Winter Warm-Up & Scenic Delights: A Tour of Japan’s Top 10 Hot Springs

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team

Japan’s unique hot spring culture has given rise to specialized ryokan and sento, and the Japanese have even developed a wide variety of hot spring experiences, offering enthusiasts a diverse range of soaking options. Some hot spring areas even feature over 20 different baths. Rakuten Travel Booking surveyed the top ten most worthwhile hot spring destinations for a soul-soothing onsen pilgrimage, ensuring visitors seeking an authentic Japanese bathing experience this winter will leave feeling thoroughly warmed—inside and out.

The top ten most worthwhile hot spring destinations for a soul-soothing onsen pilgrimage in Japan are jointly claimed by the premium bathhouse “Naruko Onsen DaiNUMA” and “Ikarigaseki Kagemma Ryokan” for first place, while Hokkaido’s “Kitayuzawa Onsen Yu-Moto Holoholo Sanso” and Iwate Prefecture’s “Iwate Hanamaki Onsen Namari Onsen Fujisan Ryokan” share third place.

Naruko Onsen DaiNUMA – Experience a Premium Private Open-Air Bath

The first-place winner, “Naruko Onsen DaiNUMA,” boasts a century-long history and is renowned for its healing hot springs. It features a natural flow open-air bath and offers private, family, and mixed-gender nude baths, with a total of eight different styles of bathhouses, five of which can be reserved for private use, allowing every guest to enjoy an ultra-private bathing experience. The separate open-air bath “Moeri no Yu,” surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, feels like stepping into a travel poster. Visitors often rave about this stunning view, calling it the top choice for a seasonal hot spring experience in Japan.

Ikarigaseki Kagemma Ryokan – A 400-Year-Old Hot Spring Ryokan in Gunma Prefecture

Also ranking first, “Ikarigaseki Kagemma Ryokan” is famous for its hot spring source that produces 1,000–1,100 liters per minute. Operating for 400 years, the ryokan offers 21 different indoor baths, each with its own unique characteristics and therapeutic benefits. Among them, the most well-known are the standing bath “Senraku,” which offers views of majestic distant mountains and has a water depth of 1 meter, and “Senyu,” which features a spa massage effect and helps improve eczema and skin beauty. The garden also includes five open-air baths and a sauna among other facilities. Additionally, to ensure every guest enjoys the most beautiful views, the ryokan rotates the locations of the men’s and women’s baths at different times of the day, allowing visitors to fully experience the diverse features of each bath.

Yu-Moto Holoholo Sanso / Fujisan Ryokan – A Wide Variety of Hot Springs and the Rare Rock Bath, Offering a Unique Style

Ranked third, “Kitayuzawa Onsen Yu-Moto Holoholo Sanso” offers guests a choice of 10 types of natural flow hot springs, including tub baths, standing baths, aromatic baths, jet baths, shower baths, reclining baths, and open-air baths. Its rare and fun variety makes it highly popular. Also ranking third, Iwate Prefecture’s “Iwate Hanamaki Onsen Namari Onsen Fujisan Ryokan” is a 600-year-old historic inn, featuring five types of baths. Guests can enjoy the semi-open-air bath with views of the Shiraito Falls or soak in the rock bath formed by naturally carved stone, experiencing the most distinctive hot spring journey.

Japan’s Top Ten Human-Hot Springs Perfect for an Onsen Pilgrimage Experience: