Tatsuno Onsen

Tatsuno Onsen offers mineral thermal bathing in the historic castle town of Tatsuno, whose identity is inseparable from two ancient crafts: the production of soy sauce (shoyu)—Tatsuno's tamari soy sauce has been brewed in cedar barrels since the Edo period and designated a traditional craft of Japan—and the hand-spinning of high-quality Banshu textiles woven on the banks of the Ibo River. The warm mineral waters ease the hands and shoulders of artisans who sustain these centuries-old production traditions in a beautifully preserved castle town whose Tatsuno Castle, reflected in the Ibo River, is known as 'the little Himeji.' The pairing of shoyu culture, castle heritage, and restorative thermal bathing makes a visit to Tatsuno Onsen a rich immersion in the artisanal soul of western Hyogo.