SENSE ​YOGA
感受瑜珈

Shirahama Onsen has 1300 years of history. It is famous not only as one of three oldest hot spring ("onsen") resorts in Japan but also as one of the most beautiful beach resorts in West Japan.

It is a mystery that hot springs exist in Shirahama Onsen though there is no volcano around the area. In 2000, Shirarahama Beach and Waikiki Beach (Honolulu, Hawaii, US) established a good will sister beach relationship.

Kawayu Onsen is a geological thermal wonder located on the Oto River, a tributary of the Kumano-gawa River. “Kawa” means “river” and “yu” means “hot water”. 

Kawayu Onsen is one of the three hot spring hamlets that make up the Hongu Onsen-kyo area.The world heritage Kumano Hongu Taisha and Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes are close by.

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In 794, Kyoto (then known as Heian-kyō) was chosen as the new seat of Japan's imperial court. The Emperors of Japan ruled from Kyoto in the following eleven centuries until 1869, when the court relocated to Tokyo. 

Kyoto is considered the cultural capital of Japan and a major tourist destination. It is home to numerous Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces and gardens, many of which are listed collectively by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The Kumano Kodo is one of only two pilgrimage World Heritage Sites globally. Its history stretches back over a thousand years. For millennia the mountainous region of Kumano has been thought to be the mythical “holy ground where gods dwell.” During the Heian period (794 - 1185), the Imperial household and court made the 30 to 40 day arduous journey from the ancient capital of Kyoto to this remote area, in search of heaven on earth.

Katsuura Onsen is located on the southeast coast of the Kii Peninsula. It is in essence a fishing port turned hot spring resort. The most dominate landmark in Katsuura is the Hotel Urashima. It has the feel of an Onsen Disneyland or James Bond-like fortress and is located on an island-like peninsula in Katsuura Bay. There are seven baths scattered throughout the facility including one in a cave overlooking the Pacific Ocean. 

Myoshinji is a large temple complex in northwestern Kyoto which includes about 50 subtemples in addition to its main buildings. Within the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, Myoshinji is the head temple of the Myoshinji school with over 3000 affiliated temples and calls itself the largest of all Zen temples. Myoshinji was founded in 1337 when an  abdicated emperor had an imperial villa converted into a Zen temple.