Why visit Kinugawa
Hot springs were discovered on the banks of the Kinugawa in the Edo period, and for a long time only monks and feudal lords travelling to Nikko could use them. Since the railway arrived, the gorge has filled with large hotels and ryokan, most with baths looking straight down onto the river.
The water is mild, clear and alkaline — gentle on the skin. Around the resort are two of the region’s biggest family attractions, Edo Wonderland and Tobu World Square; a traditional boat ride through the rapids; and the Ryuokyo gorge trail. Upstream lie the quieter hot springs of Kawaji and, deep in the mountains, Yunishigawa.
For many Japanese visitors the classic trip is Nikko’s shrines by day and a Kinugawa ryokan by night. A direct limited express from Tokyo makes it just as easy to come straight here.
How long to stay
One night with half a day on either side is ideal: check in mid-afternoon, bathe, eat, and visit a theme park or the gorge the next morning.
Where to base yourself
Most hotels are within a 5–20 minute walk of Kinugawa-Onsen station or the next stop, Kinugawa-Koen; many run a shuttle. Kawaji Onsen, four stops further on the Yagan Railway, is smaller and calmer.
Kinugawa & Kawaji Onsen highlights
- A riverside open-air bath at a Kinugawa ryokan
- Ninja shows and Edo-period streets at Edo Wonderland
- More than 100 world landmarks at 1:25 scale at Tobu World Square
- The Kinutateiwa suspension bridge and its gorge view
- A flat-bottomed boat ride down the Kinugawa
- The green rock walls and waterfalls of Ryuokyo
