Japan is full of hot springs, but not all of them are easy for travelers to reach. In this post, I’ll share five of the most famous and accessible onsen resorts, perfect for first-time visitors. And because this is Otaku Trails, we’ll also look at a few hot springs that show up in anime!
日本には温泉が豊富にありますが、旅行者が気軽に訪れるのは難しい場所も多いです。この記事では、初めて訪れる方にぴったりの、最も有名でアクセスしやすい温泉リゾートを5つ紹介します。そしてこのブログは『オタク・トレイルズ』ですから、アニメに登場する温泉もいくつか見ていきましょう！
♨️ 1. Hakone Onsen (Kanagawa)
Just an hour from Tokyo, Hakone is one of the most popular hot spring areas in Japan. Surrounded by mountains and with views of Mt. Fuji, Hakone has everything: traditional ryokan, outdoor baths, and even onsen theme parks like Yunessun, where you can soak in wine or coffee baths!
Why it’s easy: It’s on the Odakyu Line and Shinkansen routes, so perfect for a day trip from Tokyo.
東京からわずか1時間の箱根は、日本で最も人気のある温泉地の一つです。山々に囲まれ、富士山を望む箱根には、伝統的な旅館、露天風呂、さらにはワイン風呂やコーヒー風呂に浸かれる温泉テーマパーク「ユネッスン」まで、あらゆるものが揃っています！
手軽な理由：小田急線と新幹線が通っているため、東京からの日帰り旅行に最適です。
Hakone Onsen’s specialty, the “Black Egg.”
Using the chemical reaction between geothermal heat and volcanic gases, the “Black Egg” is made by boiling raw eggs in the hot spring pool. The porous shell absorbs the pool’s minerals, turning black and creating a boiled egg with a dark shell.
Though jet black, the inside is a delicious egg. It’s said that eating one extends your life by seven years.
Whenever I go to Hakone, I always buy and eat this.
♨️ 2. Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma)
Kusatsu is famous for its high-quality sulfur-rich water that flows directly from volcanic sources. The town’s symbol is the Yubatake (hot water field), where steaming water runs through wooden channels right in the middle of town.
How is the cobalt blue color of Kusatsu Onsen created?
The hot water flowing from the hot spring source contains minerals that precipitate as it cools, forming crystals with unique shapes.
It’s a mysterious and wondrous force of nature.
Why it’s easy: You can catch direct buses from Tokyo and even from Narita Airport.
草津は火山から直接湧き出る良質な硫黄泉で有名です。町のシンボルは湯畑（ゆはたけ）で、町の真ん中で木製の水路を湯気が立ち上る湯が流れています。
草津温泉のコバルトブルーの色はどうやってできるのでしょう？
温泉の源泉から湧き出る熱いお湯に含まれる成分が冷めることで析出し、独特の形状を持った結晶となることで形成されます。
神秘的で不思議な自然の力ですね
なぜ簡単か：東京から、さらには成田空港からも直行バスが利用できます。
Kusatsu Onsen is famous for its “yumomi” technique.
“Yumomi” is…
The source water at Kusatsu Onsen is extremely hot, mostly around 50°C (122°F), making it impossible to bathe in directly. However, adding water to lower the temperature would diminish the hot spring’s therapeutic benefits. Therefore, the “yumomi” technique was devised: inserting a board about 180 cm long into the hot source water and stirring it to reduce the temperature to a level suitable for bathing. Furthermore, performing “yumomi” not only lowers the temperature but also softens the water and serves as a preparatory exercise before bathing.
♨️ 3. Beppu Onsen (Oita, Kyushu)
If Japan had a hot spring capital, it would be Beppu. The city is full of baths, steam vents, and the colorful “Hells of Beppu” (Jigoku), which are hot springs you look at, not soak in. Beppu has everything from traditional baths to modern spa resorts.
Why it’s easy: Reachable by train or plane via Oita Airport, Beppu is very foreigner-friendly.
もし日本に温泉の首都があるなら、それは別府でしょう。街には浴場や湯気噴出孔、そして「別府地獄」と呼ばれる色鮮やかな地獄（地獄）が点在しています。これらは入浴するのではなく、眺めるための温泉です。別府には伝統的な浴場からモダンなスパリゾートまで、あらゆるものが揃っています。
なぜ簡単か：大分空港経由で電車や飛行機でアクセス可能で、外国人にも非常に親切な街だからです。
In Japan, red demons are believed to be the gatekeepers of hell, tormenting those who committed sins in life.
Beppu Hot Springs uses red demons as characters to promote its hell-themed image, and they appear everywhere.
