Visit Nara

Deep in the mountains in southern Nara, Totsukawa Onsen is close to the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route and sacred mountain paths. Yunotani Senkei is a family-run luxury ryokan, offering comfort, privacy and all the modern necessities in a calm, refined atmosphere. Although the ryokan is quite new (it opened in 2017), it draws its waters from Senkei no Onsen, the oldest hot spring in the area, known for its sulfur-rich waters. There are just nine private cottages, with their own outdoor baths, with water taken directly from the nearby hot spring. Dine on local specialties including matsutake mushrooms, Mikumano beef from the region and seafood from the nearby Kii peninsula. Next to the restaurant, you can relax in the cozy bar. Drift off to sleep to the sound of the nearby stream, which hosts fireflies on summer evenings. One of the charms of the accommodation is its remote mountain location, but a convenient shuttle bus will ferry guests from the nearest station to the ryokan.