Japan’s Best Hot Spring Town, Kinosaki Onsen, is preparing for its annual ‘Onsen Matsuri Festival’, a festival that is dedicated to the importance of Kinosaki’s most famous drawcard: its public baths.
The festival, held every year on 23rd and 24th April, commemorates the death of Douchi Shonin, a Buddhist monk who is the founder of Kinosaki Onsen. In 717 AD, Douchi Shonin received a vision which told him to pray for the local people’s health for 1,000 days. After he did so, it is said that a hot spring shot up from the ground, creating Kinosaki Onsen.
On the two festival days, the Buddhist monks from Onsenji, the temple where visitors often come to show their gratitude to Douchi Shonin, walk around town to each of the seven public onsens to pray for safety and prosperity of Kinosaki Onsen.
Throughout Kinosaki Onsen, there will be lots of food stalls and events such as parades, a treasure hunt and stage shows. Discounts on tickets for various attractions and museums as well as free entry to some of Kinosaki’s public onsens will also available over these dates. More details and the festival schedule will be published soon on visitkinosaki.com.
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