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Japan Onsen & Sauna Guide
Japan's Finest
Onsen & Sauna
Japan's Finest Onsen & Sauna
52
Chosen from 300+ visited over a lifetime
37Themed features
25Prefectures
Saga
Chiba
Hokkaido
Hokkaido
Kanagawa
Gifu
Wakayama
Nagano
Ishikawa
FOREWORD
There were far more facilities we did not include.
300 Visited · 52 Selected
Foreword
Beyond the facilities—to the culture behind them.
I have been going to the baths since I was in elementary school, and before long I found myself traveling all over Japan. It was only much later that I realized luxury is not what defines a great bath. The temperature of the water, the quality of the water, the quiet, and the hands of the people who care for it. Only that accumulation creates an unforgettable experience.
All 52 facilities featured here were contacted one by one, and we obtained permission to publish them. The photos were also provided directly by the facilities. We did not receive any listing fees from them. The reason they are included is simple: they are excellent.
At the end of the magazine, we also select the very best sauna, cold plunge bath, and hot spring from among these 52 facilities, and explain the criteria used for each selection.
Editor-in-Chief, Junpei Onishi
Contents
CONTENTS
52 facilities, each published with its owner's permission. At the back, we name the finest sauna, cold bath and onsen among them — and publish the criteria we judged by.
03Enjoy Onsen & Sauna More DeeplyBasics & etiquette
Hyogo
Kobe Sauna & Spa
Hokkaido
Noboribetsu Grand Hotel
Nagano
Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel
CHAPTER 01
52 Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
CHAPTER 01
52 Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
CHAPTER 01
52 Finest Onsen & Sauna in Japan
CHAPTER 02
Closing Features
Having visited every facility in this issue, we chose the finest sauna, cold bath and onsen — and we show you the criteria behind each choice.
CHAPTER 03
Onsen & Sauna Etiquette Guide
Essential manners and tips so everyone can enjoy hot springs and saunas comfortably.
01. Checking the Tattoo RulesP.103
02. No Bathing After Drinking, and Stay HydratedP.104
03. Considerations for Bathing During MenstruationP.105
04. No use of smartphones or camerasP.106
05. Take off your shoes and slippers at the entranceP.107
06. Wash your body before entering the bathP.108
07. Be considerate of the person next to you (shower spray)P.109
08. Do not reserve a washing spot or leave a messP.110
09. Do not dip towels in the bath /
Tie up your hairP.111
10. Do not speak loudly or make a racket in the bath or saunaP.112
11. Do not swim, jump in, or run in the bathtubP.113
12. Cold plunge bath etiquette after the sauna (wash off sweat, no diving)P.114
13. Wipe your body before returning to the changing areaP.115
Japan's Finest
Onsen & Sauna
52 Selections
A journey to visit carefully selected famous hot springs and saunas for body and mind
JOURNEY THROUGH JAPAN
43
KANAGAWA
Tsunashima Gensen Yukemuri no Sho
A healing space in Yokohama featuring a free-flowing black hot spring and an exceptional self-löyly sauna
A little way from the bustle of the city, in Tsunashima, once called Tokyo’s inner retreat, a day of soaking in black-brown spring water and the aromatic steam of self löyly quietly unfolds.
Kanagawa Yokohama City
44/52
01
Black-brown free-flowing spring water
02
The source-water cold bath is single-digit temperatures
03
Fragrant self löylyThe amber-black hot spring and fragrant steam invite you into Yokohama’s inner retreat
The star of Tsunashima Gensen Yukemurinosho is a black-brown sodium bicarbonate cold mineral spring with a lustrous sheen. In the open-air rock bath, the spring water meets the air, and in the pot baths, time for one person deepens. In the indoor carbonated amber bath, the texture of the black hot spring and fine bubbles overlap, gently softening the skin. In the Finnish-style sauna, self löyly with aromatic water transforms heat into fragrance, while the salt steam room quietly brings on perspiration. Finish with the spring-water cold mineral bath. Its non-stinging chill leaves the lingering warmth of the bath and steam feeling clear and refined.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Even the coldness of the black hot spring becomes part of the memory of steamAmong sauna facilities, it is rare to find a place where you can feel this much of the spring’s character in the cold bath. The smoothness of your skin after bathing elevates even the wind on the way home. It’s a luxury you can enjoy in Yokohama.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Kanagawa Yokohama City 3-7-61 Tsurumachi, Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
WEB SITE
yukemurinosato.com/tsunashima
TATTOO POLICY
No TattoosGuests with tattoos or body art, regardless of size, are not permitted. Sticker covers are also not allowed.
