An onsen (温泉) is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism.
Are you getting ready to take a trip to an Onsen Hot Spring in Japan?As an onsen-loving Senpai, allow me to provide you a few tips on how to be absolutely prepared before braving the nakedness and initial awkwardness of your first Onsen adventure. Trust me, all of this knowledge has been gained…(1064 words)
Japanese travellers love to go on a day trip to an onsen. Spend the day with your friends, try some local foods, and relax in the bath. Higaeri onsen 日帰り温泉 is the Japanese word for a one day trip Japanese hot spring. The Japanese TripAdvisor site released its new ranking of Day Spas and On…(541 words)
David
One the best ways to experience a town is through its food. When I travel, I love finding the diners, pubs, restaurants and cafés the locals choose to frequent, because that’s where I know I’ll get to experience the most authentic cuisine. But there is an interesting factor to be considered when lo…(545 words)
Petra
Have you tried onsen in Japan? There are many famous hot spring areas in the country and most of them offer both full baths and ashiyu. Ashiyu （足湯）is an onsen foot bath. Try it. A warm foot bath is the perfect way to rest, especially after a long walk. Kinugawa Onsen near NikkoIn many o…(524 words)
David
Japan’s Hidden Hot SpringsYokoso! Welcome!Japan is a country consisting of 4 main islands; Honshu (main Island), to the North is Hokkaido (Northern Sea Island), Shikoku (Fourth Country) and Kyushu (Nine Provinces). There are hundreds of smaller islands that lie in Japan’s territories. T…(542 words)
scramjetmach9
Going to hot springs in Japan is high on the list of great things to do and is a fantastic way to calm the nerves and get refreshed. Few things are as an authentic Japanese experience as going to a Japanese hot spring and enjoying the local Japanese cuisine and accommodations. Amongst hot springs, …(338 words)
Aron
"Get the latest updates here on Deep Japan as we collaborate with Tokyo Broadcasting System(TBS) Television, JNN(Japan News Network/TBS nation wide affiliates)'s seven-station network across Japan and Vietnam's VTV station to bring the people in Vietnam informative and fun reports from the fantasti…(637 words)
Phil
When you want to get clean after a long, crowded, sweaty day on the subway, you may retreat to your bathroom and jump into a deep Japanese bathtub and let the stress of the day drift away. Many westerners love a good soak, but like many things that are wonderfully different here in Japan, there is …(290 words)
Alex
Kusatsu Onsen in Gumma Prefecture is known as one of Japan's three best hot springs. By the way, Arima in Hyogo Prefecture and Gero in Gifu Prefecture are the other two locations. These three were originally described by a priest in the classical poetry anthologies of Shokoku-ji Temple in Murom…(530 words)
ZEROIN -INTERNSHIP
Kusatsu Onsen（草津温泉）, or Kusatsu Hot Spring is one of the most renowned hot-spring resort in Japan, located in the Tochigi Prefecture, about 100km north of Tokyo. Tochigi is rich in hot-spring resorts including Kusatsu, Ikaho, Shima, Minakami and Manza. Above all Kusatsu is highly evaluated with…(350 words)
Hagi
The first onsen I ever visited in Japan was Kurokawa Onsen in Kumamoto Prefecture. Although I've visited many other onsens in the 19 years I've been in Japan (and they're all nice!), my favorite is still Kurokawa Onsen. Why? Because the view is FANTASTIC! The rotenburos (outdoor hot spring pools) a…(106 words)
Andrea Miyata
Enoshima island is one of my favourite places for a day trip from Tokyo. I love the ocean air, the view of Kamakura and Mt Fuji, and the shrines and small shops around the island. This Sunday I took a day off from the busy city to visit the onsen at Enoshima Island Spa. It turned out to be even bet…(193 words)
David
Kinosaki Onsen has a beautiful and nostalgic view with rows of willow trees along a little river. There are at most 7 public baths in the area and you can casually visit and enjoy them even without staying over at the local ryokan Inns. They are called "sotoyu"(open air bath) which is opposite of "…(424 words)
Eddie
