List of hot springs in Japan

This is a dynamic list of geothermal hot springs (onsen) as geological phenomena in Japan. This list is not for listing commercial establishments such as spa hotels, onsen ryokan, healing centers or other commercial establishments.

Sukunabikona, the kami of hot springs, dances on a rock at the Dōgo Onsen while Okuninushi watches
Izu Province, The Hot Springs of the Shuzen Temple woodcut by Utagawa Hiroshige

Japan has many geothermal spring systems as it is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanic area. More than 27,000 hot spring sources exist in Japan,[1] together they discharge over 2.6 million liters of water every minute.[2]

These springs have played, and continue to play, an important role in Japanese culture throughout history.[3][4] In Shinto, Sukunabikona is the kami of the hot springs. As the deity of hot springs Sukunabikona and Ōkuninushi went to the Dōgo hot springs. There Ōkuninushi put Sukunabikona in the hot spring water to heal him of an ailment. Upon awakening, Sukunabikona danced atop a stone. It is said that his footprints left impressions on the rock, known as Tamanoishi, which still exists at Dogo Onsen north of the main building.[5][6]

Tamagawa Onsen, Akita prefecture
Beppu Chinoike-jigoku, Ōita prefecture
Yudomari seaside onsen, Kagoshima prefecture
Takanoyu Onsen, Akita prefecture

Akita Prefecture
Winter bathing at Tsuru-no-yu roten-buro in Nyūtō, Akita
Old Tsuru-no-yu Bathhouse in Nyūtō Onsen area, Akita

Aomori Prefecture

Ehime Prefecture
  • Dōgo Onsen was mentioned in the oldest collection of Japanese poetry, the Man’yo Wakashu.[1]

Fukui Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture

Gifu Prefecture

Gunma Prefecture
Takaragawa Onsen, Gunma

Hokkaido Prefecture

Hokkaido Prefecture has the third most hot springs with 2,304 registered. The hot springs in the prefecture have the second highest discharge rate of water at 260 kiloliters per minute.[1]

Hyōgo Prefecture
Yumura onsen

Ishikawa Prefecture

Iwate Prefecture

Kagawa Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture

Kagoshima prefecture has the second most hot springs in Japan, with 2,824 registered.[1]

  • Hakone, Kanagawa, near Tokyo. See also Ōwakudani
  • Iiyama Onsen and one other hot spring (Tokigawa Onsen in Saitama Prefeture) are tied for the highest alkalinity in all of Japan.[1]
  • Miyanoshita Onsen
  • Tsurumaki Onsen Tsurumaki Onsen has the highest calcium content in its waters of all the hot springs in Japan.[1]
  • Yugawara

Kagoshima Prefecture

The hot springs systems in Kagoshima have the third highest discharge rate at 201 kiloliters per minute.[1]

  • Higashi Onsen and one other hot spring (Tamagawa Onsen in Akita) have the highest acidity content in its water at a PH value of 1.2, of all the hot springs in Japan.[1]
  • Ibusuki Onsen
  • Kirishima

Kyoto Prefecture

Kumamoto Prefecture
Kurokawa Onsen roten-buro in Kyushu

Mie Prefecture

Miyagi Prefecture

Nagano Prefecture
Japanese macaques enjoying a roten-buro open-air onsen at Jigokudani Monkey Park
  • Honzawa Onsen has the highest elevation for an open-air onsen, at 2,150 meters.[1]
  • Jigokudani
  • Kakeyu Onsen
  • Shibu
  • Yudanaka Onsen
  • Suwa
  • Asama Onsen

Nagasaki Prefecture
Unzen Onsen Jigoku Unzen Nagasaki prefecture

Niigata Prefecture

Okayama Prefecture

Ōita Prefecture
Beppu Umi-jigoku, Ōita prefecture

Oita is the prefecture with the most geothermal spring sources in Japan, 4,788 are registered. The prefecture also has the highest discharge rate of 296 kiloliters per minute[1]

Saga Prefecture

Saitama Prefecture
  • Tokigawa Onsen and one other hot spring (Iiyama Onsen in Kanagawa Prefecture) are tied for first place for the highest alkalinity in the water.[1]

Shimane Prefecture
  • Tamatsukuri Onsen is mentioned in the Izumo no Kuni Fudoki (Chronicle of the Land of Izumo) from the year, 733.[2]

Shizuoka Prefecture
Geyser in Atami

Tochigi Prefecture

Tottori Prefecture

Toyama Prefecture
  • Mikuriga-ike Onsen has the highest elevation of all hot springs in Japan, with an elevation of 2,400 meters.[1]
  • Unazuki Onsen, Kurobe

Wakayama Prefecture
Onsen in Nachikatsuura, Japan, Wakayama prefecture

Yamagata Prefecture

Yamanashi Prefecture
  • Shimobe Onsen

Other locations
  • Kaniyu Onsen
  • Okukinu hot springs group
  • Sashiusudake [Baransky] hot springs - in disputed territory between Japan & Russia

See also

References
  1. Phro, Preston (20 December 2013). "The hottest, highest and healthiest hot springs in Japan". Japan Today. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  2. Tadanori, Matsuda. "Soaking up the Benefits: Japan's Hot Springs Tradition". Nippon: Your doorway to Japan. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  3. Mihaela, Serbulea; Unnikrishnan, Payyappallimana (2012). "Onsen (hot springs) in Japan—Transforming terrain into healing landscapes". Health & Place. 18 (6): 1366–1373. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. Nakata, Hiroko (22 January 2008). "Japan's hot springs part of social, geologic, historic fabric". The Japan Times. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. "Spirited Away at Dogo Onsen". Taiken Japan.
  6. A Handbook for Travellers in Japan, including the Whole Empire from Yezo to Formosa, by Basil Hall Chamberlain & W.B. Mason, 1901
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