Experience

If you feel uncomfortable to take a hot spring with other people, there are places where you can charter it and enjoy it alone.

Japanese people like to go to hot spring, called "onsen" in Japanese. Families, couples, and friends make a trip to take a hot spring. There are always a lot of guide books and featured magazines for those. "Onsen gai," a town famous for hot springs, attracts people every year.

A hot spring bath located outside (shown in the picture) is particularly popular. It's really great to take a hot spring, feeling cold air in winter.

You can just drop by and take a hot spring, but people often stay at a hotel/inn and enjoy the hot spring there. Today more and more hotels/inns provide chartered hot spring baths.
Moreover, some rooms of high-class hotels/inns have their own baths in or just outside of the rooms. The hot spring is only for you. It should be good news for foreign people who are not accustomed with taking a bath with other people. Sometimes you have to pay charge, and the prices are all different.

If you take a hot spring with other people, you need to know manners of taking a public bath in Japan. Because foreigners didn't know the manners, some public bath places forbade them use the baths. Having the manners let everyone enjoy taking a bath together.

>> Manners in Taking a Public Bath

1. Take a shower before entering a bathtub to clean yourself.
2. If you have long hair, put your hair up not to let it soaked in a bathtub.
3. Don't put your towel, which you use to wash or to cover a part of you, in a bathtub. It's considered to be unsanitary.

These manners are neither difficult nor severe. Just act in consideration for other people who also want to enjoy the bath and relax.

>> Onsen Ranking

Among thousands of onsen (hot springs) in Japan, here are the ones you should visit.

Jalan.net, the Japanese largest hotel/inn booking site, ranked hot springs in Japan based on questionnaire data from 10,000 people.
Here is the ranking of onsen around Tokyo. Check it out, and find your favorite onsen!

No.1 Hakone Onsen (in Kanagawa Pref.)
Hakone is the largest hot spring resort in Japan.
It's popular particularly because of its accessibility. It takes only 1.5 hours from Tokyo by train or car.
You can enjoy this hot spring resort as you like as there are old established Japanese hotels, large resort hotels, and facilities that you can drop by and enjoy a soak.

No.2 Kusatsu Onsen (in Gumma Pref.)
Kusatsu hot spring is hot and sulfury. It helps disinfection.
To maintain the beneficial effects, the onsen water in a temperature range of 25 - 96 degrees C is cooled naturally, never diluted.

No.3 Atami Onsen (in Shizuoka Pref.)
Atami is a famous resort in Japan. Fire works exhibitions there are also famous.
The hot spring generates more than 26.000 ton water a day. Its mildly alkaline water help make the skin beautiful.
Atami is a famous resort in Japan. Fire works exhibitions there are also famous.
The hot spring generates more than 26.000 ton water a day. Its mildly alkaline water help make the skin beautiful.

No.4 Kinugawa Onsen (in Tochigi Pref.)
There are inns/hotels with hot spring along Kinugawa Valley. you can also enjoy the nature there.

No.5 Nozawa Onsen (in Nagano Pref.)
You can enjoy 13 hot spring places located in the area. Try as many as you can!