Five Unbeatable Locales for Snowy Sightseeing

The Kinosaki Winter Bucket List:
Five Unbeatable Locales for Snowy Sightseeing

• Snow-capped mountains and cozy hot springs are staples of the holidays in Kinosaki Onsen, paired with steaming Tajima beef buns and Matsuba Crab dinners for a dazzling luxury getaway during the happiest time of the year. What better way to add a bit of adventure to your hot spring retreat than a day in the snow? Take a look at some of the best locations around town for powdery white landscapes and a jolly good time:

• 

• The summit of Mount Daishi

  Mount Daishi is a majestic mountain in the back of town that is home not only to Kinosaki Onsen’s guardian Buddhist temple, but also a Michelin-acclaimed view located at the summit. No winter excursion to Kinosaki Onsen is complete without a ride on the Kinosaki Ropeway all the way up to Mount Daishi’s summit observation deck. While the chilly air 231 meters above sea level may have visitors wishing for another hot spring soak, visitors can rest easy with a coffee break at the mountaintop Miharashi Terrace Cafe.

  Kinosaki Ropeway

• A starlit night on the slopes of Kannabe

  With three ski resorts and multiple locally run inns for seasonal adventurers to set up basecamp, the highland town of Kannabe boasts gorgeous winter scenes from morning till night. While daytime shredders retire to their rooms, evening daredevils can join locals on the starry slopes during nighters, ski plans that rev up once the sun sets.

  A day in Kannabe
• 

• 

• Mount Arikoyama and Izushi’s Torii gates

  A quaint castle town just south of Kinosaki Onsen, Izushi is known for soba, pottery, Kabuki, and of course, its amazing seasonal scenery. After a soba noodle lunch in one of the dozens of soba shops lining the retro town streets, visitors are encouraged to walk on over to the Izushi Castle Ruins and Arikoyama Inari Shrine Torii gates, presenting a sublime canvas painted with old-town charm and winter wonderland allure.

  Arikoyama Inari Shrine

• Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands

  Named after one Oriental White Stork who made these wetlands his home, the Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands is a wonderful spot for stork-watching no matter the season. On winter days, take a seat at the observation counter and observe the resident stork couple keeping cozy together in their snow-topped nest. Telescopes and binoculars are available for use.

  Hachigoro Toshima Wetlands
• 

• 

• Nekozaki Peninsula from Mount Jaja

  Instead of swimming the clear blue waters of Takeno, a small seaside town one station from Kinosaki Onsen and home to one of Japan’s top 100 beaches, take a winter walk along the snow-capped beachside before trekking up to the top of Mount Jaja. Known as the best lookout point in Takeno, Mount Jaja gives panoramic views of the entire town including Nekozaki Peninsula (the northernmost point in Hyogo Prefecture) and cozy retro “charred cedar” homes topped in a layer of thick snow.

  Mount Jaja