Kaike Onsen in Tottori Prefecture: A Coastal Hot Spring Town on the Sea of Japan

Get to know Kaike Onsen

Kaike Onsen is a seaside hot spring resort famous for its skin-rejuvenating waters. It’s also incredibly photogenic, offering breathtaking views of the sea and sky. Many visitors come to capture the beauty of the sunrise or sunset.

Kaike Onsen: A hot spring resort where you can enjoy both sea bathing and hot springs

Kaike Onsen is a seaside hot spring resort known for its abundant, skin-beneficial waters, making it especially popular among women in recent years. Surrounded by the stunning beauty of the sea and sky, it’s a favorite spot for tourists to take commemorative photos at sunrise and sunset. The endless expanse of shimmering blue waters has long offered a soothing escape for visitors.

Kaike Onsen Kaiyu Beach—One of Japan's 88 Best Swimming Beaches selected by the Ministry of the Environment

As one of the top hot spring resorts in the San'in region, the beach in front of Kaike Onsen is open for swimming in the summer. Lifeguards are on duty, so families can enjoy the water with peace of mind.

Kaike Onsen Kaiyu Beach (Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association)
Address: 1-1-1 Kaike Onsen, Yonago-shi, Tottori Prefecture
Official website: https://www.kaike-onsen.com/english/index.php

Features and benefits of Kaike Onsen

The spring is a saline hot spring, a hallmark of seaside hot spring towns, and is highly moisturizing. It’s gaining attention for its skincare and beauty benefits, stress relief, and even therapeutic uses such as rehabilitation.

Best sightseeing spots around Kaike Onsen

There are plenty of attractions to explore, including the Adachi Museum of Art, famous for its gardens that change with the seasons, and the ruins of Yonago Castle, the first castle built in the San-in region during the early modern period.

Adachi Museum of Art: Enjoy the beautiful Japanese garden

The museum is home to what’s considered Japan’s most beautiful garden, ranked No. 1 by a U.S. magazine. Its founder, Zenko Adachi, designed six gardens spanning 50,000 square meters, guided by his belief that “a garden is also a painting.” The gardens change with the seasons, so be sure to see them in person. A direct bus from Kaike Onsen takes about 45 minutes.

Adachi Museum of Art
Address: 320 Furukawa-cho, Yasugi-shi, Shimane Prefecture
Official website: https://www.adachi-museum.or.jp/en/

Sakaiminato: See a port lined with bronze monster statues

Sakaiminato is a quirky and fun town where you can encounter yokai, supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore. Mizuki Shigeru Road, a straight street leading from JR Sakaiminato Station, is lined with 140 bronze statues of yokai. The road takes visitors to the Mizuki Shigeru Museum, dedicated to these fascinating and slightly bizarre creatures.

Here, you can learn both the origins of the yokai and the life of Shigeru Mizuki, the famous manga artist behind them. Inside the museum, you can also read his manga, getting completely absorbed in his world. A direct bus from Kaike Onsen makes getting there easy.

Shigeru Mizuki Museum
Address: Honmachi Arcade Street, 5 Honmachi, Sakaiminato-shi, Tottori Prefecture
Official website: http://mizuki.sakaiminato.net/

Best accommodations in Kaike Onsen

Kaike Onsen offers a variety of appealing accommodations. During the day, you can enjoy the beach, and at night, relax to the sound of the waves under a sky reflected on the sea. Back at your lodging, a dinner of freshly caught seafood awaits.

Umiiro Yu no Yado Shogetsu

Although there are only 19 guest rooms, the inn offers a variety of room types. The inn boasts hot spring water with skincare benefits, a large bath with a view 27 meters above the ground, and an open-air bath. The amenities and facilities are also excellent. Guests can enjoy the seasonal delicacies of the San'in region, such as seasonal seafood and the famous Tottori wagyu beef.

Umiiro Yu no Yado Shogetsu
Address: 3-4-25 Kaike Onsen, Yonago-shi, Tottori Prefecture
Official website: https://www.shogetsu.co.jp/en/

Kaike Seaside Hotel

It is an inn where you can easily drop in and enjoy both the convenience of a hotel and the relaxation of a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). All guest rooms offer superb sea views. The hot spring water is free-flowing, and in addition to the regular open-air baths, there are also private open-air baths that can be reserved for family relaxation. Guests can fully enjoy the delicacies of the sea from the rich San'in Sea and the mountains from Daisen National Park, and the cuisine unique to this region.

Kaike Seaside Hotel
Address: 3-4-3 Kaike Onsen, Yonago-shi, Tottori Prefecture
Official website: https://kaike-seaside-hotel.co.jp/ (in Japanese only)

Yonago / Kaike Onsen Kaisuitei

This hot spring inn features its own hot spring source. Surrounded by rugged natural rocks, the open-air baths offer a spectacular view of the Sea of Japan. The inn is also equipped with a spa where you can enjoy esthetic treatments and massages. Together with the skin-beautifying hot spring water, you can refresh your body and mind. Kaiseki cuisine that uses seasonal ingredients in abundance is also popular.

Yonago/Kaike Onsen Kasuitei
Address: 4-19-10 Kaike Onsen, Yonago-shi, Tottori Prefecture
Official website: https://kaikeonsenkasuitei.jp/

Access to Kaike Onsen

Access from Kanto to Yonago

・By airplane: Tokyo (Haneda) → Yonago Kitaro Airport (about 80 mins)
・By train: Tokyo → Okayama → Yonago Station (about 6 hrs)

Access from Kansai to Yonago Station

・By highway bus: Osaka Umeda → Yonago Station (Travel time: about 3 hrs 25 mins)
・By train: Shin-Osaka → Okayama → Yonago Station (Travel time: about 3 hrs 10 mins)

Access from Izumoshi Station to Yonago Station

・By rail: Izumoshi Station → Yonago Station (about 50 mins)　

Access from Okayama Station to Yonago Station

・By train: Okayama Station → Yonago Station (Travel time: about 2 hrs 10 mins)　
・By highway bus: Okayama Station West Exit → Yonago Station (Travel time: about 2.5 hrs)

Access to Kaike Onsen from Yonago Station

・By bus: Yonago Station → Kaike Onsen (about 20 mins)　
・By taxi: Yonago Station → Kaike Onsen (about 15 mins)

Let's enjoy the luxury of a hot spring bath with a view of the sea at Kaike Onsen

In this issue, we introduced some famous sightseeing spots in Kaike Onsen and Yonago, one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Japan. Please enjoy the luxury of soaking in a hot spring while gazing at the sea.

*The information in this article, such as prices and business hours, was accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. Please refer to the official website(s) for the latest information.

*When staying at a hotel or ryokan, you may be charged an accommodation tax and/or a hot spring tax depending on the area. Please pay directly at the hotel.