FACILITY TYPE
Super sento
JOURNEY THROUGH JAPAN
02
SAGA
Kanigoten
A bathhouse in Tara where stunning views of Ariake Sea meet a two-tier sauna experience
Tara Town, Saga Prefecture, Kamegoten Ariake Sea Bath. Beyond the door, the sea and Mount Fugendake unfold before you, and two saunas plus deep natural spring water loosen the body to the rhythm of the tide.
Saga Tara Town
2/52
01
A wood-fragrance sauna that resonates on two levels
02
Deep natural spring water overlooking the Ariake Sea
03
Tara-dake Onsen fills the indoor bathA two-tier sauna of Ariake Sea and wood fragrance, bathed in the pull of the moon
The pale blue bath of Towada stone is filled with Tara-dake Onsen, a weakly alkaline hot spring that gushes from the foot of Mount Tara. Facing the sea and Mount Fugendake, the stillness of the water eases the tension of travel. The saunas are a 2F gravity sauna carved from solid spruce and a 1F grid sauna that lets the scenery seep through the lattice. The heat is never harsh; wrapped in the scent of wood, it reaches deep within. Afterward, sink into the deep underground natural spring water and feel the sea breeze on the terrace. The ebb and flow of the Ariake Sea paints a different scene each time you rest.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Ariake Sea totonou time designed down to the sea breezeSimply having the sea in view changes the depth of your breathing. Here, the sauna, water, and outdoor air bath all head straight toward the sea, turning the entire stay into a kind of tide.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Saga Tara Town 316-3 Oura Otsu, Tara Town, Fujitsu District, Saga Prefecture
WEB SITE
www.kanigoten.com/ariakebath
TATTOO POLICY
No tattoo-specific restriction
FACILITY TYPE
Hotel & Ryokan
JOURNEY THROUGH JAPAN
20
OSAKA
SPAWORLD HOTEL&RESORT
A collection of world baths and Japan's largest 140-person sauna theater
In Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, just beside Tsutenkaku. This bathhouse resort lets you move through European and Asian bathing zones that change every month, from a colossal thermal theater to a sauna infused with the aroma of Japanese tradition.
Osaka Osaka City
22/52
01
Beautiful from every angle
02
A world of baths to explore month by month
03
A Japanese-style sauna deepened by fragranceA day spent touring baths and heat waves from around the world at the foot of Tsutenkaku
SPAWORLD HOTEL&RESORT is one of Osaka’s leading bathhouse resorts, where the 4F European Zone and the 6F Asian Zone switch places every month. Temple halls, forests, tea rooms, an underwater city — every time you walk through the baths, the scenery and scents change as if crossing borders. The highlight is the sauna theater, where heat waves merge with music and visual projections. After being wrapped in those undulating waves of heat, you can cool off in a cold plunge bath of your choice and relax in the spacious open-air area. There are even source-fed pot baths, making it impossible to fit all the fun and relaxation into just one day.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Such grand scale that your senses start to melt awayThis is not just a large facility; the baths themselves are the stage for a journey. Its charm lies in the dramatic contrast, from a flashy show to the lingering aroma of tea and the quiet of the pot baths.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Osaka Osaka City 3-4-24 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
WEB SITE
www.spaworld.co.jp
TATTOO POLICY
No Tattoos
FACILITY TYPE
Hotel & Ryokan
36/52
JAPAN ONSEN COLLECTION
01A panoramic sauna floating above the lake
Shirakaba Lake and Mt. Kuruma lie beyond the large windows. The curved benches guide your gaze toward the scenery.02The mellow softness of the underground spring water from Mt. Tateshina
Clear and refreshing, it releases heat without stinging the skin. The invigorating cascade water is exceptional as well.03A breathtaking open-air bath that opens onto the sky and lake
The gentle waters of Tarugasawa Onsen quietly erase the boundary between lake and sky.34
Nagano Tateshina Town
Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel
A highland hot spring resort standing by Lake Shirakaba
In Nagano Prefecture, wrapped in the clear air at an elevation of 1,400m, Koten no Yu overlooks Shirakaba Lake and Mt. Kuruma. The hot spring water, steam, and underground spring water quietly bring the body back into balance during your journey.
