
Itinerary
Read it in the order we travelled.




JAPAN'S FINEST ONSEN & SAUNA
The Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
57 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.

Jan 17–18, 2026 / 1 night, 2 days
For me, the reason to visit Kyoto has nothing to do with temple tours, city strolls, or history lessons. It's all about saunas and hot springs. This time, I set out to enjoy a mix of modern saunas and classic Showa-era sento around Kyoto, including a visit to the filming locations from the drama Sado. A whirlwind one-night, two-day Kyoto trip is about to begin.
Every stop on this itinerary was personally visited by our editors.
Read it in the order we travelled.



