Japanese Onsen (Hot Springs)

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

Kinugawa Onsen

A hot spring town in a gorge on the Kinugawa river in Tochigi, once reserved for lords and monks returning from Nikko.

Nikko · Tochigi

Onsen & Wellness

Takeo Onsen

A hot spring town in Saga with 1,300 years behind it, a wooden bathhouse of 1876 and a gate that is an Important Cultural Property.

Takeo · Saga

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

Kinugawa Onsen

A hot spring town in a gorge on the Kinugawa river in Tochigi, once reserved for lords and monks returning from Nikko.

Nikko · Tochigi

Onsen & Wellness

Takeo Onsen

A hot spring town in Saga with 1,300 years behind it, a wooden bathhouse of 1876 and a gate that is an Important Cultural Property.

Takeo · Saga

Onsen & Wellness

Ibusuki Sunamushi Onsen Saraku (Sand Bath)

A sand bath on the shore at Ibusuki, where hot spring water heats the beach and bathers are buried in black volcanic sand.

Ibusuki · Kagoshima

Onsen & Wellness

Takegawara Onsen

A public bathhouse of 1879 in Beppu, rebuilt in 1938 under a great curved gable, with a sand bath as well as hot water.

Beppu · Oita

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

Area & Points of Interest

Shirarahama Beach

A 620-metre beach of fine white quartz sand in Shirahama, Wakayama, and the first place on Honshu to open for swimming each year.

Shirahama · Wakayama

Shrine

Jozankei Shrine

A Shinto shrine in Sapporo's Jozankei hot spring resort area, dedicated to the god of hot springs and healing, surrounded by nature and autumn foliage.

Sapporo · 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

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

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