Hot springs in Japan

Yuasa Onsen is a small public spring facility in the historic town of Yuasa, Wakayama, known as the birthplace of soy sauce, with clear sodium bicarbonate water and a walkable old townscape nearby.

Totsukawa Onsen is a remote river valley spring in the deep mountains of southern Nara, one of Japan's most isolated onsen areas, with clear water, small inn clusters, and old-growth forest scenery.

Nachikatsuura Onsen is a Pacific coast spring town in Wakayama with large tuna-fishing port ryokan, ocean-facing baths, and direct access to Nachi Falls and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.

Ureshino Onsen is a tea-producing spring town in Saga on Kyushu, known for strongly alkaline water that softens skin quickly, riverside ryokan, and a regional food culture centered on Ureshino tea.

Kawaguchiko Onsen is a lakeside spring resort on Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi, offering ryokan and hotel baths with direct views of Mount Fuji across the water on clear days.

Kinugawa Onsen is a popular river gorge spring resort in Tochigi near Nikko, with large hotel ryokan lining a basalt canyon, clear alkaline water, and direct limited express access from Tokyo.

Nyuto Onsenkyo is a group of seven secluded inn springs deep in the beech forests of Akita near Lake Tazawa, each with its own distinct spring type and a wild, unhurried mountain character.

Osorezan Onsen is a sacred volcanic spring at the crater lake of Mount Osore on the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori, one of Japan's most spiritually significant landscapes, with sulfur vents, pale water, and a single inn.

Hanamaki Onsen is a well-developed spring resort area in Iwate with multiple inn districts, clear alkaline water, and a strong connection to the poet Kenji Miyazawa and the cultural heritage of the Tohoku region.

Iizaka Onsen is one of Tohoku's oldest spring towns in Fukushima city, with a public bathhouse district, clear sodium chloride water, and a direct tram connection from Fukushima Station.

Higashiyama Onsen is a historic gorge-side spring town on the edge of Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima, with ryokan lining a narrow valley, clear alkaline water, and a literary and samurai heritage connection.

Nukabira Onsen is a small lakeside spring village in the Tokachi highlands of Hokkaido, set on the shore of Lake Nukabira with a quiet inn district, clear sodium bicarbonate water, and forest scenery.

Shikaribetsu Kotan is a seasonal ice village on a frozen Hokkaido lake each winter, with open-air hot spring baths cut into the ice shore and accommodation in dome-shaped snow huts.

Toyako Onsen is a lakeside spring resort in Hokkaido on the shore of Lake Toya, a caldera lake, with large hotel ryokan, volcanic island views, and seasonal nightly fireworks over the water.

Takachiho Onsen is a public bath facility in the mountain town of Takachiho, Miyazaki, with indoor and outdoor baths, open late into the evening, and convenient for visitors to the gorge.

Myoken Onsen is a quiet riverside spring hamlet in Kirishima, Kagoshima, with a small number of ryokan set along the Amori River, known for clear water and a forested gorge setting.

Kirishima Onsen is a highland volcanic spring area in Kagoshima set across multiple ryokan districts on the slopes of the Kirishima mountain range, with varied spring types and active volcanic scenery.

Kaike Onsen is a seafront spring resort in Yonago, Tottori, with salt-rich water, a sandy beach promenade, and ryokan facing the Sea of Japan and views toward Daisen volcano.

Yunomine Onsen is a UNESCO-listed hot spring hamlet deep in the Kumano mountains of Wakayama, with a small cooking spring, a public bath in a thatched hut, and over 1,800 years of documented history.

Shirahama Onsen is a coastal resort town in Wakayama with white sand beaches, open-air cliff baths, and sodium chloride spring water distributed across seafront ryokan and public bathhouses.

Yamashiro Onsen is one of four Kaga Onsen towns in Ishikawa, with a renovated central public bath, formal ryokan district, and clear alkaline water set in a town with a long craft and cultural history.

Wakura Onsen is a peninsula-tip spring resort on Nanao Bay in Ishikawa, with salt-rich water, large seafront ryokan, and a direct rail connection to the Noto Peninsula coast.

Kanbayashi Onsen is a quiet hillside spring town in Suzaka, Nagano, known for clear sodium bicarbonate water, a small public bath, and proximity to the Shiga Kogen highland area.

Asama Onsen is a historic spring town on the eastern edge of Matsumoto city, with alkaline clear water, a public bathhouse district, and a literary heritage tied to the Meiji and Taisho periods.

Yumoto Onsen is a small alpine spring village at 1,470 meters inside Nikko National Park, fed by a sulfur lake source and surrounded by highland marshes, lakes, and forest trails.

