The Best Hot Springs, Saunas & Baths in Asia

Mountain hot springs

All eleven Asian venues are in Japan, and between them they cover most of the forms a Japanese bath can take. Three are mountain hot springs reached by a long trip: Tamagawa Onsen in Akita, with some of the most acidic spring water in the country, the open-air sulphur bath at Zao Onsen, and Hotel Iyaonsen on Shikoku, where a cable car runs down a cliff to the river.

Day-trip onsen

Others are day-trip onsen within reach of a city. Tenzan in Hakone is a short journey from Tokyo, with rock pools beside a river. Okame Hot Spring lies in the Soni Highlands of Nara. Tamatebako, on the coast at Ibusuki in Kagoshima, is a municipal open-air bath above the sea with a view of a volcano; men and women swap sides daily so that both see it.

Town bathhouses

Three are bathhouses in towns. Funaoka Onsen in Kyoto is a neighbourhood bath in a listed building with old tiles and carvings. Irifune Onsen in Osaka is a sento that has been renovated and given a sauna. Goshonoyu is one of seven public baths in the hot spring town of Kinosaki.

Sauna and customs

The last two are saunas in and near Tokyo, part of a sauna culture that has spread quickly through Japanese cities. The custom in all of these places is the same: separate bathing for men and women, no swimwear, and a thorough wash before entering the water.