There are many famous hot spring resorts in Japan. Atami Onsen (Shizuoka Prefecture), Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma Prefecture), and Beppu Onsen (Oita Prefecture) are among the most popular hot spring resorts in Japan. Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture), Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma Prefecture), and **Gero Onsen (Gifu Prefecture)** are also known as “Japan’s three best hot springs. The quality of the hot spring water, the way to enjoy it, and the atmosphere of the hot spring resort vary from region to region.
Japan’s Three Famous Hot Springs
These famous hot springs were selected by the Confucian scholar Hayashi Razan in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) and are called “must-visit” hot springs.
- Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture) Arima Onsen is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan, with a history of more than 1,300 years. It is characterized by its reddish-brown “golden spring” with high iron content and its clear, colorless, carbonic acidic “silver spring.
- Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma Prefecture) Kusatsu Onsen is a highly acidic hot spring that boasts Japan’s largest natural outflow of spring water, and is characterized by its high sterilizing power. It is also famous for its famous “Yumomi” (hot spring massage).
- Gero Onsen (Gifu Prefecture) Gero Onsen (Gifu Prefecture) : An alkaline simple hot spring with a high pH value, Gero Onsen is known as “hot water for beautiful skin.
Japan’s Three Oldest Hot Springs
The oldest hot spring in Japan, as mentioned in “Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan)” and “Fudoki (Records of the History of the Region)”.
- Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) : Considered the oldest hot spring in Japan, Dogo Onsen is also known as the setting of Soseki Natsume’s novel “Botchan” (Boy-Chan).
- Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture) Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture) : It is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan in common with the three most famous hot springs in Japan.
- Shirahama Onsen (Wakayama Prefecture) Shirahama Onsen (Wakayama Prefecture) : This historic hot spring is mentioned in the Manyoshu (The Anthology of Myriad Leaves) and offers scenic beauty.
How to enjoy Onsen
- Touji Touji : A traditional style of recuperation in which one stays for a long period of time to recover from the effects of the hot spring.
- Strolling in Onsen Town Onsen town strolling : Enjoy walking around the elegant streets of an onsen resort, eating and drinking, and more.
- One-day Onsen Onsen : A casual way to enjoy onsen without having to stay overnight.
- Unexplored hot springs Onsen located deep in the mountains, where you can enjoy the natural scenery of the hot springs.
