2020’s most popular hot springs in Japan, as ranked by Japanese travelers Dec. 23, 2020 06:03 am JST Dec. 23, 2020 | 06:52 am JST TOKYO
There’s nothing like a good soak in a nice, hot onsen (hot spring), especially in the cold months of winter. Luckily, onsen are everywhere in Japan, thanks to the volcanic activity that heats water under the ground. Many hot springs also have tourist areas built around them, which offer delicious food, relaxing entertainment, multiple different kinds of baths, and traditional Japanese accommodation–all excellent ways to wind down after a stressful year.
Some onsen resort areas are more popular than others, however, and most of the time it’s not just because of the quality of the baths, either. A lot of times, what makes an onsen resort great is what’s around it, and that’s definitely true of the top ten most popular onsen in Japan. Travel company Jalan surveyed 13,342 users and asked them about their favorite onsen areas, the ones they liked so much that they want to go back, and they all seem to offer much more than just soothing hot waters and Japanese ryokan inns.