Hot Springs in Japan

Are there hot springs in Japan?

Yes, everywhere. Japan has about 27,900 hot spring sources and nearly 3,000 onsen areas, according to the Ministry of the Environment, and every one of its 47 prefectures has hot spring sources. Oita, in Kyushu, has the most, with more than 5,000 sources, about 18% of the national total.

Under Japan's Hot Springs Act, water counts as an onsen if it is at least 25°C (77°F) where it leaves the ground or contains certain minerals. That covers a lot: steaming outdoor baths (rotenburo) in the mountains, traditional inns (ryokan) with their own baths, shared public bathhouses in onsen towns and modern day-bathing centres.

For visitors, the experience is remarkably consistent. You wash before you get in, bathe without a swimsuit in baths separated by sex, and keep your towel out of the water. The main thing to plan around is tattoos, which many baths still refuse.

Best hot springs in Japan

Japan's best-known onsen areas, one or two from each prefecture we cover.

• Onsen town

  Kusatsu Onsen

  Gunma

  Known for the yubatake, a steaming field of hot water channels in the town centre, and yumomi shows where the water is cooled by stirring it with wooden boards.

• Onsen town

  Beppu Onsen

  Oita

  The onsen area with the most hot spring sources in Japan. Try sand and mud baths, and tour the "hells", boiling pools you look at but never enter.

• Onsen town

  Hakone Yumoto Onsen

  Kanagawa

  About 90 minutes from Tokyo by train, with ryokan and day baths, the steaming Owakudani valley and, on clear days, views of Mount Fuji.

• Onsen town

  Noboribetsu Onsen

  Hokkaido

  Hokkaido's best-known onsen, fed by Jigokudani (Hell Valley), a steaming volcanic crater you can walk around on boardwalks.

• Onsen town

  Kinosaki Onsen

  Hyogo

  A canal-side town with seven public bathhouses; guests walk between them in yukata and wooden sandals.

• Onsen town

  Arima Onsen

  Hyogo, near Kobe

  One of Japan's oldest hot springs, known for its rust-brown "gold" water and clear "silver" water.

• Onsen town

  Gero Onsen

  Gifu

  Counted with Kusatsu and Arima among Japan's three famous springs, with free foot baths around town.

• Onsen town

  Kurokawa Onsen

  Kumamoto

  A small, carefully kept ryokan village; a wooden tegata pass lets you try outdoor baths at several inns.

• Mountain inns

  Nyuto Onsenkyo

  Akita

  Seven rustic inns deep in the mountains, including Tsurunoyu with its milky-white outdoor bath.

• Historic bath

  Yunomine Onsen

  Wakayama

  Home to Tsuboyu, a tiny bath in a wooden hut that is part of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes' World Heritage listing.

• View only

  Jigokudani Monkey Park

  Nagano

  Wild snow monkeys bathe in a hot spring pool here in winter. People watch, then soak at nearby Shibu and Yudanaka onsen.

• Sand baths

  Ibusuki Onsen

  Kagoshima

  Known for sand baths: you lie by the sea and are buried in naturally heated black sand.

Hot springs in Japan map

The map shows all 82 hot springs we cover in Japan. Zoom in on the larger map for more detail.

Famous hot springs in Japan

All 82 onsen we list in Japan, A to Z, from Hokkaido in the north to Kagoshima in the south.

• Onsen town

  Arima Onsen, Japan

  Historic onsen town in Kobe's hills, famous for its rust-brown gold and clear silver springs.

• Onsen town

  Asama Onsen, Japan

  Historic onsen town on the edge of Matsumoto, a short bus ride from the city.

• Onsen town

  Atami Onsen, Japan

  Seaside resort city about 50 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen, with many spring sources.

• Ryokan

  Awanoyu, Japan

  Century-old mountain inn with milky sulfur baths and a mixed outdoor bath.

• Onsen city

  Beppu Onsen, Japan

  Steaming city with eight onsen districts, cheap public baths and the Hells of Beppu.

• Onsen town

  Bessho Onsen, Japan

  One of Nagano's oldest onsen towns, small and walkable, with public baths and old temples.

