Kinosaki Onsen: Stay in a Ryokan
One major highlight of visiting Kinosaki Onsen is staying in a traditional Japanese inn or ryokan. Kinosaki Onsen is home to some of the most highly esteemed ryokan in the country, including one dating back more than 1,000 years. Many renowned writers who have passed through Kinosaki have stayed at one or another of these inns, drawn by their appreciation for their distinctive hospitality and comforts.
Ryokan rooms are simple, understated, and elegant, with tatami-mat flooring, futon bedding directly on the tatami floor and floor cushions (zabuton) for seating. Details like seasonal flowers or other objects relating to the current season are to be found in each room. Ryokan in Kinosaki also provide yukata (casual kimono) and geta clogs for guests to wear during their stay and while public bath-hopping.
A typical dinner served at a ryokan is a traditional kaiseki multicourse repast. Kaiseki is an elegant cuisine focused on emphasizing seasonal ingredients and subtle flavors. The ingredients used in kaiseki are brought in from the surrounding land as well as the sea, and each dish is described as it is served, allowing diners full appreciation of technique intricacies and flavor nuances.