Hongucho Yunomine, Wakayama, Japan

We spent our last night in rural Wakayama at a hostel in the onsen town of Hongucho Yunomine. I booked this place on a whim as a stopover on our back north, and it turned out to be one of our favorites of the trip! The hostel, frequently visited by hikers on pilgrimage through the mountains, was a haven of warmth and camaraderie. There were three private onsens that were first come first served, a first for us since we both have tattoos and couldn't use the public onsens we encountered. It was a perfect, relaxing end to our time in the countryside before heading back to the city.