Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass + JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass
Despite the chilly weather blanketing the country, Japan is open with destinations at the ready to welcome back eager tourists to bustling city sights and rural gems alike.
While the cozy hot spring town of Kinosaki Onsen has traditional inn owners and restaurant staff buzzing with preparations for the late winter guests, Visit Kinosaki, the local destination management organization, has recently begun the sale of a convenient new sightseeing pass for money-minded visitors.
Leave the Planning to Us
The Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass is a one-way pass to the ultimate hot spring town experience. A catch-all for the best of Kinosaki Onsen, the Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass is available for purchase online on visitkinosaki.com and klook.com and can also be bought in-person at SOZORO Tourist Information Center near Kinosaki Onsen Station.
Carefully curated with Kinosaki Onsen’s most popular activities at the forefront, the Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass is an insider go-to for all of Kinosaki’s must-see attractions and shops. Pass holders receive a roundtrip ticket on the Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway up to Onsenji Temple (the guardian Buddhist temple of Kinosaki Onsen) with admission to temple grounds and the adjacent Kinosaki Museum of Art. At Kamiya Mingei (Kinosaki’s straw craft workshop) in the town center, guests take a craft break and learn the artform of mugiwara zaiku (straw craft), a traditional Japanese craft that is only found and experienced in Kinosaki Onsen.
Mugiwara Zaiku – Kinosaki Onsen’s Traditional Artform
Straw craft, called “mugiwara zaiku” in Japanese, is a unique, traditional handicraft with vibrant colors and intricate patterns that, in all of Japan, is only produced in Kinosaki Onsen. Approximately 300 years ago a traveling craftsman named Hanhichi came to stay in Kinosaki Onsen. To make money to pay for his lodging expenses, Hanhichi sold bamboo flutes and spinning tops decorated with colored straw. After this, the straw craft was also used to decorate chests, boxes, and wooden prayer plaques. Kinosaki Onsen is proud to be the only place in Japan which continues the traditional production of straw craft, and Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass holders can try their hand at making their own straw craft bookmark in a workshop activity.
Pass-Exclusive Shopping Deals
Special gifts and discounts are also on the menu for Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass holders when the Pass is shown to shop staff at certain local businesses.
Those who stop by Kinosaki Gelato Cafe Chaya and purchase 500 JPY worth of goods will also be gifted with a free onsen tamago boiling experience. Onsen tamago, known as “hot spring eggs” in English, are eggs boiled in natural hot spring water and a must-try during any visit to a hot spring town in Japan.
At Chanoyu, hot spring hoppers strolling past this quaint teashop can pop in for a free cup of tea by simply showing their Must-Visits Pass.
Kinosaki Onsen + Japan Railways
Kinosaki Onsen is excited to announce its partnership with Japan Railways. Who doesn’t love a bundle? The Kinosaki Must-Visits Pass purchased through klook.com can now be packaged together with a five-day JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass, providing access to Japan’s western far-flung treasures. After a night or two in one of Kinosaki Onsen’s classy and tranquil inns, travelers are encouraged to use the far-reaching benefits of the JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass to the fullest.
