Onsen - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

An is a term for hot spring
Hot spring
A hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. There are geothermal hot springs in many locations all over the crust of the earth.-Definitions:...

s in the Japanese language

Japanese language

is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...

, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing

Public bathing

Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...

places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism.

Onsen come in many types and shapes, including and indoor baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or often run as part of a hotel, ryokan or .

Onsen are a central feature of Japanese tourism often found out in the countryside but there are a number of popular establishments still found within major cities. They are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families or company groups who want to get away from the hectic life of the city to relax. Japanese often talk of the virtues of for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed homey atmosphere of a ryokan with an attached onsen. Japanese television channels often feature special programs about local onsens.

The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the kanji

Kanji

Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...

, (yu, meaning "hot water"). Sometimes the simpler hiragana

Hiragana

is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...

character ゆ (yu) is used, to be understandable to younger children.

Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsen by definition use naturally hot water from geothermally heated springs. Onsen should be differentiated from sentō

Sento

is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance. Traditionally these bath houses have been quite utilitarian, with one large room separating the sexes by a tall barrier, and on both sides, usually a minimum of lined up faucets and a single large bath for the already...

, indoor public bath houses where the baths are filled with heated tap water. The legal definition of an onsen includes that its water must contain at least one of 19 designated chemical elements, including radon and metabolic acid and be 25 °C or warmer before being reheated. Stratifications exist for waters of different temperatures. Major onsen resort hotels often feature a wide variety of themed spa baths

Public bathing

and artificial waterfalls in the bathing area .

Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content. A particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water with a different mineral composition. The outdoor bath tubs are most often made from Japanese cypress

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Chamaecyparis obtusa is a species of cypress native to central Japan.It is a slow-growing tree which grows to 35 m tall with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter. The bark is dark red-brown...

, marble

Marble

Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...

or granite

Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...

, while indoor tubs may be made with tile

Tile

A tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, or even glass. Tiles are generally used for covering roofs, floors, walls, showers, or other objects such as tabletops...

, acrylic glass

Acrylic glass

Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...

or stainless steel

Stainless steel

In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....

. Different onsen also boast about their different waters or mineral compositions, plus what healing properties these may contain. Other services like massages may be offered.

Traditionally, men and women bathed together at the onsen and sentō but single-sex bathing has become legalized as the norm since the opening of Japan to the West during the Meiji period

Meiji period

The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...

. Mixed bathing

Mixed bathing

Mixed bathing is a term that refers to members of the opposite gender swimming together in the same pool. In ancient Rome, mixed bathing was never the rule in public installations, although it did occur in private facilities. Today, in Japan, the practice is not common...

persists at some special onsen (konyoku) in the rural areas of Japan, which usually also provide the option of separate "women-only" baths or different hours for the two sexes. Children of either sex may be seen in both the men's and the women's baths.

People often travel to onsen with work colleagues, friends, couples or their families.

Ensuring cleanliness

At an onsen, as at a sentō

Sento

, all guests are expected to wash their bodies and rinse themselves thoroughly before entering the hot water. Bathing stations are equipped with stools, faucets, wooden buckets, and toiletries such as soap and shampoo; nearly all onsen also provide removable shower heads for bathing convenience. Entering the onsen while still dirty or with traces of soap on the body is socially unacceptable.

Swimsuits

Bathers are not normally allowed to wear swimsuits in the baths. However, some modern onsen with more of a waterpark atmosphere require their guests to wear a swimming suit in their mixed baths.

Towels

Onsen guests generally bring a small towel with them to use as a wash cloth. The towel can also provide a modicum of modesty

Modesty

Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged....

when walking between the washing area and the baths. Some onsen allow one to wear the towel into the baths, while others have posted signs prohibiting this, saying that it makes it harder to clean the bath. It is sometimes against the rules to immerse or dip towels in the onsen bath water, since this can be considered unclean. In this latter case, people normally set their towels off to the side of the water when enjoying the baths, or place their folded towels on top of their heads.

Noise

Onsen vary from quiet to noisy, some play piped music and often feature gushing fountain

Fountain

A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....

s. Bathers will engage in conversation in this relaxed situation. There are usually prohibitions against rowdiness in the washing and bathing areas. A small amount of excess energy and splashing around is usually tolerated from children, however.

Tattoos

Many onsen ban bathers with tattoo

Tattoo

A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...

s, which in Japan are traditionally perceived as a badge of criminality—Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...

traditionally have elaborate tattoos. Despite this background reason, the rule is often enforced strictly against all, including foreigners, women, and even when tattoos are small and "peaceful".

