Hotspring town KINOSAKI ONSEN

Every year, spring begins in Kinosaki with the flowering of the Cherry Blossom trees and the budding of the Willow trees that line the Otani Stream.
On April 23rd and 24th, there is a festival commemorating Douchi-Shonin.
Douchi-Shonin, as local folklore has it, was a priest responsible for the founding of the Onsen in Kinosaki, beginning in the year 717 A.D., Dochi-Shonin prayed for one thousand consecutive days.
After these one thousand days, the Onsen sprang forth from the ground in the present location of Mandara-yu. The Onsen Temple Onsenji was built in honor of Dochi-Shonin during the years 1394-1427 A.D.

The summer is a great season to stay in Kinosaki. There are many activities in which one can participate in and around Kinosaki. The nearby Maruyama River provides a great location for boating or watching boating regattas. The Sea of Japan is only five minutes from Kinosaki by car or bus. One can relax and swim at any of the nearby beaches, two of which are Takeno Beach (Takeno Hama), and Kinosaki Kei Beach (Kei No Ham).

Kinosaki is an ideal location for the autumn season. Nestled within forested mountains, one can get a beautiful view of the changing colors of the autumn leaves. Kinosaki,s autumn is usually quite peaceful with the exception of the Autumn Festival (Aki Matsuri).
Aki Matsuri is held on October 14th and 15th. During this festival, many of the residents wear traditional clothing. Groups of men carry shrines through the main street. In the evening, the festival reaches a climax as the shrine carriers clash with one another in a type of ritual battle.

Winter is a very nice time of the year to enjoy Kinosaki. The Onsen or hot springs, are particularly relaxing and refreshing during this cooler season. The winter is also the height of the crab season. One can enjoy the delicious taste of crab freshly caught in the nearby Sea of Japan. One can also participate in a number of winter sports in the local area. Just across the Maruyama River is the Culture, Sports and Recreation Center where there is an outdoor ice skating rink. Also, some of the Kansai region,s finest downhill ski areas are located near Kinosaki. Mt. Kannabe and Mt. Hachibuse are located forty minutes and one hour away by car, respectively.