Kawayu Onsen

In Kawayu Onsen, you can dig your own bath in the rocky bed of the Oto river, which flows into the Kumano river. This relatively rare phenomenon is the reason for the onsen’s popularity in spring. In summer, bathers can fully enjoy the fresh river water and in winter (from November to February), a section of the river is closed off to create a giant outdoor bath. This bath is 40 metres (about 130 feet) long, 15 metres (about 50 feet) wide and 60 centimetres (about 2 feet) deep. It is called “Sennin buro”, which suggests that “1,000 people” could easily bathe there at the same time.