Therapy

The volcanic nature of Japan provides plenty of springs. When the onsen's water contains distinctive minerals or chemicals, the onsen establishments display what type of onsen it is.

Some examples of types of onsen include:

In Japan, it is said onsen have various medical effects. Japanese people believe that a good soak in proper onsen heals aches, pains and diseases, and visit onsen to treat the illnesses, such as arthralgia, chronic skin diseases, diabetes, constipation, menstrual disorders and so on.

These medical benefits have given onsen a central role in balneotherapy

Balneotherapy

Balneotherapy is the treatment of disease by bathing, usually practiced at spas. While it is considered distinct from hydrotherapy, there are some overlaps in practice and in underlying principles. Balneotherapy may involve hot or cold water, massage through moving water, relaxation or stimulation...

which is called . Onsen Therapy is a comprehensive bathing treatment conducted to maintain health, normalize dysfunctions and prevent illness.

Risks

Although millions of Japanese bathe in onsen every year with few noticeable side effects, there are still contraindications to onsen usage, such as high blood pressure or heart disease.

In recent years, Legionella
Legionella
Legionella is a pathogenic Gram negative bacterium, including species that cause legionellosis or Legionnaires' disease, most notably L. pneumophila. It may be readily visualized with a silver stain....

bacteria have been found sporadically in onsen with poor sanitation. Revelations of poor sanitary practices at some onsen have led to improved regulation by hot spring communities to maintain their reputation.

There have been reports of infectious disease found in hot bodies of water worldwide, such as:

Various Naegleria
Naegleria
Naegleria is a eukaryotic genus. The genus was named after French zoologist Mathieu Naegler.Species include:* Naegleria fowleri, which causes a rare and generally fatal disease in humans* Naegleria gruberi-External links:...

species. While studies have found the presence of Naegleria in hot spring waters, the worrisome Naegleria fowleri
Naegleria fowleri
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living excavate form of protist typically found in warm bodies of fresh water, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is also found in soil, near warm-water discharges of industrial plants, and unchlorinated swimming pools in an amoeboid or temporary...

amoeba has not been identified. Nevertheless, less than 5 cases have been seen historically in Japan, although not conclusively linked to onsen exposure.

Many onsen have posted notices for visitors, reminding anyone with open cuts, sores, or lesions to not bathe. Additionally, in recent years onsen are increasingly adding chlorine to their waters to prevent infection, although many onsen purists seek natural, unchlorinated onsen that instead does not recycle its water, cleaning baths daily. These precautions as well as proper onsen usage (i.e. not placing the head underwater, washing thoroughly before entering the bath) greatly reduces any overall risk to bathers.

Incidents

In 2001, onsen owners in the port city of Otaru, Hokkaido

Otaru, Hokkaido

is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination...

referred to incidents of rowdy Russian fishermen bothering other customers and causing lost businesses as reason to refuse service to anyone not Japanese. This issue was highlighted in February 2001, when naturalized-Japanese Debito Arudou and two co-plaintiffs sued Yunohana Onsen in Otaru, Hokkaidō

Otaru, Hokkaido

, for openly refusing service to customers because of their race. Yunohana Onsen lost the lawsuit in November 2002.

In another case of discrimination, Kurokawa Onsen Hotel in Kumamoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...

ran into legal trouble when leprosy patients were refused entry. Leprosy

Leprosy

Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...

is not contagious once treated, and laws that used to force seclusion on leprosy patients have long been overturned.

Out of the thousands of onsen in operation in Japan, there have been few reports of businesses practicing discrimination of this kind.

Selected onsen

Akagi
Akagi, Gunma
Akagi was a village located in Seta District, Gunma, Japan.On February 20, 2006 Akagi, along with the town of Ikaho, the villages of Komochi and Onogami, all from Kitagunma District, and the village of Kitatachibana, also from Seta District, was merged into the expanded city of Shibukawa.As of...

, Gunma
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
Akayu, Yamagata
Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen
is an onsen, or hot springs in Kita-ku, Kobe, Japan. This Onsen is still a hidden treasure of modern Kobe, behind Mount Rokko. It attracts many Japanese who want tranquility with beautiful natural surroundings and yet easy access from the busy cities in Kansai metropolitan area including...

(:ja:有馬温泉), Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...

, Hyōgo, one of the most famous onsen outside Japan, in Kobe
Asamushi Onsen
Asamushi Onsen
is an onsen resort in the city of Aomori, Aomori Prefecture.-Transportation:The resort is served by Asamushi-Onsen Station on the Tōhoku Main Line. Guests arriving by automobile can take Route 4; the trip from the center of Aomori takes about 30 minutes.-Resort:Two attractions include the Asamushi...