• Ryokan

  Dai-ichi Takimotokan, Japan

  Big ryokan next to Hell Valley, with five types of spring water across its baths.

• Public bath

  Dogo Onsen Honkan, Japan

  Matsuyama's wooden public bathhouse from 1894, an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

• Onsen town

  Gero Onsen, Japan

  One of Japan's three famous onsen, known for silky water, public baths and free foot baths.

• Public bath

  Gin no Yu, Japan

  Arima's public bathhouse for the clear silver spring, with a sauna.

• Onsen village

  Ginzan Onsen, Japan

  Wooden inns facing each other across a river, lit by gas lamps at night.

• Theme park

  Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, Japan

  Swimsuit spa park with wine, coffee and green tea baths, plus a separate nude onsen area.

• Onsen town

  Hakone Yumoto Onsen, Japan

  Hakone's gateway onsen town, about 85 minutes from Shinjuku by Romancecar.

• Day spa

  Hakone Yuryo, Japan

  Day-use onsen near Tonosawa with large public baths and 19 private outdoor bath rooms.

• Onsen area

  Hanamaki Onsen, Japan

  Group of onsen villages in the hills west of Hanamaki, with long-established inns.

• Onsen town

  Higashiyama Onsen, Japan

  Historic onsen town in a river gorge just outside Aizuwakamatsu.

• Day spa

  Hirayu no Mori, Japan

  Day-use baths in the Okuhida woods, with 16 outdoor pools.

• Day spa

  Hottarakashi Onsen, Japan

  Hilltop outdoor baths facing Mount Fuji, opening an hour before sunrise.

• Sand baths

  Ibusuki Onsen, Japan

  Seaside town where you are buried in sand warmed by geothermal water.

• Onsen town

  Iizaka Onsen, Japan

  One of Tohoku's oldest onsen towns, on the edge of Fukushima city, with public bathhouses.

• Onsen town

  Ikaho Onsen, Japan

  Hillside onsen town known for its stone staircase lined with inns, and two kinds of water.

• View only

  Jigokudani Monkey Park, Japan

  Wild snow monkeys soak in a hot pool here; visitors watch but can't bathe.

• Public bath

  Jizo-yu, Japan

  One of Kinosaki's seven public baths, a short walk from the station.

• Onsen town

  Jozankei Onsen, Japan

  Gorge-side onsen town about an hour from Sapporo, inside Shikotsu-Toya National Park.

• Onsen area

  Kaga Onsen, Japan

  Four historic onsen towns in southern Ishikawa, from small villages to big resorts.

• Onsen town

  Kaike Onsen, Japan

  Seafront onsen resort in Yonago with salty water and views of Mount Daisen.

• Onsen village

  Kanbayashi Onsen, Japan

  Quiet hillside onsen village at the start of the trail to the snow monkeys.

• Onsen town

  Kawaguchiko Onsen, Japan

  Lakeside onsen resort at Lake Kawaguchi, with Mount Fuji views on clear days.

• River bath

  Kawayu Onsen Sennin-buro River Bath, Japan

  A giant bath dug into the riverbed each winter. Free, from about December to February.

• Public bath

  Kin no Yu, Japan

  Arima's public bathhouse for the rust-brown gold spring water.

• Onsen town

  Kinosaki Onsen, Japan

  Canal-side onsen town where visitors stroll in yukata between seven public baths.

• Onsen town

  Kinugawa Onsen, Japan

  Big riverside resort in a gorge near Nikko, lined with large hotels.

• Onsen area

  Kirishima Onsen, Japan

  Volcanic highland onsen villages spread around the Kirishima mountains.

• Onsen village

  Kurokawa Onsen, Japan

  About 30 inns in a wooded valley; a wooden pass lets you try three outdoor baths.

• Onsen town

  Kusatsu Onsen, Japan

  Mountain onsen town built around a steaming hot water field, with highly acidic water.

• Lodge

  Kyukamura Nyuto-Onsenkyo, Japan

  A modern lodge at Nyuto with two types of spring water and baths in the beech forest.

• Ryokan

  Lamp no Yado Aoni Onsen, Japan

  Lamp-lit mountain inn with no electricity or phone signal, and four baths.

