Theme guide
Onsen
Japan has more than 2,800 hot spring areas with places to stay. Start with the famous onsen towns below, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, and learn the few simple rules before your first soak.
- Places to visit
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Under Japan's Hot Springs Act, water counts as an onsen if it comes out of the ground at 25°C (77°F) or warmer, or carries enough of certain minerals. The Ministry of the Environment counts more than 2,800 hot spring areas with places to stay, fed by close to 28,000 sources.
Oita has more hot spring sources than any other prefecture, which is why Beppu and Yufuin make a classic Kyushu onsen trip. From Tokyo, Hakone in Kanagawa and Atami in Shizuoka are the easy picks, while Kusatsu in Gunma is worth a night of its own.
New to onsen? You bathe without a swimsuit, after a careful wash. Our onsen guide walks you through a first visit step by step, tattoo question included.
Good to know
- Pour hot water over yourself and wash at the shower stations before you get in. The small towel stays out of the bath.
- Don't bathe right after a big meal or after drinking alcohol. Drink water before and after, and get out if you feel dizzy.
- Many baths still turn away guests with tattoos. Some let you cover small ones with a sticker, and a private bath you book for yourself (kashikiri-buro) is the easiest option. Ask before you go.
Where to find the most
Places to start with
Up to three places per prefecture, nationally protected sites first.
Region
45 places match
- HokkaidoJozankei Onsen定山渓温泉A hot spring town in a river gorge in southern Sapporo, an easy day trip from the city.
- HokkaidoShirogane Onsen白金温泉A mountain hot spring near Biei, by the Shirahige Falls and a short drive from the Blue Pond.
- HokkaidoNoboribetsu Onsen登別温泉Hokkaido's best-known hot spring town, with many types of water and the steaming Jigokudani, or Hell Valley.
- AomoriAsamushi Onsen浅虫温泉A seaside hot spring town on Mutsu Bay, on the eastern edge of Aomori city, with an aquarium nearby.
- AomoriSukayu Onsen酸ヶ湯A historic inn in the Hakkoda Mountains, famous for its huge wooden mixed bath, the Sen-nin-buro.
- IwateGeto Onsen夏油温泉A mountain hot spring deep in a valley west of Kitakami, with riverside outdoor baths. Closed in winter.
- IwateKindaichi Onsen金田一温泉A quiet hot spring in northern Iwate, known for the legend of the zashiki-warashi, a child spirit said to bring luck.
- AkitaNyuto Onsen乳頭温泉郷Seven remote inns in the beech forest below Mount Nyuto, including Tsurunoyu with its old thatched lodgings.
- AkitaTamagawa Onsen玉川温泉A remote hot spring with the most acidic water in Japan, gushing from a single source in huge volume.
- YamagataGinzan Onsen銀山温泉A small hot spring town with old wooden inns lining both banks of a river, lit by gas lamps at night.
- FukushimaNiidagawa Onsen新田川温泉A hot spring area in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
- FukushimaTakayu Onsen高湯温泉A milky sulfur hot spring in the mountains about 14 km (9 miles) west of Fukushima Station.In Fukushima city
- TochigiKinugawa Onsen鬼怒川温泉A hot spring resort on the Kinu River in Nikko, about two hours from Tokyo by direct train.
- GunmaShima Onsen四万温泉A quiet hot spring valley with the blue water of Lake Shima and the old Sekizenkan inn.
- GunmaKusatsu Onsen草津温泉One of Japan's best-known hot springs, built around the steaming Yubatake hot water field in the town center.
- TokyoSpa LaQuaラクーアA large hot spring spa at Tokyo Dome City, easy to fit into a day in central Tokyo.In Bunkyo
- KanagawaMiyanoshita Onsen宮ノ下温泉One of the hot springs of Hakone, home to the Fujiya Hotel, open since 1878.
- KanagawaHakone Onsen箱根温泉The hot springs of Hakone, a classic trip from Tokyo with views of Mount Fuji on clear days.
- ToyamaUnazuki Onsen宇奈月温泉A hot spring town at the mouth of the Kurobe Gorge, where the Kurobe Gorge Railway starts.
- IshikawaAwazu Onsen粟津温泉One of the Kaga hot springs, home to Hoshi, an inn run by the same family for about 1,300 years.
- IshikawaYamanaka Onsen山中温泉One of the Kaga hot springs, beside the Kakusenkei Gorge, where the poet Basho once stayed.
- IshikawaWakura Onsen和倉温泉A seaside hot spring on Nanao Bay, badly hit by the January 2024 Noto earthquake. Check which inns are open.
- ShizuokaShuzenji Onsen修善寺温泉An old hot spring town on the Izu Peninsula, built around Shuzenji Temple and the Katsura River.
- ShizuokaAtami Onsen熱海温泉A seaside hot spring city on Sagami Bay, under an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen.In Atami
Questions travellers ask
What makes a hot spring an onsen?
Japan's Hot Springs Act sets the rule: water from underground that is 25°C (77°F) or warmer at the source, or that contains enough of at least one of 19 listed substances, such as sulfur or iron.
Can I go to an onsen with tattoos?
It depends on the bath. The Japan Tourism Agency has asked baths to find ways to welcome visitors with tattoos, such as covering them with a sticker or offering a private bath, but each bath still sets its own rule. Check the website or ask at the front desk.
Which onsen are easy to reach from Tokyo?
Hakone and Atami are the classic short trips, and Atami is under an hour away by Shinkansen. Kinugawa in Nikko is about two hours by direct train. Kusatsu takes longer, but its steaming Yubatake hot water field makes the trip worth it.
Other themes
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
- Ministry of the Environment環境省How the Hot Springs Act defines an onsen (Ministry of the Environment)(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of the Environment環境省Hot spring use in Japan, FY2024 (Ministry of the Environment)(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of the Environment環境省Cautions for using onsen (Ministry of the Environment)(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)
- Official prefecture websiteBathing with tattoos: Japan Tourism Agency guidance (Shizuoka Prefecture)(in Japanese) (opens in a new tab)