The onsen, or hot spring, is a unique experience that all visitors to Japan should try. The following are some of the most highly recommended Japanese onsen and should be put on your must-do list:
Noboribetsu
Found in the Hokkaido region, Noboribetsu is a Japanese city that has become synonymous to onsen. It is widely known for its effective natural thermal waters, making it the top hot spring resort choice of most local and foreign tourists.
With a public bath house in the town centre, numerous hotels that offer hot spring baths, and several ryokan, it provides a broad set of options for guests looking to stay overnight or just spend the day.
From the JR Noboribetsu Station, the Noboribetsu Onsen town is only a 15-minute bus ride away.
Hakone
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In addition to offering fantastic views of Mount Fuji on a clear day, Hakone is also an amazing onsen district, with over a dozen hot springs, ryokan and bath houses to choose from.
Yumoto, the city’s most popular hot spring, has been around for centuries, and it has long been known for its high quality thermal waters.
Other facilities, particularly those located along Lake Ashi and close to the valleys, also have refreshingly warm waters that daytime and overnight visitors would appreciate.
Beppu
Beppu is a city found on Kyushu Island in the Oita Prefecture and has eight magnificent hot springs to boast of – Kannawa Onsen, Kankaiji Onsen, Beppu Onsen, Shibaseki Onsen, Horita Onsen, Kamegawa Onsen, Myoban Onsen, and Hamawaki Onsen. It got its name for the seemingly endless supply of hot spring water its resorts produce in comparison to other onsen in the country.
Aside from the typical hot spring baths, Beppu onsen also offer sand baths, steam baths and mud baths.
Arima
When in Kobe or Osaka, check out the thousand-year-old Arima Onsen located close to the foot of Mount Rokko, as it provides the perfect getaway destination for anyone looking to unwind and loosen up, even just for a weekend. It offers two kinds of thermal waters – the brown-coloured “gold water” that contains iron deposits and can benefit those with muscle pains and skin problems, and the clear “silver water” that has carbonate and radium and can help ease joint and muscle aches.
A relatively small town, Arima is also home to a number of shrines and temples that can be easily explored on foot.
