Visiting an Onsen (a Japanese Hot Spring) should be on every visitor’s Japan bucket list. The Japanese hot springs are famous for its healing powers and long tradition similar to the Roman baths.
There are areas in Japan that are famous for its Onsen waters which are pumped up from sometimes hundreds of meters below ground. The hot mineral-rich water is dependent on volcanic activities and therefore there are areas which naturally have more Onsen than others. Some of the most famous Onsen resorts are for example Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma prefecture, Hakone Onsen in Kanagawa or Beppu Onsen in Oita on Kyushu. I have been to all three (and many more) and must say they are definitely worth a visit if you have the time. Another one less known Onsen town in Japan is Ikaho Onsen in Gunma. It is perfect for a short trip from Tokyo, and the best place to unwind after a lot of sightseeing.
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But if you don’t, and are only planning to visit Tokyo for a couple of days, then don’t fret. Even though Tokyo is the widest flat area in all of Japan and for this reason, not a place where Onsen waters naturally occur close to the earth’s surface, you can still experience Onsen in Tokyo, in the heart of one of the biggest metropolis in the world.
Because I love visiting Onsen very much, and I can’t always travel the distances to reach popular Onsen areas I have started exploring the Onsen in Tokyo. From my experience, so far I can highly recommend the following 3 Onsen around Tokyo.
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Oedo Onsen Monogatari
By far my favorite Onsen in Tokyo, this Edo-period themed Onsen theme park called Oedo Onsen Monogatari is fun for the whole family, but also perfect for couples, girlfriends and everything in between. You can easily spend a whole day here and not get bored.
At the entrance to this Onsen in Tokyo, you will get to choose a cute summer Kimono called a Yukata. Once you leave the changing room (clad in said Yukata) you will be thrown into another world. The main area is filled with stalls and small restaurants, souvenir shops and little arcades. On small stages, you can enjoy performers.
Just strolling along the indoors area will give you the feeling of a warm summer night in Edo hundreds of years in the past.
The Onsen
The highlight of the Tokyo Onsen theme park are, of course, the Onsen pools. The Onsen area is separated by gender, but children can accompany their parents no matter what gender as is customary in Japanese Onsen.
You can pick up a big and small towel on the way in. Then you undress completely in the dressing area and head to the pools. There are a total of 12 indoor and outdoor pools of different temperatures. Don’t forget to wash your body before entering a pool. (If you aren’t familiar with the hot springs etiquette have a look at my post)
Other Activities
Once your bath is done why don’t you go outside and enjoy a footbath or just a little stroll in the garden?
For an additional charge, you can also get a massage, enjoy a stone sauna or have the dead skin picked off your feet by doctor fish. This is actually quite pleasant, except if you are ticklish at your feet in which case it might feel like torture.
All the activity exploring the hot springs in Tokyo will surely make you hungry, so why don’t you try any of the Japanese foods on offer at the Oedo Onsen Monogatary.
And after that? How about another dip in the Onsen! This is how to spend a perfectly relaxing day at Tokyo’s Oedo Onsen Monogatari.
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My Thoughts
I have visited Oedo Onsen Monogatari twice. I can’t believe that the first time was already 8 years ago. On my very first visit to Japan and the first visit to an Onsen in Tokyo and all of Japan for that matter. Both times I visited with a girlfriend and both times it was an unforgettable experience.
I have done everything I described above including massages, doctor fish and stone sauna and it is totally worth it. Sometimes we just want to relax and be pampered, am I right. And the perfect place to do that Japan-style is at the Oedo Onsen Monogatari. So, what are you waiting for? Get your tickets in advance on klook.com for roughly half the price!
Name: Oedo Onsen Monogatari
Opening hours: 11 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Price: 2612 Yen (26$) (Sat. & Sun. 2828 Yen (28$) / Special Day 2936 Yen (30$))
Address: 2-6-3 Aomi, Koto, Tokyo 135-0064
Buy now: klook.com
LaQua Spa
Picture copyright of LaQua Tokyo Dome City
LaQua Spa is part of the Tokyo Dome City right in the center of Tokyo, the biggest arena and also the site of a theme park with many attractions including a roller coaster and a ferries wheel.
