Awara Onsen
Family-Friendly Hotels in Awara Onsen: A Base for Dinosaur Kingdom Fukui
Hotels in Awara Onsen, known as the "inner parlor of Kansai," easy to pair with the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and Shibamasa World
7 family-friendly hotels in Awara Onsen, verified by Kids Stay: 7 with tatami rooms, 5 with in-room baths, 5 with toddler meals, 3 with themed kids rooms and 4 with allergy-friendly meals. Every listing is checked against the official hotel website or Rakuten Travel.
Awara Onsen is one of Fukui Prefecture's leading hot-spring towns, beloved since it opened in the Meiji era as the "inner parlor of Kansai." It's a calm hot-spring destination with ryokan dotted across farmland, but it has drawn attention in recent years as a family travel destination because it makes a great base for exploring "Dinosaur Kingdom" Fukui. It's well located for reaching family-friendly spots such as the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Shibamasa World (known for its pool and amusement park), and the dramatic cliffs of Tojinbo.
We feature 7 distinctive places to stay here. Awara Onsen Grandia Housen is a tasteful ryokan where you can go bath-hopping between the large communal bath "Tenjo no SPA," filled with its own hot-spring source, and a hinoki-cypress communal bath reserved for guests of its detached annex. Drinks and snacks in the lounge are all-inclusive, and in-room dining and rooms with an open-air bath are also available, so families can unhurriedly enjoy the simple hot spring water (tanjun-onsen) considered gentle for babies. The foot bath even has a dinosaur photo spot, popular for souvenir photos with dinosaur-loving kids.
Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku is a hot-spring hotel built for families to play and eat their fill. Inside, there's a kids' park with a large climbing structure, table tennis, and a manga corner, all free to use, and dinner is an all-you-can-eat buffet that even includes unlimited Haagen-Dazs ice cream. The changing area of the large communal bath has a crib, and the bathing area has a baby bath and baby chair, and there are rentals of children's tableware, baby baths, and bouncer seats, plus allergy accommodations, so the hotel is well prepared for families with babies.
Access improved from the greater Tokyo area now that Awara-Onsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen serves as the gateway. You can also reach the hot-spring town via Awara-Yunomachi Station on the Echizen Railway, and by car the Kanazu IC on the Hokuriku Expressway is convenient. Pair the pool at Shibamasa World in summer, or the dinosaur museum with the hot spring in other seasons. This is an area that's easy to plan a family trip to year-round.
Highlights
- checkA convenient base for family-friendly spots like the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum and Shibamasa World
- checkA family-oriented hot-spring hotel with a kids' park and buffet dining
- checkThorough support for families with babies, from a crib in the changing area to a baby bath in the bathing area
Family-friendly features in Awara Onsen
Recommended hotels (7)
Awara Onsen Kofuyupo Beniya
Awara Onsen Seifuso
Awara Onsen Grandia Housen
Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku
Matsuya Sensen
Awara Kitagata Onsen Kohanso Hanayurari
Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Awara
See all hotels in Awara Onsen (7)expand_more
Kid-friendly facilities at family hotels in Awara Onsen
Kids Stay checked the official information of 6 family hotels in Awara Onsen and found 24 kid-friendly facilities on site. Here is a sample by category so you can compare facilities before choosing a room.
Indoor playrooms and kids' spaces(2 hotels, 2 items)
- Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku · Kids Park: An indoor play space that runs from an area where little ones can play freely to a rough-and-tumble area with large play equipment, so children can enjoy it as they grow. It is a g
- Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Awara · Playroom and game arcade: A playroom is available among the hotel's facilities. The game arcade has a wide selection of games for everyone from children to adults, and there is table tennis too, so the fami
Baby gear you can borrow(5 hotels, 5 items)
- Awara Onsen Grandia Housen · Adding meals and bedding for infants and toddlers: Depending on the plan, meals or bedding can be added for infants and toddlers. Under one plan, bedding with no meals is 5,500 yen and meals with no bedding are 4,400 yen, while chi
- Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku · Children's yukata and chanchanko available to borrow: Children's yukata are provided, and chanchanko (padded sleeveless jackets) are also available to borrow. Change into a yukata and enjoy your onsen trip traveling light.
- Awara Onsen Kofuyupo Beniya · Co-sleeping and stays for babies and toddlers: Co-sleeping is available for up to 2 children. Upper-grade elementary school children pay 70% of the adult rate, and lower-grade elementary school children pay 26,950 yen. Babies a
- Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Awara · Additional baby futon: For children under 3, a futon can be added for an extra 2,200 yen. Advance notice is required. Preschool-age children aged 3 and over are charged a children's rate for their stay.
- Awara Onsen Seifuso · Items available to borrow for children: A diaper bin, baby and children's hangers, a baby quilt, a microwave baby-bottle sterilizer, a toilet-training seat, a bath chair, and a range of table games and card games are ava
Kids' meals and baby food(5 hotels, 7 items)
- Awara Onsen Grandia Housen · Kids' meals: Kids' Meal A for elementary school children (70% of the adult rate, 6,600 yen) and Kids' Meal B for children ages 3 to 5 (50% of the adult rate, 4,400 yen) are available. Kids' Mea
- Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku · Children's tableware and chairs / baby food: The restaurant provides children's tableware and chairs, and baby food is available as well. If you would like baby food, just let a staff member know.
- Awara Onsen Kofuyupo Beniya · Children's meals and cutlery: Children's meals are available, and items you can use during your stay, such as children's cutlery, are on hand too. If you have questions about borrowing them, you can ask the ryo
- Matsuya Sensen · Children's menus (kids' meal / kids' kaiseki course): Children ages 3 to 5 (50% of the adult rate) receive a kids' meal with a fried-food plate, a Hamburg steak hot pot, and a rice dish, while children ages 6 to 12 (70% of the adult r
- Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Awara · Children's tableware and chairs / baby food: Children's tableware and chairs are available at the restaurant buffet. Baby food can also be arranged if you ask a staff member, and it can be used at mealtimes.
Baby-friendly bathhouses(5 hotels, 6 items)
- Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku · Baby items at the communal bath (baby bath, baby chair, baby bed): A baby bed is set up in the changing room of both the women's and the men's communal bath, and the bathing area has a baby bath and a baby chair, so you can bathe with peace of min
- Awara Onsen Kofuyupo Beniya · In-room semi-open-air bath (fed straight from the source): Every room has a semi-open-air bath fed straight from the source, so your family can enjoy the onsen on your own without watching the clock. Children who are not yet out of diapers
- Matsuya Sensen · Baby bed in the women's communal bath: One baby bed for infants is provided in the women's communal bath, so parents can bathe while bringing an infant along.
- Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Awara · Children's communal bath items and chanchanko (padded sleeveless jacket) available to borrow: Bathing items for young children are provided in the communal bath, so parents can bathe with peace of mind alongside a small child. Children's yukata and slippers are available as
- Awara Onsen Seifuso · Tatami private-hire baths Shirasagi and Sekirei: There are 2 tatami-floored private-hire baths, at 2,500 yen for 45 minutes including tax, with reservations required. The tatami washing areas are soft to the touch, so sitting str
Themed and family rooms(3 hotels, 3 items)
- Awara Onsen Grandia Housen · Dinosaur Room: A dinosaur-design Japanese-Western room with beds in Sakura-tei. The 62 sq m room has a bath and toilet, accommodates 2 to 5 guests, and comes with breakfast and dinner. It is also
- Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku · Superior Western-style Fours Dinosaur Room: A guest room on a playful dinosaur theme. It is one of the many room types you can choose from to suit how your family wants to spend the stay.
- Awara Onsen Seifuso · Honjin dinosaur room: A Japanese-Western room with 2 beds in a tatami room, with dinosaur touches all around. It sleeps 2 to 4 guests, and children aged 3 and over count toward that number. For parties
Nearby attractions
Travel tips
Getting to nearby spots like the dinosaur museum and Shibamasa World is easiest by car, so consider renting one. The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is very popular and sometimes requires advance reservations, so it's a good idea to check the reservation method on the official website before your visit. Awara Onsen's hot-spring town also has a foot bath, so you can enjoy a stroll after settling in at your hotel. If the Shibamasa World pool in summer is your main draw, it's a good idea to book your hotel early too.
Best season
Summer (July and August) is popular for pairing with the pool at Shibamasa World. The dinosaur museum can be enjoyed year-round, and winter is a great time to relax with Echizen crab and the hot springs.
Getting there
Awara-Onsen Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen is the gateway. Awara-Yunomachi Station on the Echizen Railway also serves the hot-spring town. By car, you can access it from the Kanazu IC on the Hokuriku Expressway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum from Awara Onsen?
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Yes. The Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum is in Katsuyama City, within driving distance from Awara Onsen. Using Awara Onsen as a base and combining a museum visit with a hot-spring stay is a popular family trip plan. During busy periods, advance reservations may be required, so it's a good idea to check the official website before your visit.
Are there hotels in Awara Onsen where kids can play?
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Oedo Onsen Monogatari Premium Seiunkaku has a kids' park with a large climbing structure, table tennis, and a manga corner, all free to use inside the hotel. Dinner is a buffet that even includes unlimited Haagen-Dazs ice cream, making it a hotel packed with things kids will love.
Is Awara Onsen a good choice for families with babies?
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Seiunkaku has a crib in the changing area of its large communal bath and a baby bath and baby chair in the bathing area, along with rentals of baby baths and bouncer seats, children's tableware, and allergy accommodations. Grandia Housen has simple hot spring water (tanjun-onsen), the type considered gentle for babies, and choosing in-room dining or a room with an open-air bath lets you spend time without worrying about other guests.