Kinugawa Onsen

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Looking at Nikko from afar I really had no idea what to expect or what we would enjoy so I split our week between the house in Nikko and a traditional Ryokan Inn along the Kinugawa River.

Dining car?? We think maybe. There were pillows on the bench behind the kids but also a guardrail.

Kinugawa Onsen is a small onsen town based around a crazy amount of hot springs coming out of the cliffs along the Kinugawa River. It was only a 20 minute train ride from Nikko but a completely different feel. The mountains were steep and most of the hotels were built into the cliffs along the canyon.

Ryokan are typically based around an onsen or hotspring and soaking and washing and relaxing is the main activity. When we arrived we were issued kimonos and slippers. We thought these were just for the onsen but noticed others wearing them at breakfast, wandering the hotel and even attending karaoke (foreshadowing!) They are comfy and apparently act as a bit of a reminder to slow down and take it all in… Kylie and Mikaya and I wore them around the hotel but we didn’t actually venture into town with them.

On day one here we took the train further up the valley and hiked a canyon trail back down to the previous station. Our first clue we were off the beaten track was when we got off the train and the station was just a crumbling concrete sidewalk and a derelict building. We had read there was a croquette restaurant here but the only structure that showed any use was an impressive hydro dam.

Our second clue was when my trailforks map directed us along a “path” that was clearly an abandoned road that was actively being reclaimed by forest. There was no clear way but also the going was easy so we stayed the course and eventually popped out onto an official but barely used trail.

I was quite impressed that Kylie let us continue down this possible path to nowhere but the further we went the more built up it became.

The second half of the route was much more reassuringly a trail but also very eerie. Clearly some organization/level of govt had spent millions of dollars installing a concrete and wooden path along the canyon walls, complete with suspension bridges and a teahouse, but just as clearly it had been almost totally abandoned. The wood was not maintained, the concrete was overgrown and the teahouse looked like its owners had been raptured.

Are we in the right place? These faux wood railings would argue yes…

The views down the canyon were magnificent. At the second suspension bridge we finally encountered some other hikers.

After paying our respects at another ancient shrine (pictured above - 700s! Although clearly not original structure) we climbed a steep set of stairs to arise into another abandoned tourist area. Perhaps this one was open in summer as it did show more recent signs of life but again not a single person.

After sitting at the train station (reassuringly bigger and tunnely) and then the bus station and then phoning a taxi (taxis are over) and then going back to the train station and starting to worry we would have to walk back, we finally boarded a fancy train for which we did not have a ticket.

Thankfully no conductor came to check and we got off 2 stops later. Our Suica cards not surprisingly flashed at us to go to the ticket office. The young man seemed a little surprised we had hiked down the canyon and gotten on a train with no ticket but we just apologized and smiled and eventually he shrugged and charged us about 350 yen a person or three bucks. Cheaper than a cab and  better than walking!

Here is the view from our balcony set into the cliffside. Middle picture is Mikaya making a wish at the ancient shrine from our hike.

The day after our abandoned hike adventure we were aiming for more stability so it was back to Tobu Nikko for some more shrining. We were lucky to arrive in the middle of the spring cherry blossom celebrations! The square around the train station was full of these handdrawn carts and as we walked up towards the mountains (spurning the bus like strong Canadians) we were accompanied by even stronger locals lugging these carts uphill by hand. As they went one guy was feeding everyone from a long ladle and people would give up and sit on the cart or on the side. They were even pressganging obvious tourists into taking over the manual labour and it all looked really fun.

On our second big shrine day we took on the famous and expensive and crowded Tosho-gu shrine. It was indeed very impressive. This tower featured a central structural pillar that stopped 2 feet short of the ground. This design feature allows the tower to float during earthquakes and also solves the problem of the pillar punching through the roof as the wood shrinks. Pretty amazing engineering for the 1600s…

Again the ritual handwashing station and again the elaborate carvings and gilt.

Togoshu was quite impressive but we weren’t allowed to take pictures in the actual shrine as it was an active house of worship. Struck us as funny bc all the big shrines had stores where you could buy trinkets and blessings and wish granters right in the heart of the shrine. Big cultural differences esp to those who were raised Protestant and learned all about indulgences and clearing the money lenders out of the temple etc.

The majority of the crowds were pure tourist but we did certainly did see people praying and throwing yen and performing religious observances and meditating.

