Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉) in northern Hyōgo Prefecture has become more and more popular among tourists both locally and overseas. Not only does the hot spring town have Michelin’s two-star rated scenery, but it is also filled with historical and cultural charms. But because the region is famous for Tajima beef, it might be difficult to find a place to dine if you are a vegan or vegetarian. Fortunately, there are a couple of vegan-friendly restaurants and hotels in Kinosaki Onsen!
The Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in and Close to Kinosaki Onsen
- Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe (お芋とカヌレ 城崎足湯カフェ)
- Cafe&Bar 3rd
- Sanpou Nishimuraya (さんぽう西村屋 本店)
- Gluten-free options are available.
- The restaurant doesn’t offer the vegan course meal from 2024. However, you can still bring your vegan sauce and order the cold soba.
- Restaurant Ricca (レストランRicca)
- Maruyama Coffee Shop (まるやまコーヒーショップ)
- Mame Cafe (まめ cafe)
Tip: Refer to HERE for Kinosaki Onsen’s vegan-friendly ryokans and hotels.
Kinosaki Burger (キノサキ バーガー)
The vegetarian-friendly restaurant closest to Kinosaki Onsen Station is Kinosaki Burger. The burger shop that receives a lot of praise for its Tajima Beef Burger also has a vegetarian option with a soy meat paddy. Even if you don’t typically like soy meat, give it a try. It tastes just like real meat and is much better than the average soy meat you might have tried.
The buns are perfectly toasted, and the condiments are just right. While the burgers aren’t sold at a cheap price, we reckon the taste is worth it!
Depending on where you sit, you can see the staff making burgers in the open kitchen.
Tips:
☛ The shop is usually full during lunch hours. Arrive early or late if you don’t want to queue.
☛ The fries and pancakes aren’t their strength.
Kinosaki Burger’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kinosaki Burger is open from 11 am to 4 pm.
- The last order for a takeaway order is at 3:45 pm.
- The last order for a dine-in order is at 3:30 pm.
- Please refer to their Instagram Account for the business calendars.
- The burger shop is a 1-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station.
Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe (お芋とカヌレ 城崎足湯カフェ)
Because Kinosaki Onsen is at least 2 hours away from Kyoto and Osaka, it will be the morning tea time when you arrive if you leave for the hot spring town first thing in the morning. Conveniently located close to the JR Kinosaki Station, Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe is a great place for snacks with a cup of tea or coffee!
Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe offers various sweet potato desserts and Canelé. Besides the normal table seats, there are also foot spa seats (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ. Especially in the colder months, soaking your feet into the warm hot spring while eating ice cream and sweet potato cream is like heaven.
An interesting thing we noticed about the foot spa is its temperature changes. The tub probably has a detecting device installed that increases the water temperature when more people enter the tub.
If you are unsure what to order, how about a Grilled Sweet Potato Canelé Soft Serve (焼き芋カヌレソフト)? It is a dessert that allows you to taste all of the cafe’s specialties. What is added to the rich milk soft serve is the crispy, sightly salted sweet potato chip and the freshly baked sliced sweet potato has a soft and flaky texture. You can also go with the premium version with sweetened sweet potato purée!
For those who aren’t a big fan of chocolate desserts, try the Yaki-imo Mont Blanc Soft Serve (焼きいモンブランソフト). It was recommended to us by the staff, and we absolutely loved it!
The Sweet Potato Cheesecake (お芋のチーズケーキ) is also recommended for those who love cheese. The combination of sweet potato and cheese is incredible and a good match to coffee.
If you are a vegan or prefer savory snacks, order a bag of sweet potato chips and enjoy the foot spa!
Tips:
☛ Remember to bring a towel to dry your feet. Towels can be purchased from the cafe, though.
☛ The foot spa at the back of the cafe offers a better vibe and is usually less crowded. The pattern that a tree’s root created outside the window is interesting to examine.
Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Kinosaki Ashiyu Cafe is open from 9 am to 6 pm.
- The cafe is a 1-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station (城崎温泉駅).
Cafe&Bar 3rd
For lunch, Cafe&Bar 3rd can be a good and affordable option. The cafe is vegan-friendly and offers two vegan lunch options, and can replace milk with soy milk for coffee.
