Japanese Onsen (Hot Springs)

Onsen, Japan's natural hot springs, are one of the country's most cherished traditions: a way to relax, warm up, and soak in mineral-rich waters surrounded by nature. Hot-spring towns across Japan turn bathing into a whole getaway.

What are the best onsen towns in Japan?

Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma and Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo are among Japan's most beloved hot-spring towns, famed for their waters and atmospheric streets. Hakone and Beppu are other favorites.

What are the onsen etiquette rules?

Wash and rinse thoroughly before entering the bath, keep your towel out of the water, and tie up long hair. Onsen are usually enjoyed nude and separated by gender, and some baths restrict guests with tattoos.

What is the difference between an onsen and a sento?

An onsen uses naturally heated, mineral-rich spring water, while a sento is a public bathhouse filled with ordinary heated water. Both are great ways to experience Japanese bathing culture.

Performing Art

Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival

The Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival revives the ancient dengaku dance form rooted in Shintoism, through performances by local talents and renowned actors in period costumes.

8–9 Aug 2026Ishikawa · Chubu

Expo & Convention

Tohogu Sauna Tour “Sa-Kin Kōtai”

A traveling sauna pop-up celebration tours Tohoku's leading hot spring and sauna facilities, featuring exclusive goods and appearances by renowned sauna enthusiasts.

1 Nov 2026 – 24 May 2027Miyagi · Tohoku

Festival

Zao Juhyo Festival

Onsen, Japan's natural hot springs, are one of the country's most cherished traditions: a way to relax, warm up, and soak in mineral-rich waters surrounded by nature. Hot-spring towns across Japan turn bathing into a whole getaway.

What are the best onsen towns in Japan?

Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma and Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo are among Japan's most beloved hot-spring towns, famed for their waters and atmospheric streets. Hakone and Beppu are other favorites.

What are the onsen etiquette rules?

Wash and rinse thoroughly before entering the bath, keep your towel out of the water, and tie up long hair. Onsen are usually enjoyed nude and separated by gender, and some baths restrict guests with tattoos.

What is the difference between an onsen and a sento?

An onsen uses naturally heated, mineral-rich spring water, while a sento is a public bathhouse filled with ordinary heated water. Both are great ways to experience Japanese bathing culture.

Performing Art

Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival

The Yamashiro Daidengaku Festival revives the ancient dengaku dance form rooted in Shintoism, through performances by local talents and renowned actors in period costumes.

8–9 Aug 2026Ishikawa · Chubu

Expo & Convention

Tohogu Sauna Tour “Sa-Kin Kōtai”

A traveling sauna pop-up celebration tours Tohoku's leading hot spring and sauna facilities, featuring exclusive goods and appearances by renowned sauna enthusiasts.

1 Nov 2026 – 24 May 2027Miyagi · Tohoku

Festival

Zao Juhyo Festival

The Zao Juhyo Festival showcases Snow Monsters, ethereal ice and snow formations that coat trees in the Zao Mountains, illuminated after dark to create a surreal winter landscape.

27 Dec 2026 – 23 Feb 2027

Yamagata · Tohoku

Festival

Echigo Yukiwari Road

Spring's arrival is celebrated with delicate alpine flowers that bloom as snow melts across multiple scenic sites in the Echigo region.

7 Mar – 12 Apr 2027Niigata · Chubu

Festival

Otaru Ushio Festival

This coastal festival celebrates Otaru's maritime heritage with parades, fireworks, and cultural activities honoring the harbour's role in the city's growth.

24–26 Jul 2027Hokkaido · Hokkaido

Onsen & Wellness

Ginzan Onsen

A nostalgic Taisho-era hot-spring town in the Yamagata mountains, lined with wooden inns along a gas-lit river – at its most magical under snow.

Obanazawa · Yamagata

Onsen & Wellness

Dogo Onsen

One of Japan's oldest hot springs, in Matsuyama, centred on the historic Honkan bathhouse – with free-flowing waters and three baths to try.

Matsuyama · Ehime

Onsen & Wellness

Beppu Hells

Seven vividly coloured hot springs in Beppu – from a cobalt-blue pool to a blood-red pond — too hot to bathe in, but spectacular to see.

Beppu · Oita

Onsen & Wellness

Tamatsukuri Onsen

Tamatsukuri Onsen has served visitors since the eighth century with mineral-rich sulfate waters said to heal rheumatism and improve skin health.

Matsue · Shimane

Onsen & Wellness

Solaniwa Onsen

This Osaka hot spring park features natural spring water baths in a Muromachi and Edo-period setting, complete with a 3,000-square-meter rooftop garden.

Osaka

Activity & Sport

Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort

Yamagata Zao Onsen Ski Resort offers slopes for all levels and a long winter season, famous for its rare snow-covered 'juhyo' formations and access to hot springs.

Yamagata

Onsen & Wellness

Yamashiro Onsen

Yamashiro Onsen retains its traditional hot spring culture, with the town developed around public baths that serve visitors seeking the healing properties of natural hot springs.

Kaga · Ishikawa

Onsen & Wellness

Shibu Onsen

Shibu Onsen is a historic hot spring town of over 1,300 years, offering nine public baths fed by natural springs, each believed to provide distinct health benefits.

Yamanochi · Nagano

Onsen & Wellness

Sakakibara Onsen

A mineral-rich hot spring resort in Tsu City, Mie, Sakakibara Onsen offers traditional ryokan and modern hotels alongside nearby temples, gardens and outdoor activities.

Tsu · Mie

Onsen & Wellness

Kinosaki Onsen

A hot spring resort with documented origins dating to 720, Kinosaki Onsen draws visitors for its mineral-rich thermal waters and mountainside views.

Toyoka · Hyogo

Shrine

Isaniwa Shrine

A Shinto shrine in Matsuyama with roots in a visit by Emperor Chuai and Empress Jingu to Dogo Onsen, enshrining multiple emperors as cultural treasures.

Matsuyama · Ehime

Onsen & Wellness

Kurokawa Onsen

Hot spring resort in Kumamoto featuring traditional wooden ryokan amid scenic mountain terrain perfect for hiking and therapeutic soaking.

Minamioguni · Kumamoto

Amusement Park

Aso Farm Land

A recreational complex in Aso-Kuju National Park offering outdoor activities, a petting farm with over 35 animals, overnight cabins with onsen, and seasonal picking experiences.

Aso · Kumamoto

Temple

Yakuoin Onsenji Temple

A temple traditionally attributed to Myokaku Shonin, credited with developing the Japanese syllabary system, with the priest believed to be buried at this sacred site.

Kaga · Ishikawa

Lake

Lake Shikotsu

Hokkaido lake, the second deepest in Japan, surrounded by three volcanoes and notable as the nation's northernmost ice-free body of water.

Chitose · Hokkaido

Onsen & Wellness

Kusatsu Onsen

Hot spring resort nestled in volcanic mountains, featuring 13 public baths and traditional ryokan alongside outdoor rotenburo and foot-bath experiences.

Kusatsu · Gunma

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