The Hot Spring You Can Taste and Touch

Yumura Onsen

Yumura Onsen is a quiet onsen town in the north of Hyogo Prefecture. It sits along the Haruki River and feels like a step back in time. The steam rising from the hot springs creates a calm, misty scene that welcomes you the moment you arrive.

The Hot Spring You Can Taste and Touch

The town’s most famous spot is Arayu. This natural hot spring gushes out at about 98 degrees Celsius, one of the hottest springs in Japan.

Here you find locals and visitors cooking food right at the source. Shops nearby sell eggs, corn, sweet potatoes, and other ingredients ready for boiling. You pick an item, drop it into the spring in a wire basket, and wait.

We tried Arayu Tamago, the hot spring boiled eggs. The stations around the spring are numbered, and some are hotter than others. The hotter ones numbered 1–20 will boil an egg in about 10–11 minutes. The others take about 13–14 minutes. We placed our egg at station 17, boiled it for around 13 minutes, and it turned out perfect. The store even gave us salt to season it.

Nearby shops also sell cans of sake and soft drinks you can warm up in the onsen water. It feels like a shared picnic with nature.

Other Local Customs and Surprises

A local tradition you might see is people washing laundry in the onsen river using stones as washboards. It’s a small window into how hot spring water is part of everyday life here.

You can also enjoy foot baths at spots called Fureai no Yu along the riverbank. These free ashiyu let you soak your feet in warm water while you rest and watch steam rise around you.

The town has a fun photo challenge too. As you explore, look for heart-shaped objects hidden around the streets. Snap five with your camera or phone and take the pictures to the Yumura Onsen Tourism Association. You’ll get a small present and they say finding hearts can bring love your way.

Sip Sake at Tojikan

Close to the Arayu area is Tojikan, a sake-tasting spot. During our visit we paid 500 yen and tried three sakes. We even got to keep the small cup we drank from. It was a simple but great way to sample local flavors on a budget.

Relax in Traditional Onsen Baths

Yumura has ryokans and public bath facilities that let you soak in natural hot spring water. This water is mild and gentle on the skin, sometimes called a “beauty spring.” Many visitors say it leaves skin soft and relaxed.

There are theme parks too, like Refresh Park Yumura, with indoor baths, outdoor pools, and unique bathing experiences if you want something different.

History of the Springs

The onsen here is very old. Local legend says it was discovered in the year 848 by the Buddhist priest Jikaku Daishi during the Heian era. People have used the water ever since for bathing, cooking, and daily life.

Getting There

Yumura Onsen is reachable by express bus from Osaka and Kobe. From Hankyu Umeda Station there are direct buses that take about three hours. From the Shinki Bus Sannomiya Bus Terminal in Kobe you also have direct options. Once you arrive, the onsen area is walkable and scenic.

By Express Bus

From Osaka Umeda
• Departs 08:10, arrives 11:48
• Departs 12:20, arrives 15:19
• Departs 16:50, arrives 20:42

From Kobe Sannomiya
• Departs 08:30, arrives 11:27
• Departs 17:30, arrives 20:52

By Train

If you travel by train, get off at JR Hamasaka Station and take a local bus or taxi up to Yumura Onsen.