Hotel Urashima
Hotel Urashima is a large hotel on a rocky peninsula that reaches into Katsuura Bay, in Wakayama Prefecture. It is made up of four main buildings connected by tunnels, elevators, and escalators, with colored lines on the floor to help guests find their way through the complex.
Hotel Urashima opened in 1956 and grew over the following decades into one of the most recognized seaside resorts in the Kii Peninsula area. Its reputation was built around natural hot springs and a setting that felt removed from city life.
Katsuura is a coastal town where onsen culture is a central part of local life, and the hotel is one of the most well-known places to experience it. Many Japanese guests travel here specifically to soak in natural hot spring water, a tradition that connects rest and nature in a very direct way.
The hotel is reached by a short ferry ride from a pier near Kii-Katsuura Station, with boats running until late evening. The complex has parking, shops, karaoke rooms, and coin laundry facilities on site.
One of the hotel's hot spring baths, called Boki-do, is set inside a natural sea cave, so guests can soak while hearing the waves and seeing the open ocean through the cave mouth. A second cave bath, Genbu-do, has slightly cooler water, which makes it a good option for families with children.
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