Hot Springs (Kumara, Min-oo?)
 

Have been reading about hot springs in/near Kyoto. Has anyone ever been to either Kumara or Min-oo?

Any advice, suggestion, recommendations regarding them or any others?

All ideas appreciated: Good, Bad, Indifferent.
Thanks.

It's "Kurama". I haven't been there, but am going in March and will hike the trail btwn Kibune and Kurama, ending at the onsen. A poster named Mealea on this board (who lives in Japan) recommended this to another poster, and that is what got me started trying to find info on it. I do not think there are any posts here from people who have been there, at least not when I looked. But on another travel baord, www.japanguide.com, there is a poster named Peter who has been there and said it was great. He also posted a link about Min-oo. It is hard to find much good firsthand info on these places (I know, I've tried), so check out this thread:
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/que...y.html?0+11833
Also, there are a few blogs w/personal experience and pictures of kurama on the web if you search.
Goood luck. I will be posting in early April about my trip and will let you know then (I hope I can get my son to let me go into the onsen after hiking; he is not into the naked bathing thing, regardless of the fact that it is separate by sex)

Thanks emd.
Will check out that link.
I will be there in mid-April, so if you want to post something about your experience when you get back it would be nice!

Hi emd>

Did you notice on the Minoo site it says that the Open-Air Bath ("Gokoh-no-Yu")is for ladies only?
Soooo - don't get into a fuss with your son <s>.


</s>

ok, I am going through papers this morning doing my travel notebook for Kyoto and came across good info I printed out on Kurama:

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/RTG/RI/kan...ma/kurama.html

http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/6e248/edca5/

http://www.aaronwilliamson.com/trave...ama/kurama.htm

The last two have nice pictures of the onsen and the area. I can't wait for this hike.

Marvelous sites emd.
Thank you so much.
Getting more and more excited as the time draws near.