Yunomine Onsen

Yunomine Onsen is a great place to stay in the centre of Japan's sacred Kumano Kodo. Tucked deep in the hidden valleys of Wakayama Prefecture, this is a beautiful, spiritual place little visited by Western tourists.

“For over 1,000 years emperors, aristocrats and humble pilgrims have walked the trails of the Kumano Kodo and now you can, too! Yunomine Onsen is a fantastic base to explore this stunning, sacred region”

Ben Guest, Expert Travel Consultant

Yunomine Onsen is one of the oldest hot spring resorts in Japan. Natural, thermal waters were discovered here over 1,800 years ago. For a thousand years pilgrims have stopped here to bathe in the waters, purifying themselves before journeying on foot to Kumano Hongu Taisha, the sacred shrine in the centre of Kumano Kodo.

Today, Yunomine is a collection of quaint bath houses and ryokans along a small creek. This is a wonderful base for hiking as two sections of the Kumano Kodo trail, the Akagi-goe and Dainichi-goe, pass through here. The walk to Kumano Hongu Taisha is 3km long and takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.

Above the river in Yunomine, sits Tsuboyu, a small rock hot spring bath in a wooden cabin. This is the only UNESCO World Heritage onsen in Japan that you can bathe in. Visitors can book a 30 minute time slot to use the tiny bath privately.

Recommended Accommodation in Yunomine Onsen

The following are our favourites from among the western-style hotels and Japanese-style inns of Yunomine Onsen.

Yunomine Onsen

Minshuku Yunotaniso

Budget
Yunomine Onsen

Adumaya Ryokan

Superior

Experiences in Yunomine Onsen

Yunomine Onsen offers a wealth of exciting experiences that will help you get beneath the surface of Japan's fascinating culture. See below for a few of our favourites

Weather in Yunomine Onsen

The Climate Guide for Yunomine Onsen, Japan is perfect for planning your holiday. Monthly weather averages give the best indication of what the weather is usually like for every month of the year including figures for temperature, rainfall and sunshine.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Max Daytime Temperature (°C)	8	9	12	17	21	23	27	28	25	20	16	11
Min Night-time Temperature (°C)	1	1	4	9	13	17	21	22	19	13	8	3
Hours of Sunshine (Daily)	5	5	6	6	6	5	5	6	5	5	5	5
Hours of Daylight (Daily)	10	11	12	13	14	14	14	13	12	11	10	10
Heat and Humidity Discomfort	None	None	None	None	None	None	Moderate	Moderate	Low	None	None	None
Days with some Rainfall	15	16	18	17	17	20	20	19	19	16	13	13
Monthly Rainfall (mm)	75	98	159	246	256	368	323	302	390	230	166	66
UV Index (Maximum)	3	4	6	8	9	11	11	10	9	6	4	3

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Featured trips including Yunomine Onsen

Self-Guided Adventure

Honshu Hiking (Classic)
- Tokyo
- Matsumoto
- Tsumago
- Narai
- Kyoto
- Yunomine Onsen
- Koguchi
- Nachi
- Osaka
From sacred pilgrimage trails to ancient samurai routes, this itinerary showcases some of the best multi-day hiking routes in Japan.

14 nights: from US$4069 pp (twin share) Read more >

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Self-Guided Adventure

Kumano Kodo Four-Night Module (Intermediate Hiking) (Classic)
- Takahara
- Nonaka
- Yunomine Onsen
- Kii-Katsuura
This intermediate walking module offers five days exploring part of the Kumano Kodo, one of the most beautiful and mystical corners of Japan.

4 nights: from US$1822 pp (twin share) Read more >

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Self-Guided Adventure

Kumano Kodo Five-Night Module (Advanced Hiking) (Classic)
- Takahara
- Nonaka
- Yunomine Onsen
- Koguchi
- Kii-Katsuura
A challenging five-night walking module introducing the ancient trails of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage network.

5 nights: from US$2074 pp (twin share) Read more >

View more Self-Guided Adventures