Kinosaki Onsen's Winter Event, 'Crab Kingdom': Video Introduction

This video, titled "'Crab Kingdom' at Kinosaki Onsen in Winter" (冬の城崎温泉「かに王国」), was uploaded by "kinosakiTV."
The video begins with beautiful scenes of Kinosaki in winter. Be sure to check it out.
[Video] 0:13 - A Sea of Clouds at Mt. Kuruhi
[Video] 0:20 - Morning Mist on the Maruyama River
[Video] 3:00 - Kinosaki Literature Museum

The town of Kinosaki, located in Toyooka, Hyogo in Japan's Kansai region, is known for its hot springs. At 1,300 years old, Kinosaki Onsen is a large hot spring resort town, and its streets retain a historical atmosphere from a bygone era.
In February of 2013, Kinosaki Onsen was awarded two stars in the third edition of the Michelin Green Guide Japan, and was also ranked first in the Hot Springs General Election of 2016, in the Inbound category, sponsored by the Japan Tourism Agency and the Ministry of the Environment. Kinosaki Onsen is popular among both domestic and international travelers.

Kinosaki Onsen's Crab Kingdom (かに王国, Kani Oukoku) will open in conjunction with the arrival of the snow crab season in the winter. At Crab Kingdom, visitors can feast on delicious snow crab, which is only available during the winter months, and also participate in some unique events. In this article, we'll introduce Kinosaki Onsen's Crab Kingdom that takes place during winter!

Crab Season at Kinosaki Onsen

Photo：Snow crab

Winter is all about crab in Japan, and snow crabs caught in the Sea of Japan in the San'in region, where Kinosaki Onsen is located, are said to be the most delicious in Japan. Snow crab is officially called "Zuwai-gani" (ズワイガニ) in Japanese, but the name for snow crab is different depending on what region you visit, with those caught in the San'in region being called "Matsuba-gani" (松葉ガニ).

Because snow crab in Kinosaki grows in a plankton-rich environment, it's highly regarded for its superior meat and kani miso. The crab is ranked and sorted by professionals, and depending on the rank, it can cost anywhere from several thousand yen to several tens of thousands of yen.

Freshness is the most important factor for snow crab caught in Kinosaki. Furthermore there is also Beni-zuwai-gani, which is the same as regular snow crab , but has slightly less meat, but a sweeter taste. The season for snow crab, which is hard to find outside of season, opens on November 6 and runs until March 20. Be sure to try Matsuba-gani, a luxury food only available in Kinosaki Onsen, if you visit during winter!
[Video] 0:29 - The Opening of the Matsuba-gani Crab Season

Christmas and Other Winter Events at Crab Kingdom

Source :YouTube screenshot

During the crab season at Kinosaki Onsen, the area is referred to as 'Crab Kingdom.' One of the highlights of Crab Kingdom is its unique winter events. The Crab Kingdom Shouting Contest is held to celebrate the opening of the Crab Kingdom with the arrival of the snow crab season.

Wearing a crab hat and happi, visitors shout "Kani-san, Arigato!" (カニさんありがとう！, Thank you, crabs!), followed by a message they wish to share, and compete to see who can yell it the loudest. This shouting contest is unique to Kinosaki and has become a winter tradition. The winners of the contest receive prizes, including things like free snow crab.
[Video] 1:15 - The Crab Kingdom Shouting Contest

On December 24, Christmas Eve, the Crab Santa Christmas Event is held at JR Kinosaki Onsen Station. The event is limited to the first 100 visitors and includes a Christmas gift from Crab Santa, a raffle for snow crab and Tajima Beef, and many other fun activities.
[Video] 1:59 - The Crab Santa Christmas Event

Also, be sure to check out Kinosaki Onsen Illumination Project 2022, "A Time of Reflection" (返照の時, Hensho no Toki). In collaboration with MS TRUSTY, an illumination project that amplifies the charms of the hot spring resort area has been brought to life. Visitors can enjoy the illumination of the hot spring resort from November 7, 2022 to March 31, 2023 on Kiyamachi Street (木屋町通り, Kiyamachi-dori) in the Kinosaki Onsen resort area.

Day Trips and Overnight Stays to Feast on Crab in Kinosaki!

Photo：Steamed crab in an earthenware pot, Kinosaki Onsen ※Image is for reference only

For those interested in visiting Kinosaki in winter, nothing beats hitting the relaxing hot springs and filling your belly with tasty snow crab. Here are some recommended hotels and plans that allow you to do just that!

If you're looking to taste the famous snow crab of Kinosaki Onsen, we recommend Yamashiroya (山しろや). At this Japanese-style inn, you can enjoy fresh snow crab from November to March. The most popular plan is the "Manpuku Kani-suki Plan" (満腹かにすきプラン), which includes crab sukiyaki, grilled crab, sashimi made from locally caught fish, zosui rice with kani miso (crab brain), and fruit, allowing you to enjoy a full meal of seasonal snow crab. The soup stock used for the crab sukiyaki is a secret recipe made by simmering 13 different ingredients for 9 hours.

If you just want to get your fill of crab, and aren't worried about the smaller details of the trip, Kawaguchiya Kinosaki Riverside Hotel is a popular hotel that offers an all-you-can-eat crab dinner at an affordable price, and is just an 8-minute walk from Kinosaki Onsen Station via the JR San'in Line.

For those with limited time, we recommend the Full Course Day-trip Crab Lunch Plan at Kawaguchiya Honkan. Located in the center of Kinosaki Onsen, Kawaguchiya Honkan is popular for its traditional Japanese-style atmosphere, ideal for touring the outside hot springs, and its private open-air baths with a lovely atmosphere. At this inn, you can also enjoy day-trip crab lunches of sukiyaki and grilled crab at a restaurant with a sunken kotatsu to keep you warm.
Enjoy an amazing time at Kinosaki Onsen with relaxing hot springs and delicious snow crab!

Summary of Kinosaki Onsen's 'Crab Kingdom'

Kinosaki Onsen is famous for its seven outdoor hot springs, which visitors can tour while wearing traditional Japanese yukata. In addition, Kinosaki Onsen is famous for its snow crab which can be enjoyed in the winter months. Also, if you take part in the unique shouting contest, you can have some fun while also relieving some stress! This winter, plan a trip to Kinosaki Onsen's Crab Kingdom for scrumptious crab dishes and relaxing hot springs.
[Video] 4:29 - Outdoor Hot Spring Tour

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