The 15 Hot Springs in Japan Worth the Detour

1.Nara and Uji Day Trip with Deer Park and Hot Spring

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 302 reviews · 10 hours · from $57Our pick

Travel from Osaka to Nara and Uji by air-conditioned coach with an English, Japanese, or Traditional Chinese guide. Feed deer, visit Todai-ji and Kasuga Taisha, explore Uji’s matcha shops, then bathe at Genji no Yu. Guides such as Etta, Lucia, and Nick Lee have earned especially warm praise for clear, lively help.

“Kris wang was our guide. Good locations, and he was very kind. If you want to visit Nara and these areas, I recommend this tour.”

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2.Mt Takao Tour with Ramen and Tattoo-Okay Hot Spring

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · 8 hours · from $120Top rated

Join Jordan of Irie Tokyo Tours for an eight-hour small-group escape from Tokyo to Mt. Takao. Ride the cable car or chair lift, visit monkeys and Yakuou-in, see Mt. Fuji on clear days, eat Hachioji ramen or soba, then relax at a tattoo-friendly hot spring.

“This tour was brilliant! If you want to experience authentic Japanese life and learn about the culture, nature and history while taking in beautiful views away from the hoards of tourists then this tour is for you. The tour guide, Jordan, is super knowledgable and attentive to the groups needs. We had our 4yo with us and I've had several surgeries in the past couple years so we needed to take the walk slow at times. Jordan was brilliant at noticing what we needed and being flexible while keeping the tour super engaging. He's also great with kids! We got to see a wonderful view of Mt Fuji. The ramen…”

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3.[Seasonal Limited] Mt. Fuji 5th Station &Hot Spring Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 53 reviews · 1 day · from $50

Travel from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji’s 5th Station or Asama Park, photograph Oshino Hakkai’s clear ponds, then soak at Konohananoyu Onsen. Guides such as Anna, Ken, Coco, and Jacob have been praised for friendly help, though weekend traffic and changing meeting points require care.

“The Mount Fuji tour was absolutely amazing! The weather was perfect, and we got such a clear view of the mountain—it was even more beautiful than I imagined. Our guide, Ken, made the trip extra special with his great explanations and friendly attitude. We also stopped at several scenic spots where he helped us take incredible photos. Everything was well-organized and smooth from start to finish. Truly an unforgettable experience!”

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4.Full Day Hiking Tour at Mt.Takao including Hot Spring

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $118

Meet your private guide at Takaosanguchi Station for a flexible Mt. Takao hike through forest trails and Yakuo-in Temple. Choose an easier or harder route, learn about mountain worship and wildlife, ride down by lift or cable car, and finish with an onsen soak. Guides may include Hiroko, Rie, Keita, or Takeshi.

“Taking the cable car Hearing stories about the special relationship between the Japanese and the mountain from my wonderful guide Takeshi hiking all the way down Mount Takao sharing a local lunch with my guide”

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5.Solaniwa Onsen Hot Spring Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 51 reviews · 1 day · from $14

Spend a full day at Solaniwa Onsen in Osaka Bay Tower, where slightly alkaline spring water rises from 1,000 meters underground. You can use nine baths, saunas, scrubbers, a footbath, and the 3,000-square-meter Tenku Garden. This is a self-guided visit, not a guided tour.

“Love this family friendly onsen. Couldn’t work out how to get the lunch that we bought with our ticket and ended up having to purchase it again but overall we still would recommend the experience.”

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6.Hike and Hot Springs in Kurama

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 4 hours · from $80

Ride from Demachiyanagi through Kyoto’s northern mountains, walk the forest trail to Kurama Temple, and visit Kibune Shrine with an English or French guide. Philippe is often praised for his stories and local insight. The four-hour hike ends in Kurama, with lunch and hot springs optional.

“Our guide Philippe took us to hidden and sacred places in a wonderful atmosphere, explaining us interesting facts about Japan! The hiking is quite hard but we made few stops to recover and admire the surroundings. Beautiful and not turistic experience, I would recommend!”

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7.Hot Spring Capital of Yufuin Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $43

You’ll ride from Yufuin Station through temple grounds, shrine streets, and quieter countryside before finishing near Kinrin Lake. Your local driver-guide provides live commentary and can take memorable photos. Tours last about 30 minutes to 2 hours, with route and finish point depending on the option you choose.

“I really enjoyed the ride when I visited. If you are traveling with an elderly person or would like to travel the distance and enjoy the scenery, I would highly recommend! The young driver also took amazing photos for us - treasures for a lifetime!”