Naruko Onsen is a compact gorge-side spring town in Miyagi with five distinct spring types, a direct rail connection, and one of the most varied onsen water selections in the Tohoku region.

Tsuta Onsen is a single historic inn in Aomori's beech forest, beside three small lakes and old-growth woodland, with spring water drawn directly from beneath the building's bath floors.

Yagen Onsen is a remote valley spring in northern Aomori's Shimokita Peninsula, set along a river gorge with outdoor rotenburo and a small cluster of inns deep in beech forest.

Minakami Onsen is a river gorge spring town in northern Gunma with multiple inn districts, outdoor activity access, and a wide range of ryokan suited to both relaxation and adventure-focused stays.

Ibusuki Onsen is a coastal spring town in Kagoshima known for natural sand baths heated by geothermal water, set on a black sand beach at the southern tip of Kyushu.

Tamatsukuri Onsen is a refined riverside spring town in Shimane near Matsue, one of Japan's oldest recorded onsen, with large ryokan, a walkable promenade, and smooth alkaline water.

Misasa Onsen is a riverside hot spring town in Tottori known for radon-rich water, outdoor foot baths along the Misasa River, and a compact inn street walkable from the bus stop.

Bessho Onsen is Nagano's oldest hot spring town, compact and walkable, with public bathhouses, historic temples, and clear alkaline water across a small cluster of inns.

Kaga Onsen is a group of four historic spring towns in Ishikawa Prefecture, each with its own spring source and character, ranging from quiet inn villages to larger resort facilities.

Ginzan Onsen, Japan is a historic ryokan village in Obanazawa with gas-lit streets, a scenic river, and traditional onsen inns open year-round.

Shima Onsen is a quiet inn village deep in a Gunma gorge, fed by multiple spring sources and known for clear, high-quality water used across its small cluster of ryokan.

Ikaho Onsen is a historic resort town in Gunma built on a hillside, known for its stone staircase lined with inns and two distinct spring types.

Zao Onsen, Japan is a sulfuric hot spring village on Mount Zao with multiple public baths and dozens of ryokan within walking distance of Yamagata City.

Oldest hot spring town on the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka. Over 1,200 years history. Hakoyu public bath 700 yen. Bamboo forest, Shuzen-ji Temple.

Day-use hot spring in Hakone, Kanagawa, with multiple outdoor rotenburo and indoor hinoki baths. Two spring types. Tattoo-friendly. 1,450 yen.

Hot spring resort in Shizuoka, 50 min from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Over 500 spring sources. Day bathing at ryokan from 1,200 yen. Free foot baths at station.

Historic onsen town in Kobe with gold and silver springs, public bathhouses, and free foot baths. Day visits from 700 yen. Train access from Osaka and Kobe.

Mountain hot spring resort at 1,400m near Matsumoto, Nagano, with milky-white calcium water. 600-year history. Public bath open April to November.

One of Hokkaido's top three hot spring resorts, five minutes from Hakodate Airport. Sea views over the Tsugaru Strait. Day use from 400 yen.

One of Japan's three famous onsen in Gifu, known for silky beauty water. Three public bathhouses, hop-around pass, nine free foot baths. Train from Nagoya.

Mountain hot spring ryokan at 750m in Niseko, Hokkaido, with five-source water and larch wood pools. Open since 1930. Day use available. Car or taxi only.

Ancient oceanside rotenburo in Shirahama, Wakayama, one of Japan oldest hot springs. Waves and spray nearby. Tattoo-friendly. 500 yen. No soap or showers.

Lamp-lit ryokan in Kuroishi Aomori with no electricity or phone signal. Four baths. Mixed outdoor rotenburo. Day use 10:00-15:00. Overnight from 14,000 yen.

Hot spring resort near Sapporo in Shikotsu-Toya National Park with 56 geothermal sources. Day baths at ryokan from 500 yen. Free foot baths.

Hot spring resort town in Nagasaki at 700m near Mt. Unzen. Free Jigoku volcanic hell fields and foot bath. Acidic sulfuric spring. Day-use at hotels.

Hot spring and ski village in Nagano with 13 free sotoyu bathhouses. Water 45-49 degrees. Ogama cooking spring. Furusato-no-Yu paid at 500 yen.

Hot spring resort at the foot of Mt. Yufu in Oita. Second-highest output in Japan. Over 900 sources. Gentle alkaline springs. Free foot baths. From 200 yen.

Historic hot spring town in Yamanouchi, Nagano, with nine locked sotoyu on cobblestone lanes. Eight free for overnight guests. O-yu day use 500 yen.

Traditional hot spring village in Kumamoto with around 30 ryokan in a forested valley. Nyuto Tegata 3-bath pass 1,300 yen. Cave baths and riverside rotenburo.

