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Our guide
Ryūjin Onsen is a hot spring in the former village of Ryūjin, now part of the city of Tanabe, Wakayama. It is said to have been found in the 7th century by En no Gyōja, founder of Shugendō, and visited in the 9th century by Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism. In the Edo period it was a retreat of the Tokugawa family whose castle was in Wakayama, and old inns still carry the names Kamigoten and Shimogoten from that time. It is said to be the third-best onsen in Japan for the skin.
We have not checked a public-transport route, so plan the journey on the map and look for local information before you go.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Ryujin Spa1 — Snap55 (uploader on Commons) · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Ryuzinonsenmotoyu — Dokudami · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- Ryujin Spa2 — Snap55 (uploader on Commons) · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Kamigoten — Snap55 · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 龍神温泉（Ryujin Onsen） - panoramio — popsaurus · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- 龍神温泉元湯（Ryujin Onsen) - panoramio — popsaurus · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
What this place is
Ryūjin Onsen (龍神温泉) is an onsen (hot spring) located in Ryūjin village, now a part of the city of Tanabe in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Ryūjin Onsen was discovered in the 7th century by En no Gyōja, the founder of Shugendō. Kōbō Daishi, founder of Shingon Buddhism visited the spot in the 9th century. During the Edo period (1603-1868), the onsen was used as a resort area by the Tokugawa ruling family, whose castle was in Wakayama city. Today there are old Japanese inns (ryokans) using the names Kamigoten (Royal Palace) and Shimogoten (Lower Lodgings), from the old feudal system. It is said to be the third best onsen for beautifying your skin in Japan.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Hot spring
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.
Stay the night
An onsen town is at its best in the evening and early morning, after the day visitors have gone.
Hotels near Ryujin Onsen on Agoda
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