• Onsen town

  Minakami Onsen, Japan

  River-gorge onsen area in northern Gunma, with rafting and hiking close by.

• Onsen town

  Misasa Onsen, Japan

  Riverside onsen town known for radon-rich water and free foot baths.

• Onsen village

  Myoken Onsen, Japan

  Quiet riverside hamlet with a handful of inns along the Amori River.

• Onsen town

  Nachikatsuura Onsen, Japan

  Tuna port with seaside cave baths, close to Nachi Falls.

• Onsen town

  Naruko Onsen, Japan

  Gorge-side onsen town with many different types of spring water, near Naruko Gorge.

• Ryokan

  Niseko Goshiki Onsen, Japan

  Mountain inn at about 750 m in Niseko, with outdoor baths; reached by car or taxi only.

• Onsen town

  Noboribetsu Onsen, Japan

  Hokkaido's best-known onsen town, beside the steaming Jigokudani, or Hell Valley.

• Onsen town

  Nozawa Onsen, Japan

  Ski village with 13 free public bathhouses looked after by local residents.

• Onsen village

  Nukabira Onsen, Japan

  Small onsen village by Lake Nukabira in the Tokachi highlands.

• Onsen village

  Nyuto Onsenkyo, Japan

  Seven secluded inns in the beech forest above Lake Tazawa, each with its own spring water.

• Ryokan

  Nyuto Onsenkyo Taenoyu, Japan

  A traditional inn on a mountain stream at Nyuto, with two kinds of spring water.

• Temple bath

  Osorezan Onsen, Japan

  Sulfur baths in the grounds of a temple by a volcanic crater lake on the Shimokita Peninsula.

• Outdoor bath

  Sainokawara Rotenburo, Japan

  Big outdoor bath in Kusatsu's Sainokawara Park, separate for men and women, open all year.

• Outdoor bath

  Saki no Yu, Japan

  Ancient outdoor bath on the rocks at Shirahama, with waves breaking just below. No soap.

• Onsen town

  Shibu Onsen, Japan

  Old onsen town on narrow lanes, with nine public baths that inn guests open with a key.

• Ice village

  Shikaribetsu Kotan, Japan

  Winter-only village of ice buildings on frozen Lake Shikaribetsu, with an outdoor bath.

• Onsen village

  Shima Onsen, Japan

  Quiet inn village in a Gunma valley, fed by many spring sources.

• Onsen town

  Shirahama Onsen, Japan

  Beach resort town on the Pacific, with white sand, seaside baths and cliffs.

• Onsen village

  Shirahone Onsen, Japan

  Mountain village at about 1,400 m with milky-white water and a seasonal public outdoor bath.

• Onsen town

  Shuzenji Onsen, Japan

  The Izu Peninsula's oldest onsen town, with a riverside temple and a bamboo forest path.

• Resort

  Spa Resort Hawaiians, Japan

  Hawaiian-themed resort in Iwaki with hot spring baths, an indoor water park and hula shows.

• Ryokan

  Sukayu Onsen, Japan

  Historic Hakkoda inn known for its huge wooden mixed bath, the Sennin-buro.

• Sand bath

  Sunamushi Kaikan Saraku, Japan

  Ibusuki's beachfront sand bath, where staff bury you up to the neck in naturally hot sand.

• Public bath

  Takachiho Onsen, Japan

  Public bathhouse near Takachiho Gorge, with indoor and outdoor baths.

• Ryokan

  Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku, Japan

  Remote mountain inn with four large outdoor baths along the Takaragawa River.

• Public bath

  Takegawara Onsen, Japan

  Beppu's historic public bath, in a 1938 wooden building, with a sand bath.

• Onsen town

  Tamatsukuri Onsen, Japan

  Riverside onsen town near Matsue, among the oldest recorded in Japan.

• Day spa

  Tenzan Toji-kyo, Japan

  Day-use baths in the woods of Okuyumoto, with rock-lined outdoor pools and two spring types.

• Day spa

  Thermae-Yu, Japan

  Large day spa in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, with natural spring baths and saunas.

• Onsen area

  Totsukawa Onsen, Japan

  Remote river-valley onsen in southern Nara, where the baths run on free-flowing spring water.

