Hot Springs in Tokyo

by Miho Okamoto | Onsen

Many travelers who visit Tokyo want to experience the famous hot springs of Japan also known as onsen. While there are some traditional inns and ryokans that offer traditional bathing and spa experiences in Tokyo, there are no natural hot springs in the downtown Tokyo area. Hot springs usually are located in the mountainous areas and downtown Tokyo is a rather flat area surrounded by mountains. The closest onsens that are located in the mountainous areas of Tokyo are Hakone Onsen, Kusatsu Onsen and Atami Onsen that can be reached from downtown Tokyo in less than 2 hours. If you want to experience real Japan and travel a little more than 2 hours then you may want to try the Takaragawa Onsen and Kinugawa Onsen.
Travelers who stay at traditional hotels of Tokyo are usually satisfied with the traditional bathing experience as they either don’t notice or care about the water in the wooden hot tubs of these hotels that are not from the hot springs. Our survey shows that most foreign travelers don’t know the difference between ofuro (traditional Japanese shared or private hot tub) and onsen (naturally occurring hot spring water with certain levels of minerals). Our survey also shows that Hakone Kowakien Yunessun or Hakone Tenzan Onsen in the Mount Fuji area are the most popular onsen choices for travelers to Tokyo. However, since Mount Fuji is outside of Tokyo, most travelers end up going to Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba which is not a real hot spring but has a traditional atmosphere with a somewhat onsen feeling.