The Onsen
The spa itself is located on the 5th to 9th floor of LaQua building. After you went to check-in at the reception of this Onsen in Tokyo, you can choose from multiple cute outfits when you enter the changing room which you can wear in the common areas like restaurants. Get undressed at the spacious changing area, lock your belongings into the super modern lockers and you are good to go.
The pools are vary inviting and especially the outside area is a place I could have (and did) spend hours at. As you can see in the picture there are different pools in the outside area. One made of stone and another made from wood. They have different temperatures and with the cool breeze around the shoulders is is the perfect place to forget about troubles, stress and the fact that you are in one of the busiest metropolis on the globe.
Other Activities
Between your dips in the hot Onsen water, you can relax at the bar (called THE BAR), a café or one of the restaurants (one Vietnamese and one Japanese) located on the 5th floor. We had an ice cream from the café and relaxed a bit at LaQua Living, the lounge, to cool down before we took another bath.
For an additional charge, you can also get a massage at one of multiple massage salons within the bath area or outside the changing rooms.
The so-called Healing Baden Zone is located on the 8th and 9th floor. For an additional fee of 864 Yen (9$), you can enjoy yourself and relax there. The Healing Baden Zone features multiple saunas and also outdoor and indoor pools. I haven’t visited this area so I can’t tell you if it is worth the additional charge. Just be aware that this area is more like a modern spa and has very little to do with Onsen in the traditional sense.
My Thoughts
While LaQua Spa in the center of Tokyo isn’t my favorite hot springs in Tokyo it is definitely a nice place to unwind after some sightseeing if you have the necessary change. The prices are at the upper end of the scale but you do get a lot of value for your money. And of course the location cannot be topped.
Name: Spa LaQua Tokyo Dome City
Opening hours: 11 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Price: 2850 Yen (28$) + 864 Yen (9$) for Healing Baden
Address: 1-1-1 LaQua Building, Bunkyo, Kasuga, Tokyo 112-0003
Tokyo Somei Onsen Sakura
Tokyo Somei Onsen Sakura is also a big and quite modern Onsen in Tokyo. But it is more a traditional Onsen in the sense that you go there to spend about an hour or two to relax in the healing waters. And not a whole day like with the Oedo Onsen Monogatari.
The Onsen
There are multiple indoor and outdoor pools with different temperatures and also a sauna. The water is bright yellow because it is rich in sodium chloride.
My Thoughts
Somei Onsen Sakura is especially popular during cherry blossom season when the somei-yoshino trees on the premises are in full blossom, but I can recommend it also at any other time of the year. My visit was shortly before the cherry blossom season in March and it was especially lovely soaking in a pool outside and feeling the cool air on my skin.
(I really wanted to show you a picture of the Onsen, but I couldn’t get one from the onsen. You might want to check out their website, it’s all in Japanese though)
Name: Tokyo Somei Onsen Sakura
Opening hours:1o a.m. – 11 a.m.
Price: 1296 Yen (13$)
Address:5-4-24 Komagome, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
In Conclusion
I hope you fill find the time during your trip in Japan to visit an Onsen somewhere. If you only visit Tokyo the above three options should give you enough choice to find an Onsen you like.
Onsen Etiquette is more complicated than you might think. So, before visiting any Onsen in Japan make sure to check out my Japanese Onsen Etiquette guide so you won’t make a fool of yourself (I know I did the first time).
If you have a little bit more time and want to get out of Tokyo, you could also consider taking a short trip to places like Nikko or Hakone to experience a hot spring resort for which Japan is so famous.
These places are not only famous for their Onsen but are also rich in history, culture and beautiful landscapes that I can only recommend you to visit.
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Lena
Authors Note:
None of the experiences in this post are in any way sponsored and have all been payed for by myself. The opinions stated are all my own and have not been influenced in any way.
This posts contains affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by purchasing products through my links!
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Lena is the creator of the Social Travel Experiment. Planning her trip around the world took a lot of effort. To make it easier for future world travelers she has made it her mission to teach others how to have an unforgettable trip around the world, through short stays with locals, without wasting valuable time or money.