• Onsen town

  Toyako Onsen, Japan

  Resort on the shore of caldera Lake Toya, with fireworks over the lake on summer nights.

• Historic bath

  Tsuboyu (Yunomine Onsen), Japan

  Tiny stone bath in Yunomine, part of the Kumano Kodo World Heritage site, taken in short turns.

• Ryokan

  Tsurunoyu Onsen, Japan

  The oldest inn at Nyuto, with thatched roofs and a milky-blue mixed outdoor bath.

• Ryokan

  Tsuta Onsen, Japan

  A single historic inn in a beech forest near Towada, where spring water rises through the bath floor.

• Onsen town

  Unzen Onsen, Japan

  Highland onsen town on Mount Unzen, beside steaming volcanic vents known as the hells.

• Onsen town

  Ureshino Onsen, Japan

  Tea-growing onsen town known for silky alkaline water and onsen tofu.

• Onsen town

  Wakura Onsen, Japan

  Seafront onsen town on Nanao Bay. Hit hard by the 2024 Noto earthquake; check which inns are open.

• Onsen village

  Yagen Onsen, Japan

  Remote valley on the Shimokita Peninsula with riverside outdoor baths and a few inns.

• Onsen town

  Yamashiro Onsen, Japan

  One of the four Kaga onsen towns, centred on a rebuilt Meiji-style public bath.

• Onsen town

  Yuasa Onsen, Japan

  Small onsen in the town where Japanese soy sauce began.

• Onsen town

  Yufuin Onsen, Japan

  Onsen town at the foot of Mount Yufu, known for small inns, galleries and Lake Kinrin.

• Onsen village

  Yumoto Onsen (Nikko), Japan

  Sulfur onsen village by Lake Yunoko, high up in Nikko National Park.

• Onsen town

  Yunokawa Onsen, Japan

  Seaside onsen town minutes from Hakodate Airport, looking over the Tsugaru Strait.

• Onsen village

  Yunomine Onsen, Japan

  Ancient hamlet on the Kumano Kodo, with a spring hot enough to boil eggs.

• Onsen town

  Zao Onsen, Japan

  Sulfur onsen village on Mount Zao, with public baths, ski slopes and a big seasonal outdoor bath.

Seasons, costs and access in Japan

Best time to visit

Any time of year. Autumn leaves and winter snow are the most popular seasons for outdoor baths, so book weekend stays well ahead. Summer is hot and humid in much of the country, which makes mountain onsen the more comfortable choice.

Prices and fees

Day bathing is the cheap way in: public bathhouses and day-use baths charge a modest entry fee. A night at an onsen ryokan usually includes dinner and breakfast and costs far more. Some towns sell passes covering several baths, such as Kurokawa's tegata.

How to get there

Many famous onsen towns are reachable by train and local bus: Hakone from Tokyo, Arima from Kobe and Osaka, Beppu from Fukuoka. Remote mountain onsen like Nyuto need a bus or a car, and some mountain roads close in heavy snow.

Hot springs in Japan FAQ

Onsen etiquette and rules in Japan

The rules are the same at almost every onsen, and staff will gently point them out if you forget.

• Keep it quietTalk softly, don't swim, and never take photos in the bathing area.
• Keep your towel out of the waterRest the small towel on your head or on the edge of the bath.
• Wash before you get inScrub and rinse at the shower stations first, and keep soap out of the bath.
• Tie up long hairHair should not touch the water.
• Check the tattoo policyMany onsen refuse guests with tattoos; some allow them covered or freely. Private baths (kashikiri) are the easy option.
• No swimsuitsTraditional onsen are bathed in nude, and baths and changing rooms are separated by sex.

Pictures of hot springs in Japan

Photos of Kusatsu Onsen, Beppu Onsen, Hakone Yumoto Onsen, Noboribetsu Onsen, Kinosaki Onsen and Arima Onsen, all hot springs in this guide. We only use photos whose license allows reuse and credit the photographer under each one. The full credits are on our photo credits page.

Hot springs elsewhere in Asia

Pick another country in Asia to keep exploring.

• Taiwan
• South Korea
• Turkey
• Indonesia
• Philippines

See every country with hot springs