenburo tubs framed by mountains, river valleys or the sea, which change completely with the season.
What you can do here
- Take a day-use bath (higaeri onsen) even without staying overnight — most inns open their baths in the afternoon.
- Try the free foot baths (ashiyu) dotted around town for a quick warm-up between stops.
- Buy a bath-hopping pass and compare two or three different sources in one afternoon.
- Eat the local onsen specialities — steam-cooked eggs, puddings and vegetables sold near the sources.
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
Good to know before you go
- Wash and rinse at the shower stations before entering the tub; the bath water is shared.
- Some traditional baths still restrict tattoos — look for tattoo-friendly inns or private family baths (kashikiri).
- Bring a small towel; larger bath towels are usually rented or sold at the counter.
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