The vegan bean curry is loved by those who have tried it. The small salad at the side is adequately seasoned. Just note that if you eat a lot, you might want to ask the staff if they can give you more rice. I wouldn’t be fully satisfied if I went in with an empty stomach.
Note they can’t exclude the garlic and onion used in curry.
The other vegan option is a Fresh Local Plate filled with fresh and grilled local vegetables and rice. The plate also comes with a cup of soup and salad. If you are a vegan, remember to let the staff know to make the plate without the sausage. You will get 100 yen off!
Tips:
☛ Cafe&Bar 3rd makes good coffee!
☛ It also has a hostel above the cafe. While we didn’t stay there, it seems it receives many overseas guests.
Cafe&Bar 3rd’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Cafe&Bar 3rd is open from 8 am to 5 pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
- Lunch is served from 11 am to 3 pm.
- Refer to Cafe&Bar 3rd’s Instagram Account for the business calendar. The cafe won’t open on the days marked green.
- The cafe is a 3-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Onsen Station (城崎温泉駅).
Sanpou Nishimuraya (さんぽう西村屋 本店)
Important: The restaurant doesn’t offer the vegan course meal from 2024. However, you can still bring your vegan sauce and order the cold soba.
When visiting a hot spring town like Kinosaki Onsen, we inevitably want to dine at a Japanese restaurant. But because bonito is a key ingredient of most Japanese dishes, finding one that can cater to the vegan diet can be hard.
But don’t worry! While limited, Sanpou Nishimuraya has vegan and gluten-free options for lunch and dinner! In addition to the amazing food menu, you can enjoy the attentive customer service of a luxury inn!
For more information, refer to our Sanpou Nishimuraya!
Restaurant Ricca (レストランRicca)
Restaurant Ricca is your best choice if you are after a restaurant in Kinosaki Onsen to celebrate a special occasion. The stylish Western-style restaurant is another facility run by Nishimuraya.
Situated in a leafy area, Restaurant Ricca offers a top-class dining experience. From the floor-to-ceiling window, you can enjoy the seasonal scenery of the vast forest garden as you taste the carefully prepared French and Italian cuisine.
The restaurant is particular about consuming only locally grown ingredients. This benefits the local farmers and allows you to taste the fresh produce harvested nearby! Of course, ingredients containing preservatives and additives aren’t used.
While Tajima beef is what the restaurant specializes in, it also offers a vegan dinner course. Each dish is an ingenious creation made by skilful chefs. You will most likely taste a few ingredients for the first time!
Refer to Restaurant Ricca’s menu HERE and make a reservation!
Restaurant Ricca’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Restaurant Ricca is open from
- 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch (L. O. 1 pm)
- Please reserve by 5 pm the day before.
- 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm for dinner (L. O. 7 pm)
- Please reserve by 2 pm on the day.
- 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch (L. O. 1 pm)
- The restaurant is a 20 to 25-minute walk from JR Kinosaki Station.
- From Kinosaki Onsen Ropeway, it is an 8-minute walk.
Important: All guests have to be 10 years or older.
Maruyama Coffee Shop (まるやまコーヒーショップ)
Because the accommodation cost in Kinosaki Onsen is high, especially during the peak tourist seasons, staying close to Toyooka Station can save you a lot of money. If you are a vegetarian, before jumping onto a train to the hot spring town, visit the Maruyama Coffee Shop for breakfast!
The cafe has a relaxing atmosphere created by brick walls, antique lighting, and old-fashioned style furniture. The coffee at Maruyama Coffee is carefully brewed using a siphon, which is probably why its customers highly praise it.
For breakfast, the Almond Toast is popular. It also comes with a small salad and a cup of coffee or tea. It is simply irresistible to the nice smell of the lightly grilled toast with almond butter and almond flakes!
The hot cake is another popular menu item. After receiving an order, the staff will start making your hot cakes using a griddle, so the hot cakes passed to you are always freshly made, piping hot, and fluffy. Adding the margarine and honey given, the hot cakes are amazing.
Important: The cafe allows smoking, so you might want to take away your order if you hate the smell.
Maruyama Coffee Shop (まるやまコーヒーショップ)
- Maruyama Coffee Shop is open from 7:30 am to 6 pm.
- The cafe is a 2-minute walk from JR Toyooka Station (豊岡駅).
