In Japan, there are many hot springs that have been loved by people since ancient times. Onsen are a blessing of nature, a healing for body and soul, and a place where one can feel the traditions and history of Japan.
In this article, I will introduce the charms of Japanese hot springs in English. “Please forgive my poor writing, as I am using an automatic translation.”
In addition to famous hot springs, I will also introduce some unique hot springs that are not listed in travel guides, so let’s take a look at them together!
Japanese people love the “Three Great Views of Japan,” “Three Great Gardens of Japan,” “Three Great Night Views of Japan,” and so on.
There is such a ranking for hot springs as well.
Japan’s Three Most Historic Hot Springs
There are many hot springs in Japan with long histories, and the oldest of them are sometimes called “Sankoyu” (three old hot springs). In fact, however, there are many different types of sankoyu, and there is no general definition of sankoyu. Some people name different sankoyu depending on the region and their preferences.
However, I would like to introduce the Sankoyu based on an authoritative ancient document. These documents are the Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan) and Fudoki (Records of Fudoki), which were written around 720, and Engishiki Shinmeicho (Engi Shiki Shinmeicho), which was written in 927.
According to the Nihonshoki and Fudoki, the three oldest hot springs are as follows
Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture)
Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture)
Shirahama Onsen (Wakayama Prefecture)
According to the Engishiki Shinmeicho, the three oldest hot springs are as follows
Arima Onsen (Hyogo Prefecture)
Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture)
Iwaki Yumoto Onsen (Fukushima Prefecture)
Both of these three koyu are hot springs deeply related to the history and culture of Japan. All of them are more than 1,000 years old…
These hot springs have been enjoyed by many people since ancient times, and their charms have not faded.
Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen, located in Hyogo Prefecture in the Kinki region, has been known to exist for about 1,300 years.
It is said to have been visited by numerous historical figures from long ago, including emperors and feudal lords. In particular, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was fond of Arima Onsen and is said to have visited many times.
There are two types of hot springs: colorless “silver water” and muddy brown “gold water.
The golden hot water contains iron, and the brown color is caused by the oxidation of this iron. It is a hot spring that gushes out in a volcano-free zone and is said to originate from magma.
Dogo Hot Spring
Dogo Onsen is a hot spring with a history of 3,000 years located in Ehime Prefecture in the Shikoku region. It is said that Prince Shotoku, Emperor Tenchi, and Emperor Temmu came to take a bath in this hot spring, which also appears in Manyoshu and Nihonshoki.
The Dogo Onsen Honkan is also famous for its old architecture, and there is even a bath exclusively for the royal family.
Recently, it is also known as the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s Ghibli film “Spirited Away.
Shirahama Onsen
Shirahama Onsen is a hot spring located in Wakayama Prefecture in the Kinki region. It is located in a land rich in hot spring resources, with more than 170 sources.
Here, there is a cave bath that was visited by a Tokugawa shogun. Here, visitors can enjoy a wonderful view of the Pacific Ocean from the bathtub while looking out at the rough waves lapping against the shore.
Shirahama Onsen is said to be one of the “three best hot springs in Japan” along with Atami Onsen and Beppu Onsen.
Iwaki Yumoto Onsen
This hot spring is located in Fukushima Prefecture in the Tohoku region. This hot spring is also said to have a history of over 1,300 years.
According to legend, the discovery of the hot spring was triggered when a traveler found a wounded tancho crane bathing in a spring in this area.
The name of the Iwaki-gun Onsen Shrine, which is located in the hot spring, is listed in the Engishiki Shinmeicho (Engi Shiki Shinto Records), and the spring is said to be one of the “Three Oldest Hot Springs in Japan.
When coal mining began in the Meiji era (1868-1912), the underground hot spring veins were destroyed, and the hot spring stopped gushing to the surface for several decades. It was not until 1942 that the hot springs were restored.