Onsen Blog - Providing Onsen info from the onsen lover in Japan

Hakuju 湯郷・白寿@Kannagawa Onsen, Saitama

Hakuju@ Kannagawa  Onsen, Saitama

Total score:  4  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Honjo Station

Price:  700 yen

Atmosphere: 3

When are you visiting Japan? Please let us know! East Garden Pictures

Kirizumikan きりづみ館@Kirizumi Onsen, Gunma

Kirizumikan@ Kirizumi Onsen, Gunma

Total score:  4  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sulfate

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Yokokawa Station

Price:  600 yen

Atmosphere: 4.8

Notes: Good but not "gensen kakenagashi".

きりづみ館 posted by (C)Sonoe

きりづみ館　外観 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Kintokan 金湯館@Kirizumi Onsen, Gunma

Kintokan@ Kirizumi Onsen, Gunma

Total score:  5  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sulfate

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Yokokawa Station

Price:  500 yen

Atmosphere: 4.8

Notes:  You will have to walk about 20 minutes from Kirizumikan to reach Kintokan.  Worth walking.  Might be difficult during the winter time. Hirobumi Ito (the first prime minister of Japan) visited Kintokan.

金湯館　いい湯 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Ikoinoie いこいの家@Toyamura Onsen, Hokkaido

Ikoinoie@ Toyamura Onsen, Hokkaido

Total score:  3.8  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium hydrogen carbonate content

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Toya Station

Price:  370 yen

Atmosphere: 3.8

いこいの家 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Daiwa Ryokan 大和旅館@Toyako Onsen, Hokkaido

Daiwa Ryokan@ Toyako Onsen, Hokkaido

Total score:  4.8  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium hydrogen carbonate content

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Toya Station

Price:  400 yen

Atmosphere: 3.5

大和旅館 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Airtech.com Public Blog - 2. Mixed Onsen -

Airtech.com Public Blog

Mixed Onsen

An onsen(Japanese hot spring) is after all a bath, not a swimming pool, you will be asked to take off your clothing before getting into an onsen. So, if you go to an onsen ryokan(Japanese-style inn) or to an onsen facility, in most cases the onsen for men and women are separated. Yes, that is for most cases… There are ryokan/onsen facilities which only own one onsen(tub) which means that men and women have to share one onsen tub. We call these onsen “kon-yoku” which means “mixed onsen”. Of course “no clothing rule” is not an exception for mixed onsen too.

Why only one onsen? Have no money to make an another tub? An onsen is said to be better when it’s fresh. If there’s only one onsen source, making a tub right above the source is an ideal onsen. Therefore, in order to keep the quality of the onsen, there are many onsen ryokan/facilities which have only one onsen tub.

Even so, men and women in a same onsen with no clothes on? This is actually not a comfortable thing for many Japanese people, including myself. But with a bit of a courage and a little manner, you will be able to enjoy a gorgeous onsen!

Here are some tips for both men and women.

1. Usually the dressing rooms are separated. Although you are not allowed to wear a bathing suite, you are allowed to take a towel( big enough to cover up the front part of your body) to the onsen area.

2. Take a peek from the dressing room and see if you feel comfortable getting in. If not, wait until the people leave or when it’s the right timing.

3. Get in the onsen area covering your body with the towel and take it off when you are sure that your body is soaked in an onsen.

4. Try not to stare at other people’s body…

5. There are some onsen facility which offers suits for women(which will cover your whole body) to get into an onsen.

The onsen in the wild is always a mixed onsen but these are the authentic ones that you shouldn’t miss. So, pluck up the courage to try the mixed onsen. No guts, no good onsen!

Horoka Onsen Ryokan ホロカ温泉旅館@Horoka Onsen, Hokkaido

Horoka Onsen Ryokan@ Horoka Onsen, Hokkaido

Total score:  5  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium hydrogen carbonate content, sulfur

Accessibility: 1

Nearest station: ?

Price:  300 yen (i think...)

Atmosphere: 5

Notes: onsen content's sediment layers were like a huge piece of natural art!

ホロカ　硫黄、食塩泉 posted by (C)Sonoe

ホロカの析出物はすごい　　芸術 posted by (C)Sonoe

ホロカ温泉 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Kogane Onsen 黄金@Kogane Onsen, Hokkaido

Kogane Onsen@ Kogane, Hokkaido

Total score:  4.5  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium hydrogen carbonate

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Konbu Station

Price:  400 yen

Atmosphere: 4.5

黄金温泉 posted by (C)Sonoe

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Shiraoi Onsen Hotel 白老温泉ホテル@Shiraoi Onsen, Hokkaido

Shiraoi Onsen Hotel @ Shiraoi, Hokkaido

Total score:  4.5  (out of 5)

Type of Onsen:  sodium hydrogen carbonate

Accessibility: 2

Nearest station: Shiraoi Station

Price:  500 yen

Atmosphere: 4

Coming to Japan?  Let the people in Japan know that you are coming!

airtech's new alternative super-blog

I've just started writing about onsen at airtech's super-blog. I will also start writing about onsen for a Japanese portal site soon.

Ms. Sonoe Azuma is based in Tokyo, Japan and is a Big fan of onsen, which are hot springs located in thousands of places in Japan. She has a BA from Sophia Univ in Tokyo, and an MA from Waseda Univ in Tokyo. She Founded Japan Port LLP in 2005. Sonoe is currently Running an old historical house built in the Meiji era(early 1900s) for events and social interactions. As a young girl she lived in the US where she mastered the English language. Without further ado:

Japan’s natural treasure- Onsen!

Have you ever heard of an onsen? It is a word for hot spring in Japanese. “On” means hot and “sen" means spring. As Japan is volcanically active country, there are thousands of onsen sites throughout the country! Japan is obviously a heaven for hot spring fans!

I am a huge fan of onsen and have been to various onsen sites in Japan. There are some onsen in the middle of Tokyo, where I currently live, but the best ones are mostly located outside of Tokyo. So, I travel around the country to soak myself in a superb onsen!

Of course the best part of the onsen is to simply soak your body in a gorgeous onsen and sit back and relax but there is more to it.

Finding out the mineral content of the springs, such as chloride sodium, sulfur, simple onsen etc, which differs from place to place is one way of enjoying an onsen. Depending on the mineral content, some onsen are transparent, milky, oily or even dark brown water. Some onsen may feel soft while some may feel silky smooth. Feeling and seeing these differences is one charm of enjoying onsen.

Besides the type of onsen, location is also an important factor to enjoy onsen. There are indoor onsen, outdoor onsen and also onsen in the middle of nature! Imagine yourself in an outdoor onsen sipping a nice cup of sake!

Don’t forget about its power. Onsen have been used for relaxation but also for medical care. The mineral contents are said to cure all kinds of ailments.Therefore, many people spend days at an onsen ryokan(Japanese-style inn with an onsen) to cure their ailments.

This blog will share the charms of onsen and feature various onsen in Japan! You will find ou t that surprisingly onsen differs substantially from place to place! Don't miss the next post!