Top 10 recommended Onsen (Hot springs) to visit in Japan

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Hot spring used to be a sacred place where people can cure their injuries and diseases in earlier time when they had little knowledge of health and had little medication. In Edo period, people with disease started to stay for weeks or more at hot spring area to be cured and it was the start of the inns nowadays. Now Hot spring has become an entertainment in Japan include sightseeing tour. So please come visit and enjoy Hot spring area in Japan, you will see fantastic view, enjoy meals, shopping and the hotels. You will be relaxed and recovered and could have a treatment like the one at beauty salon!

1. Hakone Onsen

 

It is one of the popular hot spring areas located only one hour and a half away from Tokyo by car or train. There are many day spa facilities you can go easily and many shops to go in and buy souvenirs. Along the two rivers called Hayakawa River and Sukumogawa River, you will see different taste of accommodations from historic and well established ones or purely Japanese homey style to large scaled resort hotel.
Address:
Hakonemachi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa
Access:
20 minutes ride by bus from Odawara Station, JR Line/Odakyu Line
Website:
Hakone Travel Video Guidebook
Tours:
Hakone Private Tours
 

2. Yufuin Onsen

It is stretching at the foot of Mt. Yufudake in Oita. It is voted as the top hot spring area in Kyushu in many surveys and is popular especially among women. Accommodations are located in rural area for you to enjoy fantastic scenery. On the other hands, there are individual museums, fashionable restaurants and shops are found here and there most women would like.
Address:
Kawakami, Yufuincho, Yufu-shi, Oita
Access:
Yufuin Station, JR Line
Website:
http://yufuin.or.jp/global/index.php?easiestml_lang=en
Guidebook:
Oita Travel Video Guidebook
 

3. Kusatsu Onsen

It is located in Gunma and is leading Onsen in Japan. There is symbolic facility called Yubatake (Hot water field) which is one of the resort's main sources of hot spring water. This Onsen area is very lively, you can visit multiple hot springs for free and also enjoy shopping at variety shops there. There are nice resort inns, hotels and cafes around the city.

Address:
Kusatsumachi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma
Access:
Kusatsu Onsen Station, JR Line
Website:
http://planetyze.com/en/japan/gunma/kusatsu-onsen
Guidebook:
Gunma Travel Video Guidebook
 

4. Noboribetsu Onsen

It is recognized as the best Onsen in Hokkaido as far as access, notability, history, and quality goes. Hot spring quality includes sulfur and hydrogen sulfide which soften and lighten your skin, and also includes iron spring which has tremendous effect on your fatigue.
Address:
Noboribetsu Onsencho, Noboribetsu-shi, Hokkaido
Access:
Noboribetsu Stataion, JR Line
Website:
http://planetyze.com/en/japan/hokkaido/noboribetsu-onsen
Guidebook:
Hokkaido Travel Video Guidebook
Tours:
Hokkaido Private Tours
 

5. Beppu Onsen

It is located in Oita, Kyushu. The number of hot spring wells and the yield of hot water is the largest in Japan. There is a famous tour called Beppu Jigoku Meguri (Beppu Hell Tour) that you can see different type of Jigoku springs such as Sea Hell, Blood pond Hell, White pond Hell and Tornado Hell. You can have their specialty onsen eggs which are steamed or boiled in the hot spring water.
Address:
Beppu-shi, Oita
Access:
Beppu Station, JR Line
Website:
Beppu Onsen Hoyoland
Guidebook:
Oita Travel Video Guidebook
 

6. Kurokawa Onsen

It is located about an hour and 15 minutes north of Mt. Aso in Kumamoto. Almost every inn has open air hot spring and you can bathe in 3 hot springs among of those if you buy a bathing pass called “Nyuyoku tegata”. Spring quality there have effect on nerve pain.
Address:
Minami Ogunimachi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto
Access:
1 hour ride by bus from Aso Station, JR Line
Website::
http://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/english/
Guidebook:
Kumamoto Travel Video Guidebook
 

7. Ibusuki Onsen

It is located an hour and 35 minutes away from Kagoshima Airport by dedicated bus. This Onsen is famous for natural sand bath called “Sunamushi”. It is unique bathing, you will be covered by sand at the beach. It has effect on nerve pain and muscle ache, also has effect on your beauty like salon treatment.
Address:
Ibusuki-shi, Kagoshima
Access:
Ibusuki Station, JR Line
Website:
http://www.ibusuki.or.jp/ml_english/top/index.php
Guidebook:
Kagoshima Travel Video Guidebook

8. Arima Onsen

It is one of the oldest and well known hot spring in Japan located an hour away from Osaka. It is famous for the hot spring Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI who was one of the powerful historical rulers loved. There are reddish brown hot spring called Kinsen (Gold spring) and clear hot spring called Ginsen (Silver spring).
Address:
Kita-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Access:
Arima Onsen Station, Kobe dentesu Arima Line
Website::
Arima Onsen Guidebook
Guidebook:
Hyogo Travel Video Guidebook
 

9. Gero Onsen

It is located in Gifu and is one of the most famous three hot springs in Japan. The spring quality is alkaline which is smooth to touch. There is village called Gero Onsen Gasshomura where you can see houses with steep rafter roofs. From spring to fall season, they have morning fair called Ideyu Ichi you might enjoy.
Address:
Gero-shi, Gifu
Access:
Gero Station, JR Line
Website::
Gero Onsen Guidebook
Guidebook:
Gifu Travel Video Guidebook
 

10. Shibu Onsen

It is one of famous and unique Hot Spring resort located in Nagano. Especially Jigokudani Noen Koen (Jigokudani Wild monkey park) is the only hot spring in a whorld where you can see wild monkey enjoy bathing.
Address:
Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano
Access:
Yudanaka, Nagano Dentestu Nagano Line
Website::
Shibu Onsen Guidebook
Guidebook:
Nagano Travel Video Guidebook
 

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