Journal · Hongu · Kumano
Ryokan and onsen at your own pace: our night in Yunomine Onsen
A tiny hot-spring village in the Kumano hills, a private outdoor bath, and a long, slow dinner. What to know about ryokan etiquette, and what is and isn't easy if your body has limits.
At the end of our third day on the Kumano Kodo, Joanna and I stayed at a ryokan in Yunomine Onsen, a small hot-spring village in a narrow valley near Kumano Hongu Taisha. It's said to be one of the oldest onsen towns in Japan, and its tiny Tsuboyu bath is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Kumano pilgrimage routes.
We booked a room with its own small outdoor wooden bath behind bamboo blinds. After three days of stone steps, a private soak without an audience was exactly the kind of rest I needed.
How a ryokan night works
- Shoes off at the door. You'll swap to slippers in the hallway and go barefoot or in socks on tatami. Toilets usually have their own separate slippers.
- Dinner is an event. Expect many small courses served at a set time, often in your room or a dining room. Tell the inn about allergies and dietary needs when you book.
- Futons on the floor. Staff lay out futon bedding while you're at dinner. Getting up from the floor can be hard; some inns have rooms with Western beds, so ask.
- Yukata. A light cotton robe is provided for lounging and walking to the bath. Wrap left over right.
Bathing etiquette
- Wash and rinse thoroughly at the shower stools before you get in. The bath is for soaking, not washing.
- Your small towel never goes into the water. Fold it on your head or leave it at the edge.
- Many public baths still restrict tattoos. Private baths, like ours, avoid the issue entirely.
- Hot water lowers blood pressure and can make you light-headed. Get in and out slowly, keep soaks short, and drink water.
BAGSMART Hanging Toiletry Bag
Ryokan washrooms and small city hotels often have little counter space. A hook-on bag keeps everything off the floor and in one place.
PackTowl Personal Microfiber Towel (Body)
Inns and onsen usually provide towels, but a quick-dry one is useful on trail days, after a footbath, or for wiping sweat on a hot climb.
If you're traveling with kids
We didn't have kids with us on this trip, but ryokan are generally welcoming to families. Ask when you book about child meal options and bath rules, since some private and public baths have age rules. Rental private baths (kashikiri) are an easy way for a family to bathe together.
Packing for a one-night inn
We forwarded our big bags most days, so a small, organized overnight kit mattered. Most inns supply a toothbrush, body wash and towels.
Eagle Creek Pack-It Original Cube Set (XS/S/M)
When you sleep somewhere new every night, cubes turn unpacking into pulling out one bag. They also make it easy to split a one-night kit into your daypack when the big bag goes ahead.
The kit for this guide
Also in this guide
Opening hours, routes and rules change; check before you go.