Japan’s Only World Heritage Onsen You Can Actually Bathe In — A Miniature Hot Spring Pool with Seven Daily Changes

Reported and photographed by reporter Tsai Wen-Jun / Japan

As the chilly winter season approaches, it’s once again time for onsen bathing. Japan boasts thousands of precious hot spring spots, and among them“Yunomine Onsen”not only has an ancient history of 1,800 years, but is also currently the only hot spring in Japan where you can actually soak that’s registered as a World Heritage Site. With the sunlight changing throughout the day, the onsen water displays seven different hues, making it a must-experience attraction in Wakayama.

▲ Japan’s only World Heritage onsen bath “Tsuboyu,” an ultra-miniature pool that can accommodate just 2–3 people.

▲ Yunomine Onsen’s Tsuboyu. (Photo by reporter Tsai Wen-Jun)

▲ The Yunomine Onsen hot spring village.

Located on the Kii Peninsula in Japan’s Kansai region, which was historically regarded as a dwelling place of the gods, the area is home to numerous sacred sites and has since become a popular tourist destination. Among them, the most famous “Kumano Kodo” is often referred to as Japan’s version of a pilgrimage route. According to Nakagishi Rikizo from the Kumano Hongu Tourism Association, in the past, pilgrims traveling along the Kumano Kodo would first cleanse their bodies at Yunomine Onsen before proceeding to Kumano Hongu Taisha for worship. As such, this onsen holds an important historical role here, and in 2004, it was inscribed as part of the “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range” on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

▲ The streets of the Yunomine Onsen village have a nostalgic atmosphere.

Walking along the streets of Yunomine Onsen, you can feel as if time slows down. Nostalgic silver-tiled roofs and wooden-walled buildings line both sides of the road, while the surrounding mountains exude a unique serenity. It’s only when you notice lightly dressed travelers, passing buses, and street lamps that you suddenly realize you’re still in the real world.

▲ The Tsuboyu onsen, listed as a World Heritage site.

▲ The entrance to Tsuboyu.

Located at the end of the road“Tsuboyu” (TsuBoYu)is a must-do experience when visiting Yunomine Onsen. The wooden hut houses a tiny onsen pool that accommodates only 2 to 3 people. To use the bath, you must first purchase a ticket and get a number at the management office of the Yunomine Onsen public bath. If no one is using it, remove your shoes, hang your number outside to indicate occupancy, and you can enter. Each soak lasts 30 minutes — there’s no reminder, so you’ll need to keep track of the time yourself.

▲ You can also get a public bath ticket at the same management office.