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There are hundreds hot springs (onsen) across Japan. Below is a list of some of the best of them.
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Kusatsu Onsen
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User rating: 87/100 (69 votes)
Visited by: 168 users
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For centuries, the abundant hot spring waters of Kusatsu Onsen have been considered among Japan's best and most effective, if not the best. Much of the resort's water bubbles up in the yubatake ("hot water field") in the town center.
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Hakone Onsen
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User rating: 89/100 (352 votes)
Visited by: 711 users
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Easily reached from Tokyo and one of Japan's most popular hot spring resorts, Hakone boasts a large number of hot springs in beautiful setting along the forested valley and the shores of Lake Ashinoko.
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Minakami Onsen
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User rating: 83/100 (21 votes)
Visited by: 59 users
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Over a dozen hot springs are spread over the large rural area covered by Minakami Onsen at the foot of Mount Tanigawa. Among the resort's most popular baths are the large riverside rotemburo of Takaragawa Onsen and the traditonal, wooden indoor baths of secluded Hoshi Onsen.
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Nikko Yumoto Onsen
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User rating: 81/100 (77 votes)
Visited by: 195 users
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Several hot springs are located at the foot of Mount Nantai, a sacred, extinct volcano in Nikko National Park. Among them are Chuzenji Onsen at the shores of Lake Chuzenji and Yumoto Onsen.
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Ikaho Onsen
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User rating: 79/100 (35 votes)
Visited by: 98 users
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Located on the slopes of Mount Haruna, Ikaho Onsen is well known for its stone stairs leading through the town center and its iron rich thermal waters.
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Kinugawa Onsen
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User rating: 78/100 (35 votes)
Visited by: 100 users
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Located within easy reach of Tokyo, Kinugawa Onsen has grown into one of Japan's most developed hot spring resorts. The beautiful Kinugawa River is lined by huge ryokan buildings, while several interesting theme parks provide more entertainment nearby.
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Noboribetsu Onsen
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User rating: 88/100 (86 votes)
Visited by: 179 users
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Noboribetsu is the most famous hot spring resort in Hokkaido, and its spectacular Jigokudani ("Hell Valley") is the source of some of the country's highest quality hot spring water.
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Kamuiwakkayu Falls
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User rating: 89/100 (23 votes)
Visited by: 48 users
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Kamuiwakka is a warm mountain stream in the unspoiled Shiretoko National Park. Bathers need to climb up the stream for about 20 minutes until reaching a natural basin below a hot waterfall, however, due to the danger of falling rocks, the upper, most attractive part has been closed in recent years.
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Toyako Onsen
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User rating: 77/100 (36 votes)
Visited by: 94 users
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Toyako Onsen is a hot spring resort located at the shores of beautiful Lake Toya and at the foot of Mount Uzu, a volcano which most recently erupted in the year 2000.
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Nyuto Onsen
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User rating: 97/100 (26 votes)
Visited by: 47 users
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Nyuto Onsen (lit. nipple hot spring), named after nearby, suggestively shaped Mount Nyuto, is a collection of hot springs in the remote mountains of Akita Prefecture above Lake Tazawako.
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Tamagawa Onsen
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User rating: insufficient data
Visited by: 10 users
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Tamagawa Onsen features the country's most acidic hot spring waters, a volcanically active valley with Japan's single most productive hot spring source and a very rare radioactive stone with a wide range of health benefits.
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Shibu Onsen
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User rating: 90/100 (6 votes)
Visited by: 15 users
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Shibu Onsen is a small, old-fashioned onsen town with wooden ryokan and nine small public bath houses scattered around town. Not far from Shibu Onsen, monkeys enjoy hot spring bathing, as well, at the Jigokudani Monkey Park.
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Gero Onsen
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User rating: 77/100 (77 votes)
Visited by: 170 users
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One train hour south of Takayama and 90 minutes north of Nagoya, Gero Onsen is one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts.
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Wakura Onsen
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User rating: 70/100 (8 votes)
Visited by: 21 users
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Wakura Onsen is a hot spring resort located beside Nanao Bay on the Noto Peninsula. The resort town is dominated by massive ryokan complexes, the most famous of which is the Kagaya, which consistently ranks among Japan's best ryokan for its excellent service and facilities.
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Kinosaki Onsen
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User rating: 91/100 (74 votes)
Visited by: 131 users
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Kinosaki Onsen is a charmingly old-fashioned onsen town near the Sea of Japan coast. In the evenings guests of the local ryokan stroll about town in yukata and geta, visiting public baths and nostalgic game arcades.
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Arima Onsen
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User rating: 83/100 (113 votes)
Visited by: 229 users
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Located still within the city limits of Kobe and just an hour outside of central Osaka, Arima Onsen is one of the Kansai Region's most popular hot spring resorts. It is also one of its oldest.
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Katsuura Onsen
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User rating: 78/100 (18 votes)
Visited by: 36 users
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Katsuura Onsen is a coastal hot spring resort on the Kii Peninsula. It is smaller than nearby Shirahama, but still boasts several huge hotel complexes. Katsuura is located not far from Nachi Taisha, one of the three Kumano shrines.
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Shirahama Onsen
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User rating: 73/100 (22 votes)
Visited by: 41 users
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Shirahama Onsen is ranked both as one of Japan's three largest and oldest hot spring resorts. It comes with a white sand beach, coastal rock formations and several amusement parks, and is a popular playground for the urban population of Greater Osaka.
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Dogo Onsen
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User rating: 83/100 (127 votes)
Visited by: 224 users
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Dogo Onsen is considered one of Japan's oldest hot spring resorts, and it is said that Prince Shotoku has already enjoyed the area's hot spring waters about 1500 years ago.
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Kurokawa Onsen
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User rating: 88/100 (21 votes)
Visited by: 49 users
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Kurokawa Onsen is one of Japan's best hot spring resorts, both in terms of its pretty, traditional town center and its outstanding outdoor baths.
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Beppu Onsen
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User rating: 86/100 (239 votes)
Visited by: 471 users
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Beppu is Japan's onsen capital. No other resort produces more hot spring water and few resorts can compete with the city's large array of hot spring baths. Among Beppu's attraction are various hells, hot springs not suited for bathing.
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Yufuin Onsen
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User rating: 88/100 (62 votes)
Visited by: 130 users
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Not far from Beppu, Yufuin is a rural hot spring town, which offers a unique atmosphere somewhat different from a regular hot spring resort. Besides its baths, Yufuin attracts with its cafes, boutiques and art galleries.
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Unzen Onsen
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User rating: insufficient data
Visited by: 3 users
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Unzen Onsen is a pleasant hot spring town on the slopes of Mount Unzen, offering strong, sulfuric waters that surface in hot spring fields around the town.
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Guide to Japanese Hot Springs:
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Tours and Packages
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Onsen Experience
Tours to Hakone, Kinugawa, Arima, Wakura, and more including one-way or round-trip shinkansen or bus tickets and accommodations.
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