Best onsen in Japan.

[Davey]

When I first came to Japan, I didn't really wanted to go to onsen due to the hotness (at least, I thought it would be really hot), and due to I had to be naked (something I've never done before).

So when my wife decided to go to this onsen hotel, I really disagreed with her, and told her that I wanted to go somewhere else... Anyway to make the long story short; we went there anyway, and I just loved it. I really enjoy going to onsen, although I haven't been to many yet.

So my question is: What's your favorite onsen in Japan?


My favorite onsen:
1. Arima onsen
Arima is a small town located behind Mt. Rokko here in Kobe, and it's famous for its hot springs. Arima Onsen has two kinds of springs. kinsen, which has water colored yellow-brown from iron and salt and ginsen, which is colorless and contains radium and carbonate.

2. Urashima hotel
This hotel is located in Kii Katsura (famous for Tuna, and located nearby "The Cove"), in this hotel they have about 7 onsen, with the most famous one: Boki-do (a cave onsen)

 

[Harvey]

Kusatsu Onsen was great.
Japannewbie.com

I have also been to one called TSUBO onsen, which was AWESOME. But for some reason it seems I never blogged about it!

- Harvey

 

[let`s talk]

There are many onsens around Kanto. Almost all of them are crowded and overpriced comparing with what service they offer. We prefer to go a little further than 2 hours by super express train. I like Nagano prefecture . Clean, quiet, more elegant than Yamanashi and people's behavior and styles are on a higher level methinks. Basically, it is not Kanto. Kamisuwa is very romantic and chill. Nice place to escape a crazy Tokyo for the weekend. The hotel Saginoyu is big but quiet, a huge dinner, big choice of baths and a nice garden. www.saginoyu.com The hotel Suwako is great, the best point is rooms with private onsens, private baths there are real onsen wooden baths, rather big, not just a bathtub like in other places. You have no idea how much we were surprised when upon arrival to the hotel we saw a picture of J-emperor with his wife in a hotel lobby. I asked the staff and they told use that 7 years ago Emperor visited this hotel. Not sure what they ment by this: he stayed or just visited. Never mind, the place is wonderful. www.suwakohotel.co.jp

 

[Davey]

I went to Ako onsen the other day. The facility (Ginpaso) was very good, and the view was outstanding. There isn't a lot you can do in Ako besides eating delicious oysters (and it's festival) and the ruins of Ako castle)

Photo's:

Website link: The hotel facing to the sea and with an open-air bath :: GINPASO

 

[Scalemx]

Kurokawa onsen in Kumamoto prefecture has the repatutation of having the best onsen in Japan. According to Japanese television that is. The mountains in Kumamoto are really swarmed with onsen. Both family baths and regular onsen and ryokan are available in huge quantities.

 

[Petaris]

We went to one in January of 2010 in Akameguchi, Nabari in Mie prefecutre. It was nice to bath outside in the cool winter air. It was quiet and we had a nice meal there after our bath.

 

[206jazz]

Onsen are a real treat for relaxation, getaway, and food. If you can't make it to one in the mountains away from the city, I found places in Tokyo where you can go for a couple of hours for mush less cost.

On the man made island via the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay is the Odaiba Onsen Monogatari that is a destination onsen. It has an old Edo city in it for amusement food and drink and you enter the onsen from the town. There are a number of pools.

Not too far from Sugamo Station on the Yamanote-sen JR train that circles Tokyo is the Sugamo Sakura Onsen which has a number of temperature pools, rest areas, restaurant, and free bus from the train station.

The TokyoQ site lists a number of Onsen in and around Tokyo. I found Soshigaya Onsen by asking directions from the JNTO office. The had a number of tubs including a lap pool and sauna. A nice neighborhood place.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Onsen list of Tokyo
http://www21.ocn.ne.jp/~spa-mich/todofuken/tokyo/tokyo.htm

 

[zoomingjapan]

Guess I have to visit Arima then, huh?

My favorite onsen of the many I've been to is clearly "Furusato Onsen" on Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu !
If you ever have the chance to visit, do so!

Men and women are not divided, but don't worry! You have to wear special clothes as there's a little shrine in the onsen.
Show your respect by not being naked in front of the gods! *g*
You can see the ocean from this onsen. It's really perfect!