Six of the best: Japanese onsens

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This was published 10 years ago

Six of the best: Japanese onsens

By Stephen Phelan
Norikura onsen in Japan's Nagano prefecture.

Norikura onsen in Japan's Nagano prefecture.Credit: Getty Images

NORIKURA KOGEN ONSEN - NAGANO

The Japanese like to rank their pleasures as if there is a definitive way of deciding the "best" or "most beautiful" - with onsens as with everything else, it eventually comes down to personal preference. My own favourite is deep in the Japanese Alps, on the slopes of Mount Norikura, in a small ryokan called Miharashi. It's a real joy to bathe outside here on a sunny autumn day, surrounded by the falling red and gold leaves. The self-conscious visitor might also be glad of the more opaque, milk-coloured water on this site and couples can reserve a private bath in the outdoor rotemburo. Room rate $120 an overnight stay, see japaneseguesthouses.com.

DOGO ONSEN - MATSUYAMA

The steam rising from this split-level wooden bathhouse complex may as well be the mist of legend - its history dates back more than 1000 years with its origins rooted in folk tales about the princes and gods who were healed here. Kami No Yu is the larger public bath, Tama No Yu the smaller, quieter and more "noble" option (pricing levels vary between them). Recently, the city of Matsuyama has sprawled around the natural springs but Dogo remains preserved in its own ancient bubble, the structure resembling a kind of village unto itself and inspiring the otherworldly design of the much-loved animated movie Spirited Away. Bathhouse entry $5-$15. No English language website.

KUSATSU ONSEN - GUNMA

By some accounts the most health-giving of all Japanese hot springs, the waters of Kusatsu are said to cure every ailment except lovesickness. This claim may have some basis in science, as the waters are acidic enough to kill most bacteria. And if that sounds a bit too clinical, traditional yumomi rituals are held while you soak at the Netsu No Yu bathhouse, where performers sing local folk songs and cool the water by stirring it with ceremonial paddles. The resort itself has a liquid centre, with the buildings arranged around the incredible outdoor "hot water field" at Yubatake. Bathhouse entry $5. See kusatsuonsen-international.jp/en/

NOBORIBETSU ONSEN - HOKKAIDO

Noboribetsu is in many ways the archetypal onsen resort - relatively secluded on Japan's emptiest island, surrounded by lakes, primeval forests and volcanic rock formations, some 200 metres above sea level. Again, most of the springs are now owned and operated by local hotels, only some of which admit non-residents for daytime bathing. Most dramatic is the Oyunuma pond at Jigoku ("hell") Valley, where steam rises out of cracks in the earth and the happy, boiling bather may convince themselves that hell might not be so bad. The only downside, as always with Japanese onsens, is the overpowering smell of sulphur. Bathhouse entry $7-$20, see noboribetsu-spa.jp/

LAQUA - TOKYO DOME

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The majority of onsens are built on hot springs in rural, mountain regions, and urban bathhouses are often just artificially heated "sento", filled with ordinary tapwater. But this high-rise complex is the real deal - the architects drilled underneath Tokyo to find a natural spring some 1700 metres down, then siphoned the water up through the sci-fi skyline of Tokyo Dome. It is easy to lose a whole day in the womblike interior of the facilities and especially in the lounge provided for post-bath napping - with soft reclining chairs, pyjama-like outfits issued as standard, and a panoramic window overlooking the cityscape. Bathhouse entry $30, see laqua.jp/pages/en/spa.html.

ARIMA ONSEN - HYOGO

Believed to be the oldest onsen in Japan - the story goes that three injured crows first discovered its "miraculous" healing properties. Centuries later, the wandering scholar and no-nonsense onsen aficionado Hayashi Razan rated Arima as his favourite place to bathe. The water itself hasn't changed and the outdoor baths ("rotemburo") still offer the same views across the valley. But the onsite facilities are more upscale now, and mostly contained within the grounds of expensive hotels. If you would rather do as the locals do, the basic public bathhouses - Kin No Yu and Gin No Yu - tend to make for a more sociable experience. Bathhouse entry $6-$25. See arima-onsen.com/eng/

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