Japan's Hot Spring & Sauna Facilities TOP10 - August 2025
In August 2025, we present a ranking of the most memorable hot spring and sauna facilities we actually visited.
All Information Based on Actual Experience
All facilities listed on this site have been personally visited and experienced by the operator. All photos and reviews are original. We carefully select and introduce only the facilities that were truly exceptional.
Arima Kaido Onsen Suzuran no Yu
A superb combination of the addictive famous water 'Miyamizu' cold plunge bath and Arima-style natural hot spring. Enveloped by the scent of Vihta in the Finnish sauna, the 17°C blend of famous water and hot spring in the cold plunge bath provides a soft, embracing sensation. The outdoor air bath in the garden surrounded by forest sharpens the senses, gradually erasing daily fatigue and distractions. Even on a second visit, it offers the same unchanged impression, truly an addictive, top-notch facility.
📖 Experience Stories
Iyo no Yujiba Kisuke no Yu
Fujin Sauna, boasting the top spot in the 2024 Nifty Sauna Ranking nationwide. With the spaciousness of a lecture hall accommodating 40 people, it offers a 90°C automatic löyly and a 110°C Oni sauna, providing a 110°C temperature difference experience. Two types of cold plunge baths at 16°C and 9°C, and an infinity chair experience in a dedicated indoor air bath room with the sound of a river and birdsong. A hot spring sauna facility in Ehime that can be enjoyed by three generations of a family.
📖 Experience Stories
Safi Spa Maiko
The ultimate creation produced by sauna king Hiroshi Ota. The 'Mirumiru' sauna with a loft for lying down and the 'Mokumoku' dark sauna dedicated to meditation. Deep cold plunge baths at 17°C and 9°C with vibra and cross-counter, and a waterfall function from above for a full five-direction experience. Achieving totonou while watching fireworks projections is like heaven itself. The golden route of sauna → cold plunge bath → cold plunge bath leaves you completely relaxed at this ultimate facility.
📖 Experience Stories
Capsule Inn Osaka (New Japan Umeda)
The birthplace of capsule hotels in Japan and the setting for the drama 'Sa-do'. An established facility in Umeda with saunas and cold plunge baths on each of its three floors. Finnish sauna with the scent of Vihta and wood, high-temperature sauna with citrus aroma, and a choice of 14°C and 18°C cold plunge baths. Experience a waterfall meditation with water cascading down the walls and perfect flow design. Even after visiting Arima Onsen, this is one of Osaka's top saunas that won't disappoint.
📖 Experience Stories
Kobe Sauna & Spa
A sacred place of special memories for me. An established facility in Kobe I've been visiting since high school, with a Finnish sauna that ranks first in my personal favorite sauna ranking. The combination of an 11.7°C cold plunge bath and outdoor air bath, natural hot springs, delicious meals, and naps in the reclining room create a blissful time. It provides the reassurance of a home sauna that saves me from sleepless nights in musty hotels.
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Chomeiji Onsen Amaha no Yu
A rare combination of a wood-fired sauna and a breathtaking view of Lake Biwa at a super sento. In a meditation space without TV, you can fully experience the 'crackling' sound and scent of burning wood. The 15°C deep cold plunge bath with jet streams further lowers the perceived temperature, and the outdoor air bath overlooking Lake Biwa brings peace to the mind. The carbonated and radium hot springs are also wonderful, making the five sets fly by in this precious wood-fired sauna experience.
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Spa Resort Ogoto Agaryanse
The outdoor air bath in an open-air bath overlooking Lake Biwa is the best. The hot spring quality of Ogoto Onsen warms the body sufficiently before the sauna, with a wide sauna room filled with the aroma of essential oils, and a deep and wide 14°C cold plunge bath. The outdoor air bath while gazing at Lake Biwa is so pleasant that you might fall asleep, and before you know it, you've completed six sets (three before lunch, three in the evening). With this, you have everything you need for a happy life.
📖 Experience Stories
Shimanami Onsen Kisuke no Yu
An experience of awakening cells with a morning sauna starting at 5:30 AM. The main sauna, a spacious and dark meditation space that defies its exterior appearance, and a six-person hut sauna with the scent of green tea löyly. Enjoying a 16°C cold plunge bath all to yourself, enveloped in the scent of Ehime-grown green tea, creates a private sauna state. Morning sauna offers a special totonou experience that stimulates the cells differently from night, saying 'let's rely on you for the day ahead'.
📖 Experience Stories
Arima Onsen Taikou no Yu
A luxurious facility where you can enjoy Japan's finest Arima Onsen 'Kinsen' and 'Ginsen' simultaneously. The abundant hot spring components raise your pulse like a sauna just by soaking, and the 18°C natural hot spring cold plunge bath feels mellow, allowing you to soak endlessly. The outdoor air bath in the morning sunlight raises blood flow and provides a refreshing sensation even without a sauna. The Japanese cuisine at 'Hanajuraku' after the hot spring is also exceptional.
📖 Experience Stories
Yurara no Yu Oshikuma
A fortuitous facility discovered due to a sudden change of plans from a full Nara Health Land. Cooling down a sweaty body from a Nara Park stroll with an immediate 15°C cold plunge bath, and sweating thoroughly in an electric stove sauna. Lying on a bench in the open-air bath while gazing at the Nara sky and listening to the river's murmur during the outdoor air bath. The combination of few guests and the change in plans makes you realize that the story of the journey is life itself.