Mame Cafe (まめ cafe)
For lunch, you can also consider visiting Mame Cafe, a small tofu dish restaurant a few stations away from Kinosaki Onsen. The usually vegan-friendly restaurant offers delicious Tofu Skin Bowls (湯葉丼セット) and Yutofu Set (湯豆腐セット). Both set menus come with a small cup of rich soymilk, which is really delicious. They can make these set menus and a couple of other menu items vegan upon request.
As soon as you enter the cafe, there are various kinds of tofu in the display fridge. There are even soymilk donuts! All tofu sold here is reasonably priced. Most of them are by Sobunosato (蘇武の里), a tofu shop popular among the locals in Toyooka. Because the tofu is properly made, you can enjoy the soy beans’ original taste, which is delicious even when eaten with just salt!
Each morning, freshly made tofu without preservatives is delivered to Mame Cafe, which is turned into amazing dishes.
Another fact that is worth highlighting about Mame Cafe is the oil used. Instead of the cheaper canola oil, the healthier sesame oil is used for stir-fried and deep-fried dishes!
Important: Depending on the day, Mame Cafe may offer menus that use meat, fish, and eggs. It is probably best to call them at +81-796-20-3825 to confirm if they can cater to a vegan diet on the day.
Tips:
☛ Arrive early. The cafe is small and can be full by noon. Unfortunately, they don’t take any reservations.
☛ The soymilk soft serve cone is really nice.
Mame Cafe’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Mame Cafe is open from 11 am to 6 pm from Tuesday to Saturday.
- The last order is at 4:30 pm.
- Tofu is sold from 11 am to 6 pm.
- The cafe is around a 15 to 20-minute walk from JR Ebara Station (江原駅).
Potential Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants Around Toyooka Station
- Namaste Toyooka Main Store (ナマステ豊岡本店)
- Kakurenbo (かくれんぼ): Okonomiyaki Restaurant
- Porco Rosso (ポルコロッソ): Italian Restaurant
Kinosaki Onsen’s Vegan-Friendly Ryokans/Hotels
- Mikuniya (心の宿 三國屋)
- Three private onsen tubs can be utilized for free as long as they are vacated from 6 am to 11 pm.
- Traditional Yukata set can be rented for 500 yen, so you can explore the traditional township in the traditional outfit!
- Please inform the hotel what you can’t eat beforehand. They will let you know if they can cater.
- Nishimuraya Honkan (西村屋本館)
- One of the best ryokans in Kinosaki Onsen. It was opened in the 1850s.
- The ryokan has a gorgeous Japanese garden and a small museum with various old photos, local specialties, and Samurai armor and swords.
- Please inform the ryokan at least 3 days beforehand about what you can’t eat so they can prepare your dinner.
- Nishimuraya Hotel Shogetsutei (西村屋ホテル招月庭)
- One of the best hotels in Kinosaki Onsen. It is operated by Nishimuraya.
- Please inform the hotel at least 3 days beforehand about what you can’t eat so they can prepare your dinner.
- Breakfast at Nishimuraya is served buffet style. Ingredients used are labeled for you to decide what you can or can’t eat.
- Luxurious private onsen pools are available to rent for extra costs.
- Oyado Seri (お宿 芹)
- A family-run hotel north of Kinosaki Onsen Station.
- Free pick-up and drop-off service is available between 3 pm and 10:30 pm and 7 am and 10 am. When you are ready to head back to the hotel, simply give them a phone call, and they will pick you up from the Kinosaki Onsen town center.
- Please inform the hotel what you can’t eat beforehand. They will let you know if they can cater.
- A private onsen tub can be utilized for free from 3 pm to 11:30 pm. A session is 40 minutes. Please reserve with the reception upon arrival.
- Traditional Yukata set can be rented for 1,000 yen, so you can explore the traditional township in the traditional outfit!
Exploring Kinosaki Onsen
Kinosaki Onsen (城崎温泉) is one of the most popular destinations in northern Hyōgo Prefecture among tourists both locally and overseas. Not only does the hot spring town have a traditional relaxing vibe, but the scenery from Mt. Daishi (大師山) has earned a Michelin two-star rating!
For more information about what to do and where to go, please refer to our Kinosaki Onsen article!