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8.Wakayama Cat Train, Seafood market, Hot Springs Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 24 reviews · 10 hours · from $83

Travel from Osaka to Wakayama by air-conditioned coach, visit cat stationmaster Nitama at Kishi Station, ride a themed train, eat at ToreTore Market, and see Shirahama’s Senjojiki cliffs and Sandanbeki Cave. Guide Tiger is often praised for clear English and careful organization, though the train ride itself is short.

“Tiger our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful & Kudos to the driver for taking us around all day. Great experiences. Cat train was very cute. Was amazing to see a live tuna cutting demonstration. The coastal scenery and seeing citrus plantations everywhere on our travels was great. Highly recommended Tiger and Gogoday. Thank you for a wonderful day in Wakayama.”

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9.Kowakien Yunessun Hot Springs Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 23 reviews · 1 day · from $8

Spend a full day at Hakone Kowakien Yunessun, where swimsuit-friendly pools meet themed baths scented with wine, coffee, green tea, and sake. Choose the water-park zone, the traditional Mori no Yu hot spring area, or a pass covering both. Bring swimwear, a towel, and your QR code.

“++Liked Hot spring outdoor, variety, hours, facilities- locker rooms, showers, etc. - -I thought it’s a variety of hot springs, but it was just 1 (one) hot spring outdoor in a waterpark, hence lots of children, whereas I expected peace & relaxation thruout.. The indoor multi-theme hot pools all smelled alike (chlorine); did not really smell like wine, beer, sake, coffee, etc. only slight aroma. But good value for the price.”

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10.Tennen Onsen Naniwa-no-Yu, the famous hot spring spa

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 19 reviews · 1 day · from $5Best value

Spend a day at Naniwa-no-Yu, an 8th-floor Osaka spa fed by naturally carbonated mineral water from 659 meters underground. Bathe in gender-separated facilities, enjoy city views, and use the provided shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. Bring or rent towels, and note the visible-tattoo rule.

“This was a great experience. We had never been to an Onsen before and we thoroughly enjoyed it . There was a lot of different features to try and it was not at all crowded. The spa was clean and well maintained. I would certainly recommend this as a relaxing break from site seeing .”

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11.Private Car Day Trip to the Kobe Mountains, Gardens and Hot Springs from Osaka

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews

You’ll leave your central Osaka hotel at 8:30 a.m. with a private driver-guide such as Kevin or Levi, ride the historic Mount Rokko cable car, walk through Kobe Municipal Arboretum, and spend two hours in Arima Onsen. The private vehicle and flexible route suit groups of up to six.

“A great day out in Kobe and nice experience in hot springs. Kevin the tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to be with.”

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12.Mt Fuji Lake Kawaguchi & Yamanaka Hot Spring Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 14 reviews · 10 hours · from $68

Spend 10 hours touring Mt. Fuji’s best photo stops, from Oishi Park and Kawaguchiko Station to Oshino Hakkai and Lake Yamanaka. Your bilingual driver-guide handles the roads while you explore mostly on your own. Hotel pickup is available, and the Benifuji no Yu hot spring gives the day a calm finish.

“Lake Yamanaka’s clarity and altitude made for insane compositions. Highly recommend for photographers.”

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13.Hot Spring Beppu Onsen with Blue Hell cozy Tour by Car and walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · from $66

Meet your English-speaking guide at Umi Jigoku for a three-hour private outing through Beppu’s hot-spring district. You’ll see the blue spring, try steam cooking, and may add a bath, sweets, shrines, cafes, or sound meditation. Kana is one guide named in the tour details.

“Great job done by our guide. He took us to spring bath that was not busy and it was great experience.”

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14.Hot Spring Town Walking Tour in Shima Onsen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $29

Walk about 1.8 miles through Shima Onsen with local guide Masuo Kashiwabara, who has lived here for more than 40 years. Visit Sekizen-kan, learn how hot springs are managed, meet local people, spot wildlife if lucky, and finish with a local sweet.

“This tour allows visitors to get a deeper look at Shima Onsen. It's very relaxing, nothing is hurried. I got to see places which I would have otherwise missed if I just walked alone around town - the oldest Ryokan, an old school, unknown ancRead more”

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15.Nara, Todaiji, Uji Matcha, and Hot Spring Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7 reviews · from $81

Travel from Osaka to Nara and Uji by air-conditioned vehicle with a multilingual guide and driver. See sacred deer, Tōdai-ji, Kasuga-taisha, Uji’s matcha culture, and Byodo-in before relaxing at Genji-no-Yu hot spring. The small group is capped at 15 people.

“Great variety and yes, you do need to wear good footwear...it was a long, but enjoyable day. Some stops were very long and in very cold weather were difficult.”

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