Shirakaba Resort Ikenotaira Hotel Koten no Yu is a hot spring and sauna resort tucked away on the shore of Shirakaba Lake. Tarugasawa Onsen, a calcium-sodium sulfate spring, has a gentle feel that wraps the body from the core. In the separate men’s and women’s indoor saunas, fragrant steam fills the space with the textures of wood and stone, while in the mixed-gender swimsuit area Sora, the panoramic sauna Ku opens up sweeping views of Shirakaba Lake and Mt. Kuruma. The cold plunge bath fed by the underground spring water of Mt. Tateshina gently releases the heat, and in the infinity open-air bath, the boundary between lake and sky seems to vanish.
EDITOR'S NOTE
Facing Shirakaba Lake, even your breathing grows clearer in this highland settingThe panoramic sauna Ku is a place where the scenery becomes the star the moment you open the door. When you hand over your heat to the underground spring water, it feels as if even the light on the lake surface enters your body.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Nagano Tateshina Town 1596 Ashida Hachigano, Tateshina Town, Kitasaku District, Nagano Prefecture
WEB SITE
www.shirakabaresort.jp/hot-spring
TATTOO POLICY
No Tattoos
FACILITY TYPE
Hotel & Ryokan
JOURNEY THROUGH JAPAN
36
ISHIKAWA
Kinjo Onsen Motoyu
A sento sauna in Kanazawa renowned for its famed hot springs and excellent water
Two private natural springs shimmer like amber, and well water from the Hakusan mountain range gently loosens the skin. Enjoy the luxury of hot water and sauna with the ease of a neighborhood sento.
Ishikawa Kanazawa City
38/52
01
Amber-colored free-flowing spring water
02
Cold plunge bath with water from the Hakusan mountain range
03
The heat of the herb-scented saunaKanazawa sento sauna wrapped in amber waters and Mount Hakusan spring water
Kinjo Onsen Motoyu is a natural hot spring sento with flow-through bathing that lives on in downtown Kanazawa. The large bath filled with free-flowing spring water receives water from Kinjo Onsen No. 2 spring, and the amber-colored bath envelops the skin with a silky feel, leaving a lingering, moisturizing finish long after you get out. In the sauna, the heat of the stacked stones blends with the scent of herbs, and the steam from löyly deepens even your breathing. Finish in the cold plunge bath fed by well water blessed by the Hakusan mountain range. The water is so clear it can be drunk, gently easing away the heat from your body.
EDITOR'S NOTE
A hot spring treasure in Kanazawa wearing the face of a sentoIt is not a flashy resort, yet the quality of the water, the coolness, and the fragrance stay quietly in your memory long after you leave. Visiting in the morning, I felt as if the day in Kanazawa began with a sense of clarity.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Ishikawa Kanazawa City 100-2 Akadocho To, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
WEB SITE
kinjo-onsen.jp
TATTOO POLICY
No tattoo-specific restriction
FACILITY TYPE
Super sento
JOURNEY THROUGH JAPAN
39
KANAGAWA
Skyspa YOKOHAMA
Sky SPA overlooking Yokohama
Directly connected to Yokohama Station, on the 14th floor of the Sky Building. A sky-high SPA that unwinds the pace of the city with the scent of wood and the steam of löyly, framing the harbor and the cityscape in its windows. The journey begins the moment you arrive.
Kanagawa Yokohama City
41/52
01
A wooden sauna overlooking Yokohama
02
Wrapped in that view
03
Complete the afterglow in an artificial hot springA serene sauna voyage floating above the skies of Yokohama
The main sauna, furnished with Kelo wood and abachi wood, has no TV and reflects Yokohama’s harbor and cityscape like a single painting. The heat of the wood is gentle, and the sweat quietly releases. In contrast, the löyly sauna is dark, drawing your awareness to the heat and steam stored in the IKI MONOLITH stove. You open your heart to the view, then return to yourself in the darkness. Beyond that back-and-forth waits the cold plunge bath, infused with amethyst, with a chill that does not sting the skin, along with the soft lingering afterglow of the hinoki calcium hot spring.
EDITOR'S NOTE
A sky-high retreat where scenery and silence deepen in alternationWhat drew me in was the quietness, hard to believe given its location right by the station. Saved by the light from the windows, then regaining space in the dark sauna, that shift is beautiful. I want to soak here again and again.
INFORMATION
LOCATION
Kanagawa Yokohama City 14th floor, Sky Building, 2-19-12 Takashima, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
WEB SITE
www.skyspa.co.jp
TATTOO POLICY
No Tattoos
FACILITY TYPE
Capsule Hotel
FEATURE 01
The Best Sauna
The Unforgettable Sauna
Saunas are everywhere in Japan. There are countless of them. What makes one unforgettable is not a place with the newest facilities, but a place where the right conditions come together in a way that can happen nowhere else. We chose these four criteria.
