Kinosaki Onsen

Today we had another train journey ahead of us, this time to Kinosaki. We started off with breakfast at the bakery to fuel up.

After breakfast, we took a short walk to the Imperial Palace.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace was the residence of the Emperor of Japan for most of its history.

An impressive palace building in a beautiful setting. Thanks to an organized tour, we were able to explore the grounds even better.

After lunch, equipped with provisions and with increasingly heavy luggage, we traveled to Kinosaki.

At the train station, we were picked up by the hotel bus and taken to the Ryokan Hotel. This is a traditionally furnished Japanese hotel. We had to take off our shoes at the entrance, were greeted with green tea upon check-in, and enjoyed a real Japanese dinner: Kaiseki Ryori. It was delicious!

Thermal springs (called Onsen in Japanese) were discovered in Kinosaki in the 8th century, and since then the city has developed into a charming old-fashioned onsen town.

So at the hotel, we also received a Yukata (traditional clothing) and wooden flip-flops. In this attire, we were guided back into town by shuttle, where some enjoyed the baths (7 different onsen) or took a footbath.

When we returned to the hotel, our room had been transformed into a sleeping area.

This once again impressive day ended with a traditional meal in a beautiful room just for us.

Every day we dive deeper into the culture of Japan and experience such beautiful and unforgettable moments together!