Guest viewing is limited

Onsen Adventures

Any that are more Tokyo-centric? Planning a trip this fall, but in the interests of my budget and to avoid getting lost, sticking as close to Tokyo as possible.
 
Hey Brah,

I have not been to any below, but did a quick search for you. A warning-it's difficult to go to an onsen trip on a budget. Most ryokans include breakfast and dinner and price is per person-not per room. It's even more expensive for just a normal inn as the expensive Waikiki hotels-really (honto desu)

If you make the day trip, many offer just a fee for the onsen, which is not too bad for the experience. Me, I'm partial to night soaks and the onsen only option is usually restricted to somewhere around 9 AM - 4 PM.

http://www.timeout.com/tokyo/health-and-beauty/onsen-tokyo-guide

http://wanderlust-japan.com/tokyo-area-onsen/

From the site above:

onsen.gif

http://www.japanvisitor.com/tokyo-travel-guide/tokyo-onsens

http://travel.cnn.com/tokyo/visit/insider-hotline-best-tokyo-onsen-trips-225178/
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJnLJ, bichan2, User#12791 and 4 others
veryniceguy said:
Many years ago...I went to "Amagiso" in Izu...... Typcial ryoka perched on the hill , where below there is a river.... Walking down towards it, there are a number of one-person baths in small caves......then down to the riverside here are a few hot baths next to the river......and in front, there is a fairly high waterfall....Behind the waterfall there is another fairly hot onsen cave....... was there in the wintertime....so there was snow on the area around it....but the baths made up for it..... Now that I have remembered this experience.....I want to go again....
Click to expand...

A big thank you to veryniceguy. We just returned from a weekend at Amagiso.

You must wear swimsuits during the daytime at the falls, but at night it's optional. We were told lots of tourists stop by during the day, so we did not go then.

We've been to many outstanding onsens and this ranks up there, mostly for the experience of an evening soak just a short distance from an amazing roaring waterfall. There's around a half dozen rotenburo near the base of the falls. My only complaint was that they are not hot enough for me. They should be perfect for Wwanderer.

Friday night was private onsen by the falls, our favorite! We had all of it to ourselves and could go naked. Saturday night, a few families staying at the onsen popped in and out and most of them wore swimsuits.

Here's a view from our room. The ryokan is next to the loop:
amagiso loops.JPG


The normal onsen
Amagiso onsen.JPG


Rotenburo by falls at night
Amagiso falls rotenburo.JPG


We do not like ryokan food, so we chose a plan for ¥ 20,000 a night for the room, four of us, that did not include meals. We stopped on the way at a nearby 7/11 and bought sandwiches, salads, snacks and yogurt. There is a small refrigerator in the room and they provide a hot water dispenser for tea or noodles.

Take a date to Amagiso if you want to impress. Once again, the link for the English website:
http://www.amagisou.jp/hotel-eng/
 
  • Like
Reactions: Troilist, Guuu, MamoruSpain and 4 others
Another inspiration from my favorite Japanese News source, RocketNews24

It took me over three years in Japan to finally go to an onsen and that's only because of my Japanese wife. Do let fears of the unfamiliar hold you back!!!

Today's article is:

Learn all about enjoying a traditional Japanese-style ryokan inn from this nine-minute video!

Staying at a ryokan can be a unique experience and a very enjoyable one at that, but it also might be a bit different from what you’re used to. To make sure visitors know what to expect when staying at a ryokan, the folks at Wakura Onsen Toursim Association and Wakura Onsen Tourism Cooperative have produced a helpful and informative English video titled “Learn How To Enjoy A Japanese Ryokan with Hot Springs in 9 minutes“.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/07/...style-ryokan-inn-from-this-nine-minute-video/



The video is actually pretty funny for a resident.

I see one mistake. In the video, it shows the man cleaning his body with soap and water, after taking the onsen. I was taught to wash squeaky clean before entering the onsen water.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bichan2
roots reggae said:
I see one mistake. In the video, it shows the man cleaning his body with soap and water, after taking the onsen. I was taught to wash squeaky clean before entering the onsen water.
Click to expand...

It is not unusual to clean yourself again before leaving. In fact I witnessed a lot of Japanese to clean themselves every time before entering the bath. The most thorough one is the first one though.

The video also says to rinse yourself before going in, but that is such a short side note that it can be easily overlooked, especially as they emphasize on the cleaning afterwards.
 
  • Like
Reactions: roots reggae
RandomTokyoGuy said:
It is not unusual to clean yourself again before leaving. In fact I witnessed a lot of Japanese to clean themselves every time before entering the bath. The most thorough one is the first one though.

The video also says to rinse yourself before going in, but that is such a short side note that it can be easily overlooked, especially as they emphasize on the cleaning afterwards.
Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing that out, I did not catch the before cleaning. Yes, I have seen many folks clean afterwards. My wife often tells me to leave with the onsen water intact to get the full benefits.
 
roots reggae said:
Thank you for pointing that out, I did not catch the before cleaning. Yes, I have seen many folks clean afterwards. My wife often tells me to leave with the onsen water intact to get the full benefits.
Click to expand...

Tbh, I go to sento very often too, so I might mix that up. The etiquette is otherwise the same.
 
2nd was in the hills above Unazuki Onsen in Toyama. You take this rickety old train that used transport workers up to the dams, and we got off at the 2nd or 3rd stop. You walk along a scary as fark path for about 2km (on a cliff with no handrail), then there is this large mixed bathing outdoor spring.


