Kounoyu Onsen

This onsen is a wonderful place to relax and unwind, especially if you enjoy soaking in a natural setting. One of its standout features is the outdoor bathing area, where you can immerse yourself in the hot water while taking in views of the forested hillside. The surrounding trees create a calm and peaceful atmosphere, making it easy to forget the outside world and fully enjoy the experience. Visiting during winter made the outdoor onsen even more enjoyable, as the cold air provided a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the water. In addition to the outdoor bath, there is also an indoor onsen available. The indoor pool runs noticeably hotter than the outdoor one, which is slightly cooled by the winter weather. This gives visitors a nice variety, allowing you to switch between baths depending on your comfort level. Standard bathing amenities such as soap and shampoo are provided, so you do not need to bring your own unless you have a personal preference. One important thing to note is that, unlike many of the other onsens in Kinosaki, this onsen requires you to dry yourself thoroughly before entering the locker area. Having a small towel specifically for pre-drying is essential and will make the process much more convenient. After your soak, there are vending machines offering a good selection of beverages, including soft drinks, coffee (both hot and cold), and ice cream. You can purchase a drink and relax on the benches nearby, making it a pleasant way to cool down and ease back into the day after a satisfying soak.

Kono-Yu may not be the biggest onsen in Kinosaki, but it offers something deeper — a connection to history, tradition, and nature. I came here after finding another bath closed, and I’m glad I did. The building blends traditional architecture with modern comfort, and the outdoor bath faces a quiet forested slope — a beautiful reminder of Kinosaki’s natural surroundings 🏞️. The indoor bath was hot at first, but my body soon adjusted. Outside, you’ll find two pools — one large and one smaller. The smaller one features two overhead water spouts and flat stones beneath. I love sitting right there to let the water pressure massage my head and back — incredibly soothing. The only downside is that the outdoor pools are a bit shallow, but if you’re visiting with kids, that’s actually a plus! Kono-Yu left me refreshed and reminded me why Kinosaki is such a special place — one that values beauty, peace, and tradition.

My favorite of the public onsens in kinosaki. Outdoor open air bath has very nice Japanese garden built around it. Nice to be able to see night sky in evening.

Very nice facilities. They have an area to relax and have drinks from the vending machines. The bath areas are indoor and outdoor. Nice temperature, not too hot.

CASH ONLY - of the area Onsen, one of my favorites. Outdoor Onsen is covered by wooden gazebo but you have full view of trees and nature - very nice. Outdoor bath is shallow, no bench seat, u need to sit on bottom to cover your shoulders. Water is HOT. Indoor bath is small but sufficient. Deeper, so you can sit on bench and your shoulders will be below water line. Nice.

My second favourite onsen in Kinosaki was #6 aka Kounoyu Onsen which is the furthest away. It had a nice shallow rock pool outside with a good view of trees. There was a clear glass wall that separated the outside from inside which had the bathing stations and a large indoor pool. The ambiance was very nice overall.

Really clean and spacious. I like the outdoor pool and the temperature. The people at the front desk are really polite. The smell of the place is also clean. The pool inside is also clean. The lockers are also new and clean. The whole area outside also has security and nice oarking area.

Super nice spot! My first time in an Onsen but I liked it. The bath is huge and very hot. The outside one is a little smaller but very pretty and more confortable. It's very cheap (800y). I felt amazing after.

My second favorite of all 6 public onsens and one of the oldest! My favorite being Goshono-Yu. There are 7 public onsens in Kinosaki, but as of November 2024, one is closed for renovations. Note that each onsen is closed one day of the week. See attached image of the onsen schedule for details. Kono-Yu has an indoor pool and an outdoor/open air hot pool area. The inner pool is one of the largest and can accommodate 20+ people. The outdoor section isn't a symetrical pool, but rather a small irregular pool surrounded by a rocky landscape. Space is tight so try to squeeze in amongst everyone else the best you can. What to expect when you arrive: Enter the onsen and scan the QR code on your onsen pass provided by your hotel or accommodation. Then remove your shoes and socks and place them inside the shoe lockers in the lobby and take your key. Now you're ready to enter the bathing area. Some onsen etiquette: - The bathing areas are separated between men and women. There is no mixed gender onsen in Kinosaki. - You must be completely naked in the bathing area. - You will first enter a locker room where you remove your clothes, place them in a numbered locker, and take the key. - Go to the shower area and wash your body. Do this BEFORE entering the hot pools. - Now you're ready to soak in some relaxing, hot spring water. - Water temperature at the various onsens ranged from 40-45 degrees Celsius. A great onsen that I recommend especially on the day that Goshono-Yu is closed.

Our second bath of the evening was held here at Kounoyu. This was the furthest one from the town center so walking in your geta may feel cumbersome, so do take it slow as you make your way over. This bath is much larger than the nearby Mandarayu so it does not feel as crowded while inside. The indoor bathing area was a good size and there was an actual decently large outdoor air bath separated into two areas. It was nice to be able to stretch out in the hot bath outdoors after you've been cramped up in some of the other tiny baths. In terms of ambiance, this wins for second best of the baths that we checked out in Kinosaki, Nature is right behind you in the outdoor bath and when quiet, can be a very peaceful and relaxing experience.

After our crab eating tour in Amanohashidate, the next stop was Kinosaki Onsen. We got an hour to go to whichever onsen place we want, of course in our own expense. When we asked our tour guid about the oldest Onsen and the one with most history, she recommended this place. It was a bit far from where the bus was parked but an hour is more than enough. It was nice. A big bath inside and another one outside. It was around February, so it was freezing but it was nice while watching the sky from the bath. If you are staying in one of the places in Kinosaki, it's cheaper than walk-in customers. It was a nice way to end the tour.

"Bath of Happiness". Relatively small, but still very enjoyable. One of the oldest onsen. Store your own shoes and getta in cubbies. The outside bath is not as big as Goshono-yu, but it was quite pretty. Definitely recommend going to check it out.

This is the farthest of the 7 hot spring baths. Takes a bit longer to get to while on getas. Just like the others, this one is clean, well run, friendly staff, and hot. A resting area in the lobby to wait for your buddies. There's also a parking lot.