Oomuraya (Onsen Minshuku Oomuraya) is a family-run guesthouse in Kawayu Onsen, in the Hongu area of Tanabe, Wakayama, on the World Heritage Kumano Kodo. Its own line is relaxing in free-flowing hot-spring water and taking it easy in your room. Before you book, three things matter: overseas guests cannot use its own booking form; dinner starts at 18:30, so aim to arrive by 18:00; and a 150-yen bathing tax is added to the price.
Oomuraya at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1406-1 Kawayu, Hongu-cho, Tanabe, Wakayama |
| Phone | 0735-42-1066 (from abroad +81-735-42-1066) |
| Checkout | 10:00 |
| Hot-spring baths | Free-flowing, in Buildings 1 and 2 |
| Dinner / breakfast | From 18:30 / from 7:00 (6:30 on request) |
| Prices | From 12,900 yen per person with two meals (weekdays, 2+ guests) |
| Extra charge | Bathing tax 150 yen |
| Pets | Buildings 2 and 3 and the Okubekkan villa only |
| Payment | Cash (yen only), cards, QR payment, transit IC cards |
From the official site and booking form, read October 20, 2026.
A cat lives in the lobby of Buildings 1 and 2 and a dog drops in part-time, so the inn asks guests with cat or dog allergies not to stay.
Getting to Oomuraya in Kawayu Onsen
How do I get there by train and bus?
From Shin-Osaka, take the Kuroshio limited express to Kii-Tanabe, then a bus of about 150 minutes. From Nagoya, take the Nanki limited express to Shingu, then a bus of about 60 minutes. The bus stop is a 1-minute walk from the inn. By car, the access page gives the Hanwa Expressway to Nanki-Tanabe, then Routes 42 and 311; from Nagoya, the Kisei Expressway to Kumano-Odomari, then Route 168. Parking is free for staying guests.
Can the inn drive me to Kumano Hongu Taisha?
Ask the inn. The booking form lists a fuel fee of 1,000 yen for a drop-off or a pick-up in a small car, or 2,000 yen for both, to Kumano Hongu Taisha, the World Heritage Center and the bus stop in front, Ukegawa bus stop, or the Kogumotori trail entrance at Ukegawa. The inn also notes that, as a rule, Hongu has only one taxi; Kumano Daiichi Kotsu’s Shingu office is on 0735-22-6311.
Rooms and buildings
| Building | What the official site lists |
|---|---|
| Building 1 | 8-mat Japanese rooms with toilet and a river view; a small solo room on the 4th floor (toilet on the floor); smoking allowed on floors 3 and up; no elevator; no pets |
| Building 2 | Western special room and twin (with toilet), a Japanese room, a large hall and a single; pets allowed |
| Building 3 | A Japanese-Western room up a fairly steep stairway between Buildings 1 and 2; its bath is not hot-spring water; pets allowed |
| Okubekkan | A rented villa for 3 or more with kitchen, terrace, BBQ and dog run; no meals |
Rooms have their own air conditioning, a bidet toilet where a toilet is listed, a kettle, TV, tea set and yukata. Towels are free to take in front of the bath on the 1st floor. Apart from the smoking rooms, the buildings are non-smoking, and the smoking spot is in the parking lot in front of Building 2. The Okubekkan villa is priced per building, room only: 19,500 yen for three, 26,000 yen for four and 32,500 yen for five, tax included.
The baths at Oomuraya
Which baths are hot-spring water?
The inn says the baths in Buildings 1 and 2 are free-flowing hot-spring water. Building 2 has one bath each for men and women. The baths in Building 3, the Okubekkan villa and the Kogumokan guesthouse are not hot-spring water.
Is there a private bath?
Yes. Building 1 has two private family baths. The official site does not give bath hours or how the private baths are reserved, so ask at check-in.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Meals at Oomuraya
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Dinner starts at 18:30 and breakfast at 7:00, or 6:30 on request, in the dining room of Building 2; guests in Buildings 1 and 3 eat there too, though meals may be served in your building in busy seasons. Dinner choices on the price page include the Manpuku set meal, a seafood bowl, a tuna bowl, rolled sushi and grilled meat. Breakfast is Japanese, or you can swap it for a Kumano Kodo lunch box to take away.
Can the inn handle allergies or a vegan diet?
The price page asks guests who need allergy-free, vegetarian or vegan food to contact the inn as early as possible, and says it will cater for them.
Can I order a lunch box for the trail?
Yes, by reservation. The lunch box page lists a Kumano Kodo lunch box at 1,300 yen and a Kumano vegetarian box, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, at 2,000 yen, among others. There is an English order form for overseas guests.
Prices and rules
How much does a stay cost?
Per person for two or more guests in Buildings 1 to 3, the price page lists 12,900 yen with two meals on weekdays and 13,900 yen on Saturdays and nights before holidays, rising to 19,800 to 22,000 yen in busy seasons. With breakfast only it is from 8,400 yen, and room only from 6,900 yen. Long weekends, Golden Week, summer holidays and New Year are priced separately. The inn adds a bathing tax of 150 yen; see our onsen bathing tax guide. Pets cost 2,700 yen a night for a very small to small dog, 3,200 yen for a medium dog and 3,800 yen for a large one.
What do children cost?
The price page offers children’s dinners at 80 or 50 percent of the adult price, with different contents; from junior high school age, guests get the adult meal. The official site does not list children’s room rates.
What is the cancellation policy?
The price page lists 20 percent from 14 days before, 50 percent from 7 days before, and 100 percent on the day or for a no-show. The fee for the day before differs between official pages, so confirm it when you book. If a typhoon or bad weather stops you, contact the inn quickly; it says it will take that into account. See our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
Cash (Japanese yen only), bank transfer in advance, credit cards, QR payments such as PayPay, and transit IC cards such as PASMO and ICOCA.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Oomuraya
- The official site is in Japanese only, and its booking form says overseas guests cannot reserve there; it sends them to Kumano Travel instead.
- Questions go through the contact form, which is answered by email within about 48 hours. Replies on weekends and holidays may come later; for a stay today or tomorrow, call 0735-42-1066.
- Aim to arrive by 18:00; call if you will be later.
- Building 1 has no elevator, and Building 3 is up a steep stairway.
- Taxis are scarce in Hongu, so ask about the inn’s drop-off or check bus times in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book Oomuraya from overseas?
What time should I arrive at Oomuraya?
Can I use the bath at Oomuraya with a tattoo?
What is the cancellation policy at Oomuraya?
Does Oomuraya have an English website?
Bottom line (2026): Oomuraya is a family-run minshuku in Kawayu Onsen with free-flowing hot-spring baths, two private family baths and trail lunch boxes, from 12,900 yen with two meals. Plan to arrive by 18:00, and ask the inn directly about bath hours, tattoos and anything the site does not cover.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Oomuraya’s official pages: home, guest information, prices and meals, rooms, Okubekkan villa, access, lunch boxes, the Building 1 booking form and the contact form, all in Japanese. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
Tokyo to Osaka, Tokyo to Kyushu, Tokyo to Hokkaido — day by day — plus seven places most visitors never reach.
- 12 pages, 80 photographs, every stop linked to its guide
- Every price and opening hour read from the official page
- Re-issued monthly, so it does not go stale in your inbox
Free. One email a month, plus the rare change that matters. Unsubscribe with one click in any email. By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy.
