Favourite Snowy Winter Onsen
A LIST OF YUKIMIBURO HOT SPRINGS I LOVE TO STAY & SOAK AWAY IN
Dreaming of soaking in an onsen as snow falls?
To me, nothing is more beautiful and relaxing then spending a winter in Japan, soaking in a rotenburo (outdoor) onsen surrounded by falling snow. This is my favourite way to enjoy the snow. Though there are numerous areas in Japan that receive snowfall with multiple onsen accommodations to choose from — I chose the places I visit in winter by whether
1st priority: there is an outdoor onsen (hopefully surrounded by nature) where I have a high chance of snow falling, and snow build up.
2nd priority: do I want to splurge and have a private onsen experience as well, or is it more a traditional toji experience?
Follow up priorities: food, atmosphere, ambiance, price, the size of the accommodation ie how many rooms
For those wanting a high chance of snow falling consistently and a decent snow build up - then its best to look to the north of Japan ie. the Tohoku region and Hokkaido - along with the Japanese mountains. If you don’t have the time to head north, then travel closer to the Chubu region just outside Tokyo especially in Nagano, Niigata and Gifu prefectures where the Japanese Alps lie. Other alternatives are neighbouring Tochigi and Gunma prefectures of Kanto region - in the mountain areas. Down south in Kyushu region, I’ve enjoyed rare yukimiburo in the mountain onsen town of Kurokawa however its mainly a dusting of snow, rather than the heavy snowfalls found further up north.
Also shared are a couple of my favourite onsen ryokan stays that I visited in other seasons, but I know they generally receive heavy snowfall if you visit in peak winter and/or part of an iconic snowy onsen town. Look forward to adding more to this list as I travel even deeper into more onsen regions, along with my own personal reviews to come for each one over time.
JUMP TO ONE OF JAPAN’S REGIONS BELOW TO DISCOVER MY PERSONAL FAVOURITES
| CHUBU | HOKKAIDO | KANTO | KYUSHU | TOHOKU |
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Please Note: This article contains some affiliate links. If you make a reservation through one of these links,
I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Every property and destination featured on this website has been personally experienced by the writer, and are their personal thoughts and opinions.
CHUBU
Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi
NIIGATA
KIYOTSUKAN
review | website | private onsen
check availability
NIIGATA
RANKEISOU
review | website | private onsen
check availability
NIIGATA
ryugon
review | website | private onsen
check availability
NIIGATA
SATOYAMA JUJO
review | website | private onsen
check availability
HOKKAIDO
KANTO
Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Saitama, Tochigi, Tokyo
KYUSHU
Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Oita, Nagasaki, Saga
KUMAMOTO
KUROKAWA ONSEN TOWN
review | website
check availability
KUMAMOTO
SANGA RYOKAN
review | website | private onsen
check availability
TOHOKU
Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata
FUKUSHIMA
TSUCHIYU BETTEI SATONOYU
review | website | private onsen
check availability
IWATE
OSAWA ONSEN SANSUIKAKU
review | website | private onsen
check availability
FIND AVAILABILITY, PRICING & OTHER OPTIONS ON THE INTERACTIVE MAP BELOW
onsen ryokan = purple hotel icon | onsen towns = blue leaf icon
MY PERSONAL WINTER ONSEN TRAVEL TIPS
snowfall in Japan (especially up North & in the mountainous regions) can be extremely heavy and cause disruption, so its important to consider
stay min 2 nights so you can have a leisurely time relaxing & in case there are delays
give yourself buffer time for delays and transport connection times, rushing will be stressful
make sure you know your travel routes (especially if travelling remote), book your tickets when possible in advance
find out if there are any shuttle pick up services (normally from the closest bus stops/bus stations)
check with the onsen ryokan booked in advance, the public transport winter timetable (it can be different from the rest of the year & if you’re travelling the remote - Google Maps may not be updated with the very, very local bus timetables)
try staying at an onsen ryokan with less than 20 rooms (under 10-15 rooms is my favourite) - its more intimate & if there’s a public onsen, you have higher chance of enjoying it all to yourselves!
WHAT ELSE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED?
Ready to be inspired - take a look at my favourite traditional onsen ryokan stays in Japan