Enoshima Island Spa would be a great choice for you, and probably just in case when you want to try another spa closer to the Metropolitan area in Tokyo, I'd suggest you try Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Hot Spring (Literary meating; Tokyo Spa Story), which is located at Odaiba, in the Tokyo Bay. The be…(102 words)
Masa
My first experience at Bousui was just 5 years ago and then the second was last month. In 2006 I was a newbie exploring the Hokkawa Hot Spring district , in 2014 it was my second visit as a devoted fan of hot spring perfection wanting to share this haven with my life partner and best friend.htt…(1039 words)
I recently visited Kusatsu for Deep Japan with the goal of re-discovering the magic of this mountain town that is consistently ranked as one of Japan’s best hot spring resorts. It was my visit to the town and it remains one of my top destinations in Japan. In this series of five articles I’ll cover…(542 words)
AndrewShuttleworth
The hot spring water that flows throughout Kusatsu comes from deep within the earth and, as a result, is very, very hot. Between 51 and 94 degrees Celsius to be exact. You may be wondering how this water is cooled. Adding cold water?One of the ways the water is brought to a comfortable temperat…(345 words)
Petra
Kusatsu Onsen is a small town tucked away in the mountains. Within a few blocks of downtown, you can end up surrounded by nature. This is best on display at Sainokawara Park, home to one of Kusatsu’s most popular open-air baths.This picturesque park, which showcases the best blossoms and foliag…(288 words)
Petra
Ranked for last 12 years straight as one of the Top 100 onsens in Japan, it really is for the onsens that visitors come to Kusatsu. There are public onsens and of course ryokan and resort hotels with their private onsens. A few of the the famous public onsens are Sainokawahara （西の河原露天風呂）…(307 words)
Alana
One of the great things about Kusatsu is that it's out in the heart of Japan's countryside which, while one of the most attractive features of Japan, remains unexplored to many visitors who zip through tunnels on the Shinkansen on their journey from city to city.Sainokawara Park is another uniq…(525 words)
AndrewShuttleworth
Although it may have seen better days, to me the onsen capital of Japan still has to be Oita. I lived there as a JET in the mid-90's, so I might be a little biased. But most Japanese people will still associate Oita with onsens. Beppu was like the Las Vegas of Japan for years, and with the eco…(156 words)
William Nealy
Japan Travel Guide - A Tour of Nikko onsen & area including Kinugawa Onsen. This Away from Tokyo Guide series ventures into the Top 10 things to do in Nikko Japan. This Nikko Tour visits Nikko Onsen, Nikko Edo Wonderland aka Edomura, Toshugu Shrine a Unesco World Heritage location and Nikko food,…(140 words)
DeepJapan Editor
Futon, onsen, and dinner are the three reasons I choose to stay at ryokan over other lodging facilities. Usually at ryokan, you get to sleep in a tatami room in futon. Since I usually sleep on a bed at home, it is a great feeling to kind of return to my Japanese roots and sleep in a futon. Futon at…(238 words)
GenS
This is the only location I have ever seen in Japan that has a natural hot spring pool in the indoor pool area. This means you can go in with your family in your bathing suit and enjoy the deep mineral bath. The water feels very smooth and thick in a way as it comes up from 1500 meters below this h…(93 words)
We have recently come to understand the effects of hydrogen sulfide, or "sulfur". Just by sniffing it, the swelling associated with rheumatism can be lessened. Also, we know the effects it can have on the brain, and it is possible that it has a preventative effect in regard to dementia.It a…(117 words)
Eddie
If you're looking for a special way to spend Valentine's Day in the Chugoku region, how about a trip up to Yubara Onsen? Located in Maniwa City, Yubara is Okayama Prefecture's most well-known hot spring town, and is situated along the Asahi River and next to the Yubara Dam.Yubara is a hot sprin…(271 words)
Andrea Miyata
When my sister and her family visited last year, we decided to crowds and commotion of central Tokyo for a night and enjoy a bit of nature. We chose to stay at the Palace Hotel Hakone for its beautiful scenery and onsen, or hot springs.Situated in the Sengoku-hara Highlands, the hotel is only a sho…(319 words)
