Yumura Onsen Araayu

In Shin-onsen Town in the northwest of Hyogo, Yumura Onsen is a rustic mountain hot spring said to have been opened around twelve hundred years ago. Along the Harukigawa River that runs through the center of town bubbles the Araayu source, gushing out water at 98 degrees, its rising steam a symbol of the village.

Highlights

At Araayu, locals and visitors alike enjoy the simple pleasure of lowering eggs and vegetables into the source to boil them. The freshly cooked Araayu eggs are a taste unique to Yumura. A free public footbath sits along the river, where soaking your feet while watching the steam eases the fatigue of travel. Wandering the retro streets of the town is a pleasure in itself.

Enjoying the Seasons

Winter brings the prized snow crab of the San-in coast, and many come for both the baths and the crab. The steaming Araayu amid a snowy landscape is especially evocative. From spring through autumn, riverside walks are delightful, with greenery and fall colors framing the rustic village.

Access and Basic Information

By public transport, the usual route is a bus from Hamasaka Station on the JR San-in Main Line. By car, you can reach it via the Kitakinki Toyooka Expressway and connecting roads. Araayu and the footbath are free to enjoy, and day-use bathing facilities and inns dot the area.

A Quick Tip

If you want to boil eggs at Araayu, you can buy raw eggs at shops in the town. Posted guides show the recommended boiling time, so follow them for perfectly cooked hot spring eggs.