CRITERIA
The four measures we call "exceptional"
It is not just about being hot, or being new. Saunas that stay in the body’s memory for years share certain qualities.
- 01Location
The sea and the mountains are not something you can add later. Only a landscape that has existed there since ancient times can make a room truly one of a kind.
- 02Design and Architecture
Today’s sauna is both architecture and a work of art. There are spaces where simply sitting there moves the senses.
- 03Stillness
Because it is a room cut off from reality, has a quietness been designed in which you can hear nothing but your own breathing?
- 04Stove and Materials
A good stove creates good heat, and woods like keuro and red cedar create both insulation and fragrance.
04Stove and Materials03Stillness02Design and Architecture
TOYAMA
Yuya FUROBAKKA
A cave and a hut shaped by flame
Anagura Sauna is a place where, amid raw concrete walls and deep darkness, only the flame of the wood stove draws the outlines. The sound and scent of burning soften the heat. Yamagoya Sauna, by contrast, places the green of the park beyond its large windows, and each time water falls on the stacked stones, the air grows denser. The same firewood, yet a completely different expression. Darkness and light, two memories of wood fire.
The Best Sauna
FEATURE 02
The Finest Cold Bath
The Perfect Cold Bath
A cold bath is the water of its place, plain and simple. How it is drawn and how it flows changes the way your body sinks in. It is not decided by coldness alone. Chosen by four measures, this is water you will never forget.
CRITERIA
Measuring the Water, Four Standards
If it is only about being cold, anyone can make that. The cold baths that make you want to enter that water again had both a source and a way of being handled.
- 01Water Quality
Natural groundwater, spring water, or hot spring water. There is a texture to water drawn from the land itself that nothing else can match.
- 02Continuous Flow
Fresh water keeps pouring in, overflowing without pause. You can feel how fresh it is the moment you step in.
- 03Water Temperature
18 degrees or lower. And if there are cold baths with selectable temperatures, the experience itself changes.
- 04Size and Number
You can step in as soon as you leave the sauna, without waiting. Water you sink into while worrying about everyone else's turn does not stay in memory.
01Water Quality02Continuous Flow03Water Temperature04Size and Number
CHIBA
SATOYAMA TERRACE
Two currents of coolness, loosening into satoyama
The two cold plunge baths fed by the satoyama’s natural groundwater each have a different edge of chill. One is sharp, cutting off the heat; the other is soft, clinging to the skin. In one, fresh water pours in abundantly, and you can receive the falling stream over your head. Finish with outdoor air bathing, wrapped in the scent of the forest and open views, or step into the indoor air-bathing tent. Even in the spacious lounge, the afterglow of the cold never quite fades.
The Finest Cold Bath
FEATURE 03
The Supreme Natural Hot Spring
The Supreme Onsen
How little can we alter water that springs from underground before carrying it to the bath? Its color, scent, and texture are utterly different from place to place. We chose waters that have welled up since ancient times, using four measures.
CRITERIA
Measuring the Water, with Four Measures
The more water is carried, the more it thins and cools. That is why the day you encounter water as close as possible to its natural state is one you never forget.
- 01Free-flowing spring water
Without added water, heating, or circulation, the water that springs forth fills the bath as it is and overflows as it is.
- 02Water richness
Colorless water turns golden when it meets the air. Water that rich is unmistakable the moment you step in.
- 03Lasting warmth
Even after you leave the bath, the warmth stays deep in your core. We remember the water that lasted until the next morning's waking.
- 04Local character
Its color, scent, and texture are utterly different from place to place. That water can spring only from that land.
01Free-flowing spring water02Water richness03Lasting warmth04Local character
ISHIKAWA
Kinjo Onsen Motoyu
Two springs, a deep brown bath
Kinjō Onsen No. 2 spring fills the center of the large bath, while Kinjō Onsen No. 1 spring lies beneath the open air outside. The two natural hot springs continually overflow from their respective tubs. The indoor bath, in particular, is a deep brown whose richness is apparent at a glance. Once you sink in, it does not press with stimulation; instead, it gently loosens the whole body and seems to draw you toward sleep. Two vessels, taking in the water as it comes from the land.
The Supreme Natural Hot Spring
ONSENMAGAZINE
“The places worth the whole journey.”
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