Petra
One of the oldest and most reputed onsens in Japan, Kusatsu was a favourite of the 5th and 8th shoguns ( it’s said that they transported waters to their castle in Edo). The onsen, while being preferred by Japanese for more than 1000 years, is relegated to a paragraph at best in the leading English…(315 words)
Alana
Although Japan is famous for hot springs, it’s easy to be tricked into visiting tourist traps where the water is recycled and chlorine added. This is something you definitely won't encounter in all of Kusatsu where the 100 plus gushing springs serve up an astounding 32,000 liters of water minute. …(500 words)
AndrewShuttleworth
Whenever my friends from overseas ask me what would be a classic thing to do in Japan, I always reply that visiting a medieval castle and staying in an onsen town (hot spring bath) are a "must". There is no doubt that a visit to Matsuyama City is the perfect way to combine both of these in one tri…(886 words)
Phil
Minshuku - Japanese bed and breakfast"There are different kinds of ryokan and minshuku inns in Japan... Personally I like minshukus best as they small and more personable. The owners run the minshuku and cook the meals. They take great pride preparing meals and making sure you are comfortable."…(339 words)
DeepJapan
Mount Fuji was designated as an UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage Site in 2013.Mt. Fuji has been popular destination among overseas tourists. But many of Mt. Fuji tours offered to them are actually Hakone tours to view Mt. Fuji from Lake Ashi which is located at 30km south west of the mountain. …(842 words)
Hagi
Thin and round carbonic acid rice cracker is mainly made of flour. They really melt in your mouth and taste slightly sweet. They are famous confections of Arima hot springs located in Hyogo prefecture. Arima Onsen is the hot spring loved by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a famous historical personage in Japa…(66 words)
OKAKI-sun
It is a rare onsen (hot spring) where visitors can bathe in their bathing suits. When I first came to Japan way back when, I dreaded entering a hot spring area where naked bodies eased in and out of steaming mineral scented water. As I grew accustomed to the custom...I learned to practice the same …(431 words)
Kusatsu is less frequented by foreign visitors given that it doesn’t have a train station, never mind a bullet train stop. That isolation is one of the reasons Kusatsu has managed to maintain its special atmosphere, but for those that want to go there it’s actually not difficult to get to.On my…(535 words)
AndrewShuttleworth
Okutama Town is located on the western edge of Tokyo. It is 40 miles west and two-hour train ride from Tokyo Station via Shinjuku and surrounded by green mountains but certainly within Tokyo Prefecture. It is a part of Chichibu Tama Kai National Park but major local tourist attractions are within s…(442 words)
Hagi
There are three bathing styles unique to Kusatsu. They are jikan-yu , Agari-yu and Awase-yu. Guests are encouraged to enjoy these about 3 times per day and try to remain in the onsen for an extended to take a full advantage of the special curing properties.Jikan-yu: These are timed baths where…(466 words)
ZEROIN -INTERNSHIP
Hot springs are often marketed for their positive effects on health: skin, articulations, cardio-vascular system, muscular relaxation… depending on its mineral content, the hot water is supposed to have an impact on your body. As the Romans used to say - and they were enjoying hot springs too - men…(705 words)
Claire
I’m a sucker for a good gift shop. Before most every trip, one of the first things I’m researching online is what the best local souvenirs are to take home from a destination. When it comes to Kusatsu Onsen, one of the best ways to remember the experience is to take home some of the unique skincare…(409 words)
Petra
Omizu (mizu if you're not using the honorific "O") is the Japanese word for water. If you're visiting Japan you can be assured that the water from taps is safe to drink wherever you're visiting. However, if you really insist on paying 100 to 200 yen for a bottle of water you'll find plenty of brand…(279 words)
Joe Peters