Ryujin Onsen

Ryujin Onsen lies along the Hidaka River in the mountains of the former Ryujin village, now part of Tanabe. The spring is said to have a history of around 1,300 years, and it is grouped with Kawanaka Onsen in Gunma and Yunokawa Onsen in Shimane as one of Japan's three beauty waters. Its water is a sodium bicarbonate spring that leaves the skin feeling smooth. The village's public bathhouse, Motoyu, draws directly from the source and is open to day visitors, alongside several traditional inns. The area sits near the Koya-Ryujin Skyline road and is popular for autumn foliage. It is reached by bus or car from Kii-Tanabe Station, roughly an hour and a half away.