Japanese Onsen & Hot Springs
Japanese Onsen & Hot Springs
Yellow Productions
A living list of the best Onsen hotels that I've stayed in, as well as a couple of public hot springs you can experience and some educational information & videos about how to best enjoy them.
Onsen come in two forms, hotels (ryokan) and public baths. All the hotels mentioned in this list are Japanese style hotels, with tatami sleeping mats. Each hotel recommendation has a detailed video walk through to show you the room and other parts of the resort experience.
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How to use an Onsen
If you are going to an Onsen for the first time, or you've been before but weren't really sure what to do, then this video is for you! I tell you everything you need to know to enjoy a relaxing hot spring bath in Japan!
Onsen Hotel Recommendations
Be sure to click into each card below to see more photos, a link to my video showing a walk-through of each hotel from my own personal stay + a link to make a reservation!
Ashinomaki Onsen Ookawaso
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A 110 room traditional Onsen hotel with beautiful nature views and delicious kaiseki dining.
Privately bookable Onsen (45 minutes, 3300 yen).
Water is hotter than some other Onsens, and frequently recycled.
A series of cultural experiences are available here, including musical performances, rice pounding demonstrations, and more.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Yamamizuki
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With one of the best outdoor hot springs in Kyushu, this traditional Japanese Ryokan is truly amazing! The hot spring bath in the mountains next to the river is definitely the best Onsen in Japan that I have been in!
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Aenokaze
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Aenokaze is the sister hotel to Kagaya a famous ryokan which is one of the top Japanese onsen ryokan, receiving the "best of" award throughout the past 30 years. And if you look on tripadvisor ratings, Aenokaze is actually rated above Kagaya -- because it has almost the same service, you can use the same onsen, at about half the price!
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Yufuin Gettouan
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An amazing private Onsen (hot spring bath) in every room of this traditional Japanese hotel! This is definitely one of the most unique onsen hotels that I have ever stayed in! The Yufuin Gettouan Hotel is located in Kyushu Japan in the Mt Aso region and only has 18 rooms.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Sozankyo
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Hotel Sozankyo is a traditional Japanese Ryokan with a onsen hot-spring. Sozankyo is a small hotel with only 22 rooms, most of the Japanese style with tatami mats and futons for sleeping.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel
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A combination of a classic Japanese Ryokan, Onsen, and a modern hotel. The Kanazawa Sainoniwa Hotel is definitely one of my favorite hotels in Japan that I have stayed in. Excellent breakfast, nice onsen, comfortable beds, and great service.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Funaya
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Unique because it is set in a small city, instead of being isolated in nature. Valet parking available.
Dinner 12 course meal, including 5 courses of seafood. It takes at least 2 hours. For a full review, watch my dinner review, below.
The original public onsen in this town is available for anyone to enter for 400 yen at the time of my visit, and its building has been there since 1894. It's small and crowded. The hotel has more privacy.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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AoAwo Naruto Resort
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The hotel sits on directly on the coast, and all rooms have an ocean view. Naruto in general is quite rural, but has a main attraction in the Naruto whirlpools. This hotel is convenient for that, and also has 2 onsen onsite, and a swimming pools. Two beaches flank the hotel.
Note: At the time of recording my video & gathering this general hotel review (2014), this was a Marriott property, though this no longer seems to be the case.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Airinkan
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Hotel situated in the mountains of the Iwate prefecture. Shuttle from the Shin Hanamaki train station (provided by hotel) takes about 30-40 minutes. 4-5 hot springs with views of the outside. Dinner is provided as part of the room rate.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Dai-ichi Takimotokan
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Considered to be one of the best Onsen (Japanese Hot Spring) hotels in Hokkaido. They have English-language pamphlets. The dinner buffet which is included in the room rate.
The main attraction is the Grand Hot Spring Bath with 7 different types of hot spring water.
Full hotel tour and more tips in my video linked below.
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Public Hot Springs & Baths
Dogo Onsen Main Building
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At over 3000 years old, Dogo Onsen is one of Japan's most historic hot springs. Admission to the Dogo Onsen bath is very inexpensive, starting at 400 Yen for basic access, though there are many other levels you can choose to have more privacy.
Bring a towel, or you will have to pay to rent one.
This bathhouse features in Spirited Away as the bathhouse of the gods.
Watch the full video below, for details like how to enter, what each ticket price gets you, and so forth.
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Umi Jigoku
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Beppu is considered the capital of Hot Springs in Japan and this is one of 7 unique natural hot springs that you can visit in the town of Beppu. The Sea Hell, called Umi Jikoku in Japanese, is one of the more beautiful hot springs featuring a pond of boiling blue water.
There are also a couple of smaller orange/brown colored hot springs in the complex.
Check out the pudding you can buy for 300 yen - it was boiled with the hot spring water!
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And, just for fun...
If these hotel reviews were helpful, feel free to leave a note and a tip!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yellow Productions
I’m Chris, and I help YOU travel intelligently, comfortably, and affordably. Established in 2008, Yellow Productions has created over 1,200 travel guide videos on Youtube that are fun, informative, and entertaining. Honest Hotel Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, Travel Gear, & more to help you plan your adventures to more than 30 countries! Definitely explore my Japan series with 100+ videos on Japan!
I enjoy researching & shooting informative videos to enable curious travelers like you to make informed decisions about where to go, where to stay, what to eat, and what to do in a destination. My goal is to be as DETAILED and INFORMATIVE as possible while still being FUN!
I'm a resident and native of Southern California, but I am often traveling the world with my daughter (the Traveling Princess), my wife (ocgirl), and reviewing hotels with my panda buddy “Topher."
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