(:ja:浅虫温泉), Aomori
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
Aso
Aso, Kumamoto
is a city located in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan.The city was formed on February 11, 2005 from the merger of the former town of Aso with the town of Ichinomiya, and the village of Namino, all from Aso District....

, Kumamoto, a famous Onsen area alongside Mount Aso
Mount Aso
is the largest active volcano in Japan, and is among the largest in the world. It stands in Aso Kujū National Park in Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyūshū. Its peak is 1592 m above sea level. Aso has one of the largest caldera in the world...

, an active volcano
Atami Onsen (:ja:熱海温泉), Atami, Shizuoka, major onsen resort town near Tokyo
Dōgo Onsen
Dogo Onsen
is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...

(:ja:道後温泉), Ehime
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
Futamata, Hokkaidō
Gero
Gero, Gifu
is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is famous for its hot springs. The Hida River runs throughout the city.-History:The city was established on March 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Gero, Hagiwara, Kanayama and Osaka, and the village of Maze, all from Mashita...

, Gifu
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...

- famous for its free open bath on riverbank of Hida River
Hida River
The has its source in Mount Norikura in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It flows from the northern to the southern section of the prefecture before emptying into the Kiso River in Minokamo.-River communities:...
Getō Onsen (:ja:夏油温泉), Iwate
Iwate Prefecture
is the second largest prefecture of Japan after Hokkaido. It is located in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island and contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido...
Ginzan Onsen
Ginzan Onsen
Ginzan Onsen is an onsen area in Obanazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. Its name, meaning "silver mountain", It became nationally famous as the setting for the television drama Oshin.Fossils from the Miocene era have been found in the vicinity....

(:ja:銀山温泉), Obanazawa, Yamagata
Hakone, Kanagawa
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...

, famous onsen resort town near Tokyo
Hanamaki
Hanamaki, Iwate
is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. As of March 31, 2011, the city has an estimated total population of 102,455, with a household number of 35,831. Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen. The city recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its...

, Iwate
Hirayu Onsen (:ja:平湯温泉), Takayama, Gifu
Hokkawa Onsen (:ja:北川温泉 (静岡県)), Shizuoka
Ibusuki Onsen
Ibusuki Onsen
is a group of hot springs in the east of Ibusuki, Kagoshima in Japan, which includes Surigahama Onsen, Yajigayu Onsen, and Nigatsuden Onsen.2,850,000 people visited in 2003, and 910,000 people stayed there.90% of the water is used for industry.-Access:...

, Kagoshima
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
Itō
Ito, Shizuoka
is a city located on the eastern shore of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 71,400 and the density of 578 persons per km². The total area was...

, Shizuoka
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
Iwamuro
Iwamuro, Niigata
was a village located in the former Nishikanbara District, Niigata, Japan. The area is famous for onsen near Yahiko mountain. Farming remains the predominant industry in the area...

, Niigata, famous for onsen since the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
Jigokudani
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Jigokudani Monkey Park is in Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture, Japan at . It is part of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park , and is located in the valley of the Yokoyu-River, in the northern part of the prefecture...

, Nagano
Nagano Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Nagano.- History :Nagano was formerly known as the province of Shinano...
Jōzankei Onsen (:ja:定山渓温泉), Hokkaidō
Kakeyu Onsen (:ja:下鹿教湯温泉), Nagano
Kanzanji Onsen (:ja:舘山寺温泉), Shizuoka
Kindaichi Onsen, Iwate
Kinosaki
Kinosaki, Hyogo
was a town located in Kinosaki District, Hyōgo, Japan.On April 1, 2005 Kinosaki, along with the towns of Hidaka and Takeno, all from Kinosaki District, and the towns of Izushi and Tantō, both from Izushi District, was merged into the expanded city of Toyooka and no longer exists as an independent...

(:ja:城崎温泉), Hyōgo
Kinugawa Onsen, Tochigi
Kurokawa Onsen Village, Kumamoto
Kusatsu Onsen (:ja:草津温泉), Gunma, one of the most famous onsen outside Japan
Nagaragawa Onsen
Nagaragawa Onsen
The are a group of onsen located along the banks of the Nagara River in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The source of the onsen are in the northern part of the city near the Mitabora Shinbutsu Onsen...

, Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...

, Gifu
Sawatari
Nakanojo, Gunma
is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the town has an estimated population of 17,931 and a population density of 40.8 persons per km². There are a total of 6,059 households in town. The total area is 439.28 km² and an elevation of 400 m above sea level. The town's...

