Kawayu Onsen Pension Ashitano Mori
Reference price as of September 5, 2026 (stay 2026-09-26). US$ is an approximate conversion from yen. Check the booking site for actual rates.
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forumWhat families say
Guests praise the location right in front of Kawayu Onsen, the private-hire family baths with onsen flowing directly from the source, and the home cooking made with home-grown ingredients. They also value the calm atmosphere with the warmth of wood, and the pension's usefulness as a base for walking the Kumano Kodo.
Kids Facilities
Private-hire family baths with onsen flowing directly from the source
Private-hire family baths with onsen flowing directly from the source
The pension has 2 private-hire family baths fed by onsen flowing directly from the source, which your family can use on its own whenever you like, all through the night. The chloride spring water keeps you warm long after bathing, and the bathroom walls are built from iron-plate stone slabs with fern fossils in them. Right in front of the pension, Kawayu Onsen lets you bathe in the open air in the riverbed itself, and in winter the famous Sennin-buro appears.
- •The private-hire family baths are available all night and can be used as many times as you like.
- •Sennin-buro is available only from December to the end of February, and appears in the Oto River right in front of the pension.
- •The private-hire family baths are free of charge.
Children's meals
Children's meals
For children there is a plate set with local wagyu Hamburg steak and fried shrimp. The dishes are home cooking made with home-grown rice and vegetables raised without agricultural chemicals.
- •Boxed lunches for walking the Kumano Kodo (600 yen) and rice-ball boxed lunches (300 yen) can also be prepared if arranged in advance.
Overview
Kawayu Onsen Pension Ashitano Mori is a warm, wood-filled pension on the banks of the Oto River, in the Hongu area of the Kumano Kodo World Heritage pilgrimage routes. The owner, who works in forestry, built it using cedar and Japanese cypress grown by the family for generations. Inside are 2 private-hire family baths with onsen flowing directly from the source, open all night whenever you like. Right in front of the pension is Kawayu Onsen, where hot water wells up when you dig into the riverbed, and in winter, from December to the end of February, the famous giant open-air bath Sennin-buro appears. Dinner is home cooking built around home-grown ingredients, including local wagyu steak and Hamburg steak.
This pension sits at Kawayu Onsen in Hongu-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama, in the Kumano Hongu Taisha area of the Kumano Kodo World Heritage pilgrimage routes. It stands in a superb spot directly facing the Oto River, and the owner, who works in forestry, built it from cedar and Japanese cypress that their family had raised with care for generations, giving the whole place the warmth of wood. The pillars, wall panels and corridors are Japanese cypress and the beams are cedar; no imported timber or steel framing was used.
Onsen
Inside are 2 private-hire family baths with onsen flowing directly from the source, which you can use whenever you like, as many times as you like, all through the night. The spring water is a chloride spring, and there is plenty of it, so you stay warm long after your bath. The bathroom walls are built from iron-plate stone slabs with fern fossils in them, so you can hunt for fossils while you soak. Right in front of the pension is Kawayu Onsen, where hot water wells up when you dig into the riverbed. In summer you can play in the river and enjoy the onsen at the same time, and from December to the end of February the Oto River is dammed to create Sennin-buro, an enormous open-air bath.
Rooms
There are 5 rooms on the river side, looking out over the Oto River, and 1 room on the green mountain side. From the windows you can see a sky full of stars, and sometimes wild monkeys and deer. Each room has a television, tea set, towels, toothbrushes, yukata and slippers; children's sleepwear needs to be brought from home. The pension also has a small library, a shop and vending machines.
Dining
The rice, tea and vegetables are home-grown without agricultural chemicals, and the handmade hospitality has earned a good name. Dinner includes sets such as local wagyu sirloin steak and homemade Hamburg steak. For children there is a plate set with local wagyu Hamburg steak and fried shrimp. Breakfast is an English breakfast with bread, scrambled eggs, bacon and onsen eggs (soft-cooked eggs), served with black tea made from the pension's own tea leaves. Boxed lunches for walking the Kumano Kodo (600 yen) and rice-ball boxed lunches (300 yen) can also be arranged on request.
Sightseeing
The pension makes a convenient base for exploring the Kumano Kodo World Heritage pilgrimage routes. It is close to the starting point for walking the Nakahechi, the pilgrimage route leading to Kumano Hongu Taisha, and the next morning you can set off to walk the old pilgrimage route from the bus stop just beside the pension. The owner knows the mountains well and is happy to talk through Kumano Kodo routes with you.
Access & Information
| location_onAddress | 1440-2 Kawayu, Hongu-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama 647-1711 |
|---|---|
| directions_carAccess | Coming from the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area, the nearest station is Kii-Tanabe Station on the JR Kisei Main Line; coming from the Nagoya direction, it is Shingu Station on the same line. By car from Osaka, take the Hanwa Expressway, then National Route 42 and National Route 311. A rental car is convenient from any of the stations or airports. |
| trainNearest station | Shingu Station |
| local_parkingParking | Parking for 7 cars, free of charge. |
| callPhone | +81-735-42-1525 |
| languageOfficial site | http://www.ashitanomori.jp/open_in_new |
Map
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Reference price as of September 5, 2026 (stay 2026-09-26). US$ is an approximate conversion from yen. Check the booking site for actual rates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What ages is Kawayu Onsen Pension Ashitano Mori best suited to?
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It has facilities that work especially well for babies and toddlers (ages 0 to 2) and children aged 3 and over. There is no age limit, and families with children of any age can stay.
Is there parking at Kawayu Onsen Pension Ashitano Mori?
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Parking: Parking for 7 cars, free of charge.
How do you get to Kawayu Onsen Pension Ashitano Mori?
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Coming from the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe area, the nearest station is Kii-Tanabe Station on the JR Kisei Main Line; coming from the Nagoya direction, it is Shingu Station on the same line. By car from Osaka, take the Hanwa Expressway, then National Route 42 and National Route 311. A rental car is convenient from any of the stations or airports.
How much does it cost for a child to stay?
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On the bed-and-breakfast plan, the weekday rate for preschool-age children is 3,240 yen with breakfast, 2,700 yen with a bed, and 1,080 yen with neither meals nor a bed. Each rate is different on public holidays.
What are the children's rates during busy periods such as New Year and the summer holidays?
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During the New Year period, summer holidays, spring holidays and similar busy times, the rate for preschool-age children is 8,640 yen with meals and futon bedding, 6,480 yen with meals only, 3,240 yen with futon bedding only, and 2,160 yen with neither meals nor futon bedding.
What is on the children's meal menu?
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The children's meal is a plate set with local wagyu Hamburg steak and fried shrimp. The meal-included option for preschool-age children is the same as the children's menu.
Is sleepwear provided for children?
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Yukata are provided in every room, but children's sleepwear needs to be brought from home.
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Information on this page was compiled by directly consulting Official website, Rakuten Travel, Jalan (last verified: August 2026). Prices, availability and seasonal operations change. Please check each booking site for the latest information.
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