Surrounded by a Silver-White World: Top 5 Popular Snow-Viewing Hot Spring Resorts in Japan

As winter temperatures drop, now is the perfect time to chase snow and soak in hot springs at Japan’s most beloved destinations among Taiwanese travelers. A popular Japanese travel booking site recently announced its top 5 snow-viewing hot spring hotels, where guests can immerse themselves in warm thermal baths while admiring the breathtaking, glittering white landscapes before them. At night, the starry skies are fully visible, offering a healing experience that feels like stepping into a dreamlike wonderland.

The “Cloud Sea Onsen” at “Mansengoku Mansengokujuku Hotel” lets you enjoy expansive snowy views while soaking in a high-concentration sulfur spring. (Photo/Rakuten Travel)

Rakuten Travel’s booking site carefully selected these 5 top snow-viewing hot spring hotels based on data from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017. The list includes over 200 bookings for accommodations whose names or descriptions contain the keywords “snow viewing” or “snowscape,” and which offer outdoor hot springs with snow views. Rankings were calculated using a maximum 5-point hot spring rating score, and hotels with fewer than 50 guest reviews were excluded.

The top-ranked snow-viewing hot spring hotel, “Mansengoku Mansengokujuku Hotel,” sits at an altitude of 1,800 meters. Its open-air bath, “Cloud Sea Onsen,” allows guests to enjoy boundless snowy vistas while soaking in a high-concentration sulfur spring. Guests have commented: “The open-air snow-viewing hot spring is amazing—only the milky white, cloudy spring water is true hot spring water.”

“Tomanoma Plateau BELNATIO Resort” claimed second place. It is a resort hotel located in Jōetsu City, one of Japan’s top heavy snowfall regions. In its cedar-built open-air bath “Tsukimi no Yu,” guests can admire snow-covered gardens; there’s also the “Miharu Yu” bath, which offers views of the plateau landscape and features smooth, alkaline simple hot spring water. Guests gave high praise: “When the lights illuminate the open-air bath and the restaurant area during snowfall, the scenery is truly stunning.”

The “Miharu Yu” bath at “Tomanoma Plateau BELNATIO Resort” offers guests the chance to enjoy smooth, alkaline simple hot spring water. (Photo/Rakuten Travel)

“Mansengoku Nisshinkan” is the second Gunma Prefecture snow-viewing hot spring hotel to make the top 5. It offers nine different types of hot spring baths, including the 24-hour “Gokuraku Yu” scenic open-air bath, which provides unobstructed views of snow-covered mountains and starry skies. Other unique options include the “SASA Yu” open-air bath with floating mountain bamboo, and the “Ubako Yu” 100% natural spring bath with a distinct sulfur aroma. One guest praised the “Gokuraku Yu” as a perfectly sublime open-air hot spring.

Also making the list are Yamagata Prefecture’s “Zao Onsen Zao International Hotel” and “Kamikoishi Onsen Nihon no Yado Koyou.” These luxurious spots let you soak in hot springs while enjoying snowscapes, combining famous hot springs and snowy vistas in one unforgettable experience—perfect for a magical winter trip to Japan during the holiday season.