Hyogo Ako City
An infinity open-air bath where sea and sky melt together
Kamenoi Hotel Ako is a resort hotel set on a hill overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, boasting magnificent views. The property's greatest attraction is the infinity open-air bath filled with Ako Misaki Onsen, which springs from deep underground. The surface of the bathwater and the sea seem to merge into one, creating a blissful sense of floating as if you were drifting directly on the calm Seto Inland Sea. The large indoor bath also offers a sweeping panorama of the vast ocean, with Shodoshima to the west and views as far as the Akashi area to the east. The bath area also features a very popular low-temperature salt sauna, where you rub Akou's famous namishio all over your body to encourage perspiration. After the sauna, you can enjoy a luxurious outdoor air bath in the open-air area, where a pleasant sea breeze flows through. There are also rooms with semi-open-air baths that draw from the source, making this an excellent choice for a private and luxurious stay.
A calcium-sodium chloride spring that gushes from deep underground. Rich in salt, this natural hot spring offers outstanding warming and moisturizing effects and is gentle on the body. It helps prevent you from getting chilled after bathing, and is said to be effective for easing sensitivity to cold, relieving dry skin, and helping restore both physical and mental fatigue.
This low-temperature salt sauna, stocked generously with namishio, a specialty unique to Ako, is available in both men's and women's large public baths. In the mild warmth of the room, you gently apply salt to your body and slowly warm up, which promotes remarkable perspiration and leaves your skin feeling moist and smooth for a visible beauty-skin effect. Even if you do not like hot saunas, you can enjoy it comfortably and at your own pace.
Day-use bathing: Available (please check the official website, as reception hours and other details vary by day)
Ako Onsen
A hot spring inn where you can relax in a scenic seaside open-air bath and a panoramic sauna overlooking the Seto Inland Sea
Hyogo
Kobe's mecca for enjoying natural hot springs and an authentic Finnish sauna 24 hours a day
Hyogo
Scenic bathing in Kobe with views of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
The Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
64 SELECTIONS
Most of what we surveyed never even made it onto this site. This book is a further cut from what did. Our editor bathed in every onsen and sauna in it, and wrote only what they confirmed on the ground.