Historic ryokan at 900m in the Hakkoda Mountains, Aomori. Japan's first National Health Onsen Resort 1954. Hiba 248m2 co-ed bath. Day use 600 yen.

Free seasonal river hot spring open December to February in Wakayama. 40m by 15m open-air pool. Swimsuit required. Near Kumano Hongu Taisha. Free entry.

Traditional ryokan in Nyuto Onsenkyo, Akita, with gold and silver spring types along a mountain stream. Day use 1,000 yen, 10:30-15:00. Closed Tuesdays.

Mountaintop onsen in Yamanashi with Mt. Fuji and Kofu Basin views. Opens before sunrise. Two baths from 800 yen. Tattoo-friendly. Car or taxi access only.

Hawaiian-themed onsen resort in Iwaki, Fukushima. Japan first theme park 1966. Indoor water park, hot spring baths, daily Hula Girls shows. From 3,570 yen.

Natural sand bath facility in Ibusuki, Kagoshima, where staff bury visitors in geothermally heated beach sand. 1,500 yen includes yukata. 10-20 min session.

A century-old ryokan in the Northern Alps famed for milky white sulfur baths and a rare mixed-gender open-air rotenburo with day-trip access.

UNESCO World Heritage bathing spring in Yunomine Onsen, Wakayama. Japan's oldest onsen, tiny stone bath, first-come 30-min sessions, 770 yen.

Forest hot spring resort in Okuhida with 16 open-air baths in woodland. From 500 yen. Tattoo-friendly. Three-minute walk from Hirayu Bus Terminal.

Natural onsen in Shinjuku Kabukicho, Tokyo. Nakaizu hot spring water, outdoor rotenburo, six indoor baths, sauna, open around the clock. Paid. Nude only.

Modern hot spring resort in Nyuto Onsenkyo, Akita, with two spring types and beech forest baths. One of seven Nyuto village inns. Day use available.

Hokkaido's most famous hot spring town with nine spring types from Jigokudani volcano crater. Day-use bathing at hotels. Free foot bath. 90 min from Sapporo.

One of Japan three most famous onsen in Gunma, with highly acidic Yubatake hot water field. Outdoor baths from 600 yen. Yumomi ceremony 600 yen.

Historic onsen town in northern Hyogo with seven public bathhouses along a willow-lined canal. All baths are tattoo-friendly. Yumepa day pass 1,500 yen.

Wildlife park in Nagano where wild snow monkeys bathe in a hot spring pool year-round. 800 yen. Forest trail access. Open year-round. No human bathing.

Japan's most prolific hot spring city with eight onsen districts, public baths from 100 yen, sand baths, and the dramatic steaming Hells sightseeing circuit.

Hokkaido ryokan with Japan's largest onsen variety: 35 baths, five spring types, next to Jigokudani. Day admission from 2,000 yen. Open year-round.

Public bathhouse in Arima Onsen offering the clear Ginsen silver spring. Vibra Bath, sauna, and waterfall shower. From 600 yen on weekdays. Tattoo-friendly.

Hot spring theme park in Hakone with wine, coffee, and green tea themed baths plus traditional Mori no Yu area. From 1,500 yen. Family-friendly.

Larger of Arima Onsens two public bathhouses, with the rust-brown Kinsen gold spring. Two tubs per gender at different temperatures. 800 yen. Tattoo-friendly.

Public bathhouse in Kinosaki Onsen with lantern exterior and indoor hot spring. Smaller pool for children. 800 yen. Tattoo-friendly. Closed Mondays.

Remote mountain ryokan on the Takaragawa River in Gunma with four large open-air baths. Three mixed-gender baths require a bathing cloth. Day use 1,500 yen.

Oldest inn in Nyuto Onsenkyo, Akita, with thatched roofs and milky-blue mixed outdoor bath. 700 yen day use 10:00-15:00. No outdoor bath Mondays.

One of Japan largest outdoor rotenburo in Sainokawara Park, Kusatsu, Gunma. 500m2, gender-separated. Acidic spring. 800 yen. Open year-round.

Day-use traditional onsen in Hakone with public baths, 19 private open-air rooms, and irori restaurant. Tattoo-friendly since April 2025. Free shuttle.

Historic 1879 public bathhouse in Beppu, Oita, with a 1938 karahafu roof. Regular bath 300 yen. Indoor sand bath 1,500 yen. Only indoor sand bath in Beppu.

Japan's oldest public bathhouse in Matsuyama: 1894 wood building, Cultural Property, Spirited Away. From 700 yen. Open daily. Tattoo-friendly.