, Gunma
Shima
Nakanojo, Gunma
is a town located in Agatsuma District, Gunma, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the town has an estimated population of 17,931 and a population density of 40.8 persons per km². There are a total of 6,059 households in town. The total area is 439.28 km² and an elevation of 400 m above sea level. The town's...

, Gunma
Naruko
Naruko, Miyagi
is a former town located in Tamatsukuri District, Miyagi, Japan.On March 31, 2006, Naruko was merged with the town of Iwadeyama, from Tamatsukuri District, the towns of Kashimadai, Matsuyama and Sanbongi, all from Shida District, the town of Tajiri, from Tōda District, and the city of Furukawa to...

, Miyagi
Miyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
Noboribetsu, Hokkaidō
Nuruyu Onsen, Kumamoto
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
Nyūtō Onsen (:ja:乳頭温泉郷), Akita
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
Onneyu Onsen (:ja:温根湯温泉), Hokkaidō
Sabakoyu Onsen
Sabakoyu Onsen
The Sabakoyu Onsen in Iizaka, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan is the oldest community onsen in the country. Sabakoyu Onsen was originally spelled 佐波来湯 when, according to legend, Yamato Takeru, prince of the Yamato dynasty and son of Keikō of Yamato, the 12th Emperor of Japan, visited the area and...

, Fukushima
Fukushima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....

, the oldest community onsen in Japan
Sakunami Onsen, Miyagi
Senami Onsen (:ja:瀬波温泉), Niigata
Niigata Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
Shimabara
Shimabara, Nagasaki
is a city located on the north-eastern tip of the Shimabara Peninsula, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen in the west, in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan.-History:...

, Nagasaki
Nagasaki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
Shimobe Onsen (:ja:下部温泉), Yamanashi
Yamanashi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...
Shiobara Onsen (:ja:塩原温泉郷), Tochigi
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
Shuzenji Onsen (:ja:修善寺温泉), Shizuoka
Sōunkyo Onsen (:ja:層雲峡温泉), Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
Sukayu Onsen, Aomori
Sumatakyō Onsen (:ja:寸又峡温泉), Shizuoka
Suwa
Suwa, Nagano
is a city located in Nagano, Japan.As of October 1, 2010, the city had an estimated population of 51,084 and a density of 468.40 persons per km². The total area of the city is 109.06 km²....

, Nagano
Takanoyu Onsen
Takanoyu Onsen
Takanoyu Onsen is one of several hot spring resorts in the area of Yuzawa, a town in southern Akita Prefecture. The onsen is nestled in a small gorge along the banks of the Yakunai River...

, Akita
Takaragawa, Gunma, one of the largest konyoku roten-buro (outdoor mixed bath) in Japan
Takarazuka
Takarazuka, Hyogo
is a city located in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.- Geography :Takarazuka is nestled between the Rokko Range to the west and Nagao Range to the north with the Muko River running through the center of the city....

, Hyōgo
Hyogo Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...
Tara
Tara, Saga
is a town and peninsula located in Fujitsu District, Saga, Japan.-Geography:Tara is bordered by Isahaya, Ōmura, Kashima and the Ariake Sea. On a clear day, it is possible to see the mountains across the sea. Tara includes Mount Tara and Mount Kyoga, which are two of the highest mountains in...

, Saga
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
Tōyako, Hokkaidō
Toyako, Hokkaido
is a town in Abuta District, Iburi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan. This town was formed on 23 March 2006 through the merger of the town Abuta and the village of Tōya...

, Hokkaidō
Tsukioka Onsen (:ja:月岡温泉), Niigata
Tsurumaki Onsen (:ja:鶴巻温泉), Kanagawa
Unazuki Onsen (:ja:宇奈月温泉), Kurobe, Toyama
Toyama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
Wakura Onsen
Wakura Onsen
is a hot spring resort located on the edge of Nanao Bay at the base of the Noto Peninsula in Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan. It one of several well-known, high-end onsen resorts in Japan...

(:ja:和倉温泉), Nanao, Ishikawa
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
Yubara Onsen (:ja:湯原温泉), Okayama
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...

, one of the largest co-ed baths at the foot of Yubara dam
Yudanaka Onsen (:ja:湯田中渋温泉郷), Nagano
Yufuin, Oita
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...

, one of the most famous onsen outside Japan
Yugawara, Kanagawa
Yunogo Onsen
Yunogo Onsen
Yunogo or Yunogo Onsen is a hot spring town located in Mimasaka city of Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The waters of the Yunogo hot springs are a mixture of sodium chloride and calcium chloride, with the amount of discharge at 540L/min...

, Okayama
Yunokawa Onsen, Hokkaidō
Yuzawa
Yuzawa, Niigata
is an onsen town located in Minamiuonuma District in the mountains of the Chuetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, Japan.-Demographics:...