We also found a shrine to Kirin beer! That part is familiar. Like communion or turning water into wine…

After shrining all around town we explored the back paths of Tobu Nikko and found a few more ancient shrines packed between 90s era housing and 1900s tea houses.

There were some fireworks and when we emerged back on to the main road the cart parade was just finally cresting the hill. Real party atmosphere.

Super fun day and topped off by an incredibly fun night! Back in town a bit late we began wandering around looking for a more elaborate dinner than 7 11 could offer us. We passed several noodle places and a big hotel but nothing really called us in until Levi said “this place” to a well lit riot of flowers and neon and kitsch.

The proprietor met us at the door and opened a menu: noodles check, pizza check, karaoke whaaaat?? I was in like Flynn as they say. The boys took some convincing but they were hungry and the hostess was very friendly.

Within minutes we had a table, drinks and 2 mic’s. It was all uphill from there.

Initially the place was fairly empty, but it quickly filled up. Most of the clientele seemed like regulars but after a while another group of white folks came in. The proprietor in full hostess mode came over to us at one point and used Google Translate to ask where we were from. Chilliwack was communicated to the other party. They were from Victoria! In fact 2 of them had briefly lived on Vedder road…

This information prompted toasts and increasingly loud conversation. The older generation of the other party (likely one bottle of sake in before they arrived) requested Born To Be Wild 3 times in a row but sang Born to Lay Tile…

Mikaya wowed the room with her rendition of Paradise City while I sang back up. If you wanna feel like a rock star sing Guns n Roses in a packed Japanese karaoke bar! Knocking on Heavens Door and Thunderstruck also made the list. 

The regulars tended towards Japanese love songs. Or at least thats what the videos looked like. Towards the end of our evening 4 older Japanese men came in, all fully decked out in their onsen kimonos. We shoulda worn ours.

The proprietor proved her skill by drawing Ty into singing one his favourite Anime theme songs in a duet with her. He says this is the first and last time he will sing karaoke…

We got some amazing videos that I will add to this blog when I have a chance to upload to YouTube. 

Mikaya’s GnR was a real crowd pleaser but our final number was Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. I’m not ashamed to admit we both know all the words (hot tub party favourite). We really only had to check the screen for the odd cue. Great closer and with that we were out before Ty died of embarrassment…

Looking at the venue’s IG feed the place got pretty rowdy after midnight! It seems like the locals needed a few more bottles of sake to really get loud.

Another day another breakfast! While the main spread was fish and broth and fried things, there was a decent bread and egg and yoghurt component to keep the gaijin happy.

The next morning we found a more local hike just up the ravine from our hotel. A troll (the mascot of the town) guards the suspension bridge and apparently grants fertility and marriage wishes.

There was a viewpoint over the town where people apparently went to great lengths to thread coins onto cliff side shrubs to invoke fertility. While on the viewpoint I overheard two ladies clearly talking about our family “chi chi!” Yes we have 4 kids and have obviously done our offerings to the fertility gods! 

I grinned and counted to 4 and the ladies dissolved into laughter.

Every night we enjoyed the onsen at our hotel. The kids were initially a bit nervous about going naked (this is the way) but Ty in particular was keen to engage in the local culture and they all did great and fully immersed in the onsen world. Male and female have separate baths and changing areas. The old men in our side were quite gracious and welcoming. One man offered all the boys cold water from the big cooler full of ice. Everyone in the onsen was really relaxed and seemed to appreciate even an attempt at Japanese and a deep bow.

We were almost the only non Japanese people at the hotel and everyone, particularly the seniors, was very friendly.

Note the wash stations on the left. First you sit and give yourself a good scrub and shower THEN you soak…

I couldn’t take my own pictures for obvious reasons but there were both indoor and outdoor onsens and Kylie and I did book the private rooftop onsens for our last afternoon and got some nice pictures. Quite relaxing to be naked on a rooftop with a gorgeous view. 

On our last night we had a cleanup party to prepare for our 6:40 am train to catch our next flight. The reward for the kids packing all their gear independently was an hour in the hotel’s kids fun zone. I didn’t even know this room existed and it was a complete surprise for the kids when we brought them in.

The room was initially dark. I went to the front desk and asked about the machines and ping pong paddles. The staff came into the room and flipped a giant U switch like Frankenstein activating his monster and BOOM purple lights and noise and party!!

A great send off for Kinugawa Onsen! What a town.