Kinosaki

A part of the Hyogo Prefecture, Kinosaki is basically an Onsen town, and is an outright tourist destination. With its many Ryokans and willow fringed boulevards, it looks straight out of a picture postcard. Hot springs have been a part of Kinosaki ever since the 8th Century, and they now serve as the hallmark of the town. You can walk around in your Yukata sets, go for a relaxing dip or two in one of the free public baths, and then perhaps spend time inside its many game arcades. Owing to the multitude of travellers strolling around, this place is endlessly bustling with energy. There are several monuments to be seen around the town and an exciting aquarium park in the form of the Kinosaki Marine World, and a stork sanctuary are both a little away from this touristy paradise. For those who like attending events, autumn ushers in the Danjiri Festival in Kinosaki in which wooden carts that are made to look like shrines fight each other on the streets You could take the JR Limited Express trains from Osaka to Kinosaki, and your journey should be covered by a Japan Rail Pass. It should last around two and a half hours. Alternatively, three hour long buses connect the two cities and you would have to pay anything around 4000 Yen for a single journey.