Seasons

Autumn is favored by locals because temperatures are comfortable, the mountains turn beautiful reds and golds, and there are many seasonal foods.

Some of popular foliage spots include the Kinosaki Onsen's Onsenji Temple and the Kannabe Highlands.

From mid-October to mid-November, the top of Mt. Kuruhi near Kinosaki Onsen has a high chance of becoming a "sea of clouds."

This natural phenomenon occurs during the early morning hours, usually around 5:30 AM.

Autumn also welcomes two fall festivals with "fighting" shrine floats - one in Kinosaki Onsen and one in Izushi Castle Town.

While the area usually sees snow during winter, it can be difficult to predict when it will fall.

Once the snow does fall, the area is very beautiful when covered in a blanket of white.

Kinosaki Onsen sees a surge in visitors during this time due to the "crab season," where local inns include large snow crabs in their dinner banquet meals. Most of these crabs are fished directly from Kinosaki Onsen's nearby port.

The Kannabe Highlands south of Kinosaki Onsen is home to three ski resorts with courses for beginners and advanced skiiers.

Ski equipment rentals are available at multiple shops arround the area. Visit Kinosaki also offers bookable ski and snowshoeing lessons.

Without a doubt the stars of spring are the cherry blossom trees.

On average they tend to start to bloom anywhere from the last week of March to the first week of April and will bloom for about one week before falling.

A great walking course to see the sakura in the day or night is in Kinosaki Onsen along Kiyamachi Street. At night the pink lanterns glow softly creating a romantic atmosphere perfect for an evening stroll.

Spreading out a sheet under the blossoms and enjoying the blooms while snacking on a lunch is also a traditional pasttime to be had here in Japan. A couple great places to do this are at the foot of the Izushi Castle Ruins or in the Kannabe Highlands.

Besides cherry blossoms, the tulip festival in Tanto Farming Village boasts over 1 million tulips.

Summer the is hottest and most humid near the end of July until mid August. This is a great time to go for a swim at Takeno Beach or Kehi Beach. At Takeno Beach, visitors can experience kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.

Over 500,000 sunflowers bloom at the sunflower festival in Tanto Farming Village, and various hiking courses traverse waterfalls and stunning views in the Kannabe Highlands.

Summer festivals and fireworks displays enchant locals and visitors throughout the season, including Kinosaki Onsen's Lantern Festival, Takeno Beach's Fireworks Festival, and Izushi Castle Town's Atago Fire Festival.