Matsunoyama Onsen has long been cherished as a therapeutic retreat and is now recognized as one of Japan’s Top Three healing hot springs, alongside Kusatsu and Arima, remaining a hidden gem that continues to soothe visitors. The water is so rich in salt that crystals form around the spouts, and its high salt content helps keep you warm long after your bath. You can also enjoy local specialties unique to Matsunoyama Onsen, such as “Toji Pork (hot spring pork)” and “Toji Eggs (hot spring eggs),” gently cooked with natural hot spring heat.

At Chitose, guests can relax in open-air baths with water flowing directly from the source and enjoy local specialties prepared with fresh regional ingredients. In winter, enjoying a yukimi-buro, or snow-viewing bath, while watching the falling snow is one of the highlights. At Tamakiya, you can enjoy an exquisite pairing of French cuisine crafted with local ingredients and carefully selected sake. In guest rooms with private hot springs, you can also spend quiet, peaceful moments relaxing in the hot spring waters. Warm both body and mind at one of Japan’s Top Three healing hot springs and enjoy a truly relaxing escape.

Tsukioka Onsen is known for its sulfur-rich waters, which contain some of the highest levels of sulfur in Japan. The water is known for its vivid emerald-green color, which subtly changes with the seasons and daily weather conditions. Its mildly alkaline waters are gentle on the skin and offer excellent moisturizing benefits, and it is widely known as a skin-enhancing hot spring.

At the hot spring hotel Kaho, guests can look out over the peaceful countryside and enjoy dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients from Niigata’s land and sea. The hotel’s own natural hot spring can be enjoyed in a variety of baths, including open-air baths.

Kaho’s exclusive annex, Koshinosato, features 20 uniquely designed suite rooms. Here, guests can unwind in open-air baths overlooking a traditional Japanese garden or enjoy a private spa for a truly luxurious and relaxing stay.

Iwamuro Onsen is a charming hot spring town that still retains the atmosphere of the Edo period. This rare “black-water” hot spring, unusual even within Japan, owes its distinctive dark color to sulfur compounds reacting with elements such as carbon, and is known for its excellent moisturizing properties.

Yumeya is an elegant ryokan known for its refined architecture and serene atmosphere. Guests can unwind in the spacious public bath sourced from the ryokan’s own natural spring, relax in open-air baths surrounded by trees and seasonal flowers, and enjoy Japanese cuisine prepared with carefully selected ingredients from both land and sea.

Takashimaya is a long-established ryokan located in the heart of the hot spring town, renowned for its exceptional cuisine. Guests can enjoy carefully prepared Japanese cuisine featuring seasonal ingredients sourced fresh each day, along with black-water hot springs in a stone-built open-air bath or a hinoki wood indoor bath.

Both are charming ryokan offering guest rooms with private open-air baths sourced directly from their natural spring.

Akakura, Seki, and Tsubame are mountain hot spring resorts at the foot of Mt. Myoko that have developed alongside a rich ski culture. Akakura Onsen is known for its abundant hot spring waters, with approximately 5,000 tons flowing each day, as well as its water quality, which is said to promote healthy-looking skin.

Standing at an elevation of about 1,000 meters, the Akakura Kanko Hotel is a historic mountain resort founded in 1937. Carrying on the tradition of Japan’s classic hotels, it has grown together with the magnificent natural surroundings of Myoko. From the hotel and its open-air baths, guests can take in panoramic views of the sea of clouds and surrounding mountain ranges, and soak in free-flowing natural hot spring waters while enjoying breathtaking scenery in every season.

In contrast, Seki Onsen is known for its iron-rich, reddish-brown waters, and as you immerse yourself in the bath, a faint scent of iron gently rises. These renowned waters can be enjoyed in peace at Hatsune, an intimate hot spring ryokan limited to just three groups per day. Pink mineral flakes drift through the bath, and the milky waters warm you from the inside out. This hidden ryokan is ideal for those who wish to step away from everyday life and savor quiet moments immersed in the hot spring waters.

Located in a gorge at an elevation of 1,150 meters near the trailhead of Mount Myoko, Tsubame Onsen is highly regarded among onsen enthusiasts. It is known for its milky-white waters and offers an atmosphere that evokes the feeling of a hidden hot spring retreat. Please visit the foothills of Mount Myoko, where you can enjoy both hot springs and skiing.

Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen is conveniently located about 70 minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen and offers a hot spring experience where you can fully enjoy the atmosphere of Snow Country. It is known as the setting of Snow Country, a masterpiece by Nobel Prize–winning author Yasunari Kawabata. At Yuki no Hana, where you can feel the charm of a traditional old town, guests can enjoy its renowned hot spring waters while taking in seasonal views from the large bath on the top floor. At the hot spring inn Isen, guests can enjoy free-flowing natural hot spring waters until morning, making it ideal for those who wish to fully immerse themselves in the onsen experience. At the café on the first floor, you can also enjoy a unique cold-brew coffee made with hot spring water. With several ski resorts located near the station and a variety of attractions such as day-use hot springs and foot baths, this area is ideal for those planning their first hot spring trip in Japan.