Hot springs in Shirahama

A coastal resort town on the Kii Peninsula with hot springs that have been used by emperors since the seventh century. The setting is rare: a wide white-sand beach backed by hot spring hotels, with the Pacific stretching to the horizon. The ancient outdoor rock baths of Saki-no-Yu sit directly above the ocean.

An old coastal resort town where hot springs meet the Pacific. The white-sand beach and dramatic rock formations create a setting unlike most onsen destinations. The ancient outdoor baths of Saki-no-Yu sit directly above the ocean. You soak while watching the waves crash below you.

A single large public bathhouse on the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture, set in forest about 2.5 hours from Osaka by train. The water here is a strongly alkaline spring at pH 9.9, one of the highest in Japan. The facility is clean and unpretentious, drawing visitors from the Kumano region and day-trippers from the coast.