♨️ 4. Noboribetsu Onsen (Hokkaido)
Located in northern Japan, Noboribetsu is famous for its dramatic volcanic landscape, called Jigokudani (Hell Valley). The hot springs here are full of minerals, and each bath has different healing effects.
Why it’s easy: Just 1 hour by train from Sapporo, Hokkaido’s biggest city.
北海道北部に位置する登別は、地獄谷と呼ばれる劇的な火山景観で有名です。ここの温泉はミネラル豊富で、それぞれの浴場が異なる効能を持っています。
なぜ簡単か：北海道最大の都市・札幌から電車でわずか1時間です。
There is a brown bear farm in Noboribetsu, Japan, where brown bears—found only in Hokkaido—live.
Called the Noboribetsu Bear Farm, it attracts many tourists who can interact with the bears (behind glass, of course).
♨️ 5. Gero Onsen (Gifu)
Known as one of Japan’s “Three Great Onsen,” Gero is a beautiful riverside town. Visitors can enjoy open-air baths and stroll around with yu-meguri tegata (onsen-hopping passes) to try different baths in the area.
Why it’s easy: Accessible by JR train from Nagoya, making it convenient for travelers exploring central Japan.
下呂温泉は日本の「三大温泉」の一つとして知られ、美しい川沿いの町です。露天風呂を楽しんだり、湯めぐり手形を使って周辺の様々な温泉を巡ることができます。
アクセスの良さ: 名古屋からJRでアクセス可能で、中部地方を旅する旅行者に便利です。
Foot baths, where you soak only your feet in hot spring water to warm up, are available at most hot springs.
You can easily enjoy them at Gero Onsen too.
🎬 Onsen in Anime
If you’re an anime fan, you’ve probably noticed hot spring episodes are almost a tradition. But some anime are actually set in real onsen towns you can visit!
- Ibusuki Onsen (Kagoshima) – Famous for its unique sand baths, it appeared in Love Live! Sunshine!! The School Idol Movie.
- Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma) – Featured in Sekai Seifuku: World Conquest Zvezda Plot and also referenced in many manga.
- Beppu Onsen (Oita) – Pop culture references appear in various series, and Beppu even runs its own anime tourism campaigns.
- Ikaho Onsen (Gunma) – With its stone steps and retro town, Ikaho shows up in Initial D and Hanasaku Iroha.
For anime fans, visiting these places feels like stepping directly into your favorite scenes.
For these hot spring resorts, detailed information is currently available in the “Onsen in Anime: Hot Springs That Anime Fans Can Actually Visit” article.
アニメファンなら、温泉エピソードがほぼ定番だと気づいているはず。でも実は、実在の温泉街を舞台にしたアニメもあるんです！
指宿温泉（鹿児島県） – 独特の砂風呂で有名で、『ラブライブ！サンシャイン!! スクールアイドル映画』に登場。
草津温泉（群馬県） – 『世界征服 ズヴェズダ・プロット』で描かれ、多くの漫画でも言及されている。
別府温泉（大分県） – 様々な作品でポップカルチャーの参照が登場し、別府市は独自のアニメ観光キャンペーンも実施しています。
伊香保温泉（群馬県） – 石段とレトロな町並みが特徴の伊香保は、『頭文字D』や『花咲くいろは』に登場します。
アニメファンにとって、これらの場所を訪れることは、お気に入りのシーンに直接足を踏み入れるような感覚です。
これらの温泉地に関しては、「アニメに登場する温泉：実際に訪れることができる温泉スポット」の記事で詳しく紹介中です
✨ Final Thoughts
Whether you want to relax in a famous resort town or step into the world of your favorite anime, Japan’s onsen are waiting for you. From Hakone’s easy day trips to Beppu’s steaming volcanic baths, there’s something for every traveler.
So grab your towel (just the small one!), leave your swimsuit behind, and get ready for one of the most authentic Japanese experiences you’ll ever have.
Note that at ryokan inns with hot springs, face towels and bath towels are typically provided for overnight stays. Various patterned yukata robes for after bathing are often available as well, so be sure to ask.
有名なリゾート地でくつろぎたい方も、お気に入りのアニメの世界に飛び込みたい方も、日本の温泉があなたをお待ちしています。箱根の気軽な日帰り旅行から別府の湯気が立ち上る火山温泉まで、あらゆる旅行者にぴったりの場所があります。
さあ、タオル（小さなものだけ！）を持って、水着は置いて、日本ならではの体験を楽しみましょう。
なお、温泉付きの旅館では、宿泊の場合はフェイスタオルとバスタオルが用意されているのが普通です。湯上り用の色々な柄の浴衣も用意されていることが多いので、聞いてみましょう。
For basic knowledge about hot springs, please refer to the beginner’s guide article.
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