Visit an onsen town in Japan

📍 Japan🔄 Repeatable👤 All ages

wellnessculturaltravelmindfulness

Escape to traditional hot spring towns like Hakone, Kusatsu, or Kinosaki where entire communities revolve around the healing power of natural thermal waters. Stay in a ryokan (traditional inn) where you'll sleep on tatami mats, wear yukata robes, and follow the ritual of bathing in multiple hot springs throughout the day. These towns offer a glimpse into old Japan, with narrow streets, traditional architecture, and the deeply ingrained culture of communal bathing and relaxation.

Difficulty

12/100Easy

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Cost

$100 – $500

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Time

weekend

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People

🔄

Setting

either

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Season

any

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Equipment

None needed

People who tried this

“Last week, my husband and I took an overnight trip to Shima Onsen from Tokyo. We were only in Tokyo for a week for some appointments, but we wanted to get out of the city briefly and visit someplace new. Shima Onsen is a tiny town of about 700 people in the mountains of Gunma [...] It’s primarily an onsen town and a frequent overnight getaway for Japanese people. It’s a quiet place, and there isn’t much to do beyond walking around, relaxing at an onsen, and eating. In fact, that’s about all we did. Our overnight gave us just enough time to experience our ryokan’s onsen and meals, walk around, and enjoy some coffee and lunch in town.”

positive— Himekat · r/JapanTravelsource ↗