I'd like to go there but the train does not start till 1st May
 
  • Like
Reactions: Legarto and AliceInWonderland
Like this thread very much - and just to add places for couples who want a private outdoor onsen for an hour or two without staying overnight, here’s one in shima onsen, gunma. A two hour drive from Tokyo but prices are right and scenery is great . Good local beer, too. 3500 yen for an hour and the owner was fine when we went a little overtime.
http://konyoku.tvlplus.net/guide/kanto/yamabato.html
A3C8271B-BD38-4D10-B3BD-72975C7182AA.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: roots reggae and Hofmeyer
The family is packed and we're off for a short two day onsen trip to Izu Peninsula, one of our favorite close by destinations.

This time, we are returning to Hotel SunValley in Izunagaoka. For purists, it's not a true, out-in-nature experience. We chose it because the Waraku Annex, just minutes walk from the main hotel, has five private onsen that can be reserved ahead of time.

The food is another reason. The buffet is impressive, a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and Western offerings. Believe me, after awhile, typical onsen fare, fish-on-a-stick, etc. , becomes tedious.

Here's the links, both a Japanese and an English page. Even though I can't read Japanese and only speak baby Japanese, I find the Japanese web pages for most onsen are more informative, if just for the pics.

http://www.izu3800.jp/index.html

http://www.izu3800.jp/lang/english/index.html
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ur19877 and AMcguyver
roots reggae said:
The family is packed and we're off for a short two day onsen trip to Izu Peninsula, one of our favorite close by destinations.

This time, we are returning to Hotel SunValley in Izunagaoka. For purists, it's not a true, out-in-nature experience. We chose it because the Waraku Annex, just minutes walk from the main hotel, has five private onsen that can be reserved ahead of time.

The food is another reason. The buffet is impressive, a mixture of Japanese, Chinese, and Western offerings. Believe me, after awhile, typical onsen fare, fish-on-a-stick, etc. , becomes tedious.

Here's the links, both a Japanese and an English page. Even though I can't read Japanese and only speak baby Japanese, I find the Japanese web pages for most onsen are more informative, if just for the pics.

http://www.izu3800.jp/index.html

http://www.izu3800.jp/lang/english/index.html
Click to expand...


Well, here's my post visit review.

We have not visited Waraku Annex in about fourteen years. The wear and tear of the facility is evident, but it's not that bad. No odors and nothing broken. Here's a pic of the room. A pleasant surprise was the partial view of Fuji-san from our room. If you go, the view is only available on the 4th and 5th floors, room # 483,484, 485 and the corresponding rooms on the fifth floor.

room 1.jpg
fuji.jpg



What was most disappointing was the food. The buffet is now about half made up of processed, frozen food reheated. Still, it was OK for some dishes.

The onsen was nice. We visited three out of the five private onsen on the first floor. It was relaxing to have a private onsen during the busy New Year's time. I took pictures of only two, forgot the camera for one. And, one of the private onsen is wheelchair accessible, with a lift that goes right down in the onsen.

onsen 1.jpg
onsen 2.jpg
onsen 3.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Legarto and DocMcStuffins
I love onsens during winter. Especially outdoor ones in snowy regions.
Had some nice pictures of the one I went near Nagano - seem to have lost them though.:(

I still haven't braved going to an onsen when other people are there. Not dick-shy but just nervous around naked dudes.
I always go at a quite time like 1AM or got a private onsen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland and MikeH
jhingy567 said:
I love onsens during winter. Especially outdoor ones in snowy regions.
Had some nice pictures of the one I went near Nagano - seem to have lost them though.:(

I still haven't braved going to an onsen when other people are there. Not dick-shy but just nervous around naked dudes.
I always go at a quite time like 1AM or got a private onsen.
Click to expand...

Be brave! Get over it! It's worth it!

Maybe try a local sento first-much closer and cheaper.

Don't be like me, at least how I was. It took three years and getting married to a Japanese woman before I went to onsen.
rasta-lion-emoji-jpg.6384
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland, MikeH and jhingy567
Winter is always a good time to visit onsen. I'm looking back at past trips and posting as I have time and motivation

Hotel Okuyumoto
​
We visited February, 2017 and chose it, partly, because it's not so far away. It's in the Hakone-Yumoto, Tenzan Onsen area, just as the mountains rise towards Hakone.

The onsen is very nice and as my wife likes, is natural and free running, not recycled. It's segregated by gender, so no mixed bathing. Sorry, no tattoos.

What I liked was the food-not typical onsen food. Our food plan included dining at the hotel's Yamasato Restaurant with a Western/Japanese buffet for breakfast and modern Japanese cuisine for dinner. You can choose from a variety of dishes, which will be freshly prepared by chefs in an open kitchen. Every meal my family has was tasty and that's not something we often say.

Here's the Japanese and English websites. For ryokans in Japan, the Japanese site is usually more extensive.

https://ssl.okuyumoto.co.jp/

https://ssl.okuyumoto.co.jp/en/index.html

It's located about an hour and a half drive from Tokyo, or two hours by train. There is a free shuttle from the station, but you will need to arrange that. We drive most places close by.

https://www.google.co.jp/maps/dir/T...0ff0013ece4fe4!2m2!1d139.0867891!2d35.2243135


Breakfast

hakone 012.jpg


Children's Dinner

hakone 023.jpg


hakone 014.jpg

hakone 016.jpg

hakone 020.jpg

[​
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ur19877 and Troilist
You must log in or register to reply here.