, Niigata
Zaō Onsen
Zao Onsen
is a famous hot spring area on Mount Zaō in the northern part of Honshū, the main island of Japan. Records date back as far as 110 A.D. A wounded warrior is said to have drawn an arrow out of his body and cleaned the wound at a spring only to find that the injury healed miraculously quickly and...

, Yamagata
Yamagata Prefecture
-Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...
Awara Onsen (:ja:芦原温泉), Awara, Fukui
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
Awazu Onsen (:ja:粟津温泉), Komatsu
Komatsu, Ishikawa
is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 109,285 with a density of 294 persons per km². The total area is 371.13 km²....

, Ishikawa
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
Beppu Onsen
Beppu Onsen
is a group of hot springs in the city of Beppu, Ōita in Japan. Beppu Onsen is divided into eight major hot spring areas known as "Beppu Hatto".The most significant characteristic of Beppu's hot springs is the richness of its resources...

, Beppu, Ōita
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...

, famous for its multi-coloured baths
Ikaho Onsen (:ja:伊香保温泉), Ikaho, Gunma
Kaike Onsen (:ja:皆生温泉), Yonago, Tottori
Katayamazu Onsen (:ja:片山津温泉), Kaga
Kaga, Ishikawa
is a city located in the southwest of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.Created as an old temple town, the city was greatly developed by the Maeda clan in the early Edo period...

, Ishikawa
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
Kawayu Onsen (:ja:川湯温泉), Tanabe, Wakayama
Tanabe, Wakayama
is the second biggest city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008 , the city has an estimated population of 80,398 and a density of 78.3 persons per km². The total area is 1026.77 km². The city was founded on May 20, 1942.Tanabe is on the coast and surrounded by mountains...
Misasa Onsen (:ja:三朝温泉), Misasa, Tottori
Tottori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba...
Nanki-Katsuura Onsen (:ja:南紀勝浦温泉), Nachikatsuura, Wakayama
Nachikatsuura, Wakayama
is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 18,795 and a density of 102.45 persons per km². The total area is 183.45 km²....
Nanki-Shirahama Onsen (:ja:南紀白浜温泉), Shirahama, Wakayama
Wakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...
Ryujin Onsen (:ja:龍神温泉), Tanabe, Wakayama
Tanabe, Wakayama
is the second biggest city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008 , the city has an estimated population of 80,398 and a density of 78.3 persons per km². The total area is 1026.77 km². The city was founded on May 20, 1942.Tanabe is on the coast and surrounded by mountains...

, one of Japan's famous three beautifying onsen
Tsubame Onsen (:ja:燕温泉), Niigata - famous for its free open konyoku (mixed) onsen
Yamanaka Onsen
Yamanaka Onsen
is a city located in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. It is in close proximity to Komatsu. It is famous for its onsen, or natural hot spring baths, and has many ryokan where guests can relax and enjoy the baths. The Daishoji River runs through the town, and it is a popular tourist spot for both...

(:ja:山中温泉), Kaga
Kaga, Ishikawa
is a city located in the southwest of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.Created as an old temple town, the city was greatly developed by the Maeda clan in the early Edo period...

, Ishikawa
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
Yamashiro Onsen (:ja:山代温泉), Kaga
Kaga, Ishikawa
is a city located in the southwest of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.Created as an old temple town, the city was greatly developed by the Maeda clan in the early Edo period...

, Ishikawa
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
Yumura Onsen (:ja:湯村温泉 (兵庫県)), (Shin'onsen), Hyōgo
Yunomine Onsen (:ja:湯の峰温泉), Tanabe, Wakayama
Tanabe, Wakayama
is the second biggest city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2008 , the city has an estimated population of 80,398 and a density of 78.3 persons per km². The total area is 1026.77 km². The city was founded on May 20, 1942.Tanabe is on the coast and surrounded by mountains...

, site of the UNESCO World Heritage Tsuboyu bath

See also the Japanese Wikipedia articles List of hot springs in Japan and Gallery of photographs of Japanese hot springs.

External links

OnsenJapan.net Interactive Google map with easy-to-read icons, pictures, and reviews
Secret Onsen a database with more than 125 onsen all around Japan
Onsen Blog Providing Onsen info from an onsen lover in Japan
Onsen of Fukuoka Prefecture from official page of Fukuoka Prefecture Tourism Association
Guide around Yudanaka Onsen, Shibu Onsen and Jigokudani Monkey park onsen
Japan Onsen A mountain onsen guide for the Shin-etsu region of the Japan Alps
Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau Indepth information on onsen in Wakayama Prefecture

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