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When a friend of mine returned from his first trip to Japan, he couldn’t help but rave about the country. From the extraordinary food to the rich history to the hospitable locals, there really weren’t any critiques. That was at least until he had arrived at Kinosaki, an onsen (hot spring) town about two and a half hours west of Kyoto. “I just could have used a heads up, you know?”
His shock was in reference to Japan’s onsen culture, where proper etiquette calls for guests to fully disrobe with nothing but a small towel for some semblance of privacy when using what is oftentimes a communal, gender-separated facility. Bathing stark naked with strangers certainly isn’t meant for the demure and can be quite jarring for the uninitiated. But having forewarned his fiancée about the custom when she asked me for recommendations on where to go, I thought the message was going to be passed along. At last, we had a good chuckle over the mishap and he would eventually come to love the tradition of relaxing in the healing, mineral-rich waters, especially once he learned about the private options at his hotel.
While hotels with private onsens are by no means new, many properties in recent years have chosen to add the option, catering not just to modest foreigners or tattooed individuals (ink is associated with the yakuza and often prohibited), but also a growing demand by locals who prefer an exclusive experience or couples on a romantic holiday. Whichever category you may fall into, we’ve rounded up some of the best hotels in Japan with private onsen baths for your next visit.
Hotel the Mitsui Kyoto, a Luxury Collection Hotel Spa
While Hotel the Mitsui Kyoto may have been a little off on the timing, having opened during the pandemic, they’ve gotten just about everything else right. Just steps away from Nijo Castle, the location is remarkable and the arrival experience equally so, marked by an ornate gate dating back to the early 18th century. Interiors are elegant and sleek thanks to the masterminds of Hong Kong-based designer André Fu and Japanese architect Akira Kuryu, while still maintaining a sense of place thanks to traditional craftsmanship and a beautiful central courtyard garden. But the crown jewels can be found in the property’s subterranean spa, where indoor hot spring pools and private onsens await. Both are unparalleled in the country, but especially the latter, where a pair of rooms just over 1,000 square feet include an oversize stone basin, steam room, shower, and wet living area. Guests can even arrange for breakfast or afternoon tea to be brought in for an onsen-dining experience. And if you prefer to have round-the-clock access to the thermal waters, select accommodations also boast their own outdoor onsen. Lastly, whatever you do, don’t skip out on a dinner at Toki. Helmed by French-trained chef Tetsuya Asano, formerly of the Ritz Paris, its innovative dishes offer a beautiful marriage of French techniques with local ingredients.
Nishimuraya Honkan
There’s so much to love about Kinosaki, where visitors are greeted at the train station with a display of geta sandals from the quaint town’s dozens of hotels and bathhouses. And for those looking for the quintessential experience, it also happens to be home to one of Japan’s best ryokans. Founded in 1860, the historic Nishimuraya Honkan upholds tradition in the best way possible. The team embodies omotenashi (the country’s distinctive concept of hospitality) and Japanese-style rooms feature tatami flooring, tokonoma alcoves, shoji screens, futon bedding, and seasonal kaiseki dinners served in-room by attentive hosts. (If you’re a seafood lover, go between November and March for snow crab season.) As expected, yukata are provided and you’re encouraged to wear them while strolling through the internal garden or walking along the town’s willow-lined canal. As a guest of Nishimuraya Honkan, you’ll not only have access to the on-site onsens and all of the town’s public bathhouses, but you’ll also be able to book some time at its sister property’s private facilities. Just a short walk or shuttle ride away, Nishimuraya Hotel Shogetsutei has three indoor-outdoor options to choose from, complete with a bottle of sparkling wine. You’ll definitely want to book these in advance, though, as they’re incredibly popular.
ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort Spa
With eight major geothermal hot spots, Beppu, located on the southerly island of Kyushu, is a remarkable anomaly for a city of its meager size. At ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort Spa, guests have a bird’s-eye view of the white plumes of smoke that hover above one of Japan’s most famous onsen destinations. Naturally, given its extraordinary setting, the property offers its guests multiple ways to enjoy the therapeutic waters. Many of the accommodations sport a furnished balcony with a hot spring–fed bath in addition to sumptuous, spa-like bathrooms. But even if you don’t have a room with your own onsen, the property also offers what they’ve dubbed as a “family onsen” with an outdoor basin for a private experience. And if you don’t mind being in your birthday suit around strangers, a visit to the public onsen won’t disappoint. The facility boasts a myriad of pools including numerous al fresco basins with panoramic vistas of the city and bay.
For further relaxation head over to the spa, where Thai practices are combined with Japanese customs. Otherwise, laze by the outdoor infinity pool or unwind in the adjacent lounge while tunes are played on a vintage JBL Paragon speaker. During your stay, you’ll have two on-site restaurants to choose from—including the reservation-only Atelier, where French cuisine meets local ingredients—along with an intimate bar with a wraparound balcony overlooking Beppu.
Amanemu
Over in Mie Prefecture, Amanemu is a luxurious ryokan-inspired property with a serene ambiance that sets the tone for a relaxing getaway. Plus, it offers several onsen options. To start, all of the well-appointed and incredibly spacious accommodations feature deep soaking tubs with hot spring water on tap. If you opt for one of the four villas, each one comes with its own separate onsen-style space complete with bathing stations to evoke traditional facilities. (Tip: Tsuki Villa is particularly special, with an onsen area that has both indoor and outdoor tubs.) In addition to the en-suite basins, the spa also has two bookable pavilions that can easily be paired with a treatment of your choice. And if that’s not enough, the pool is also fed with hot spring water. Swimsuits are required since it’s not private, but the beautiful setting—complete with daybeds, a fire pit, lush greenery, and fresh air—is irresistible. While you’re here make sure to also ask the staff to arrange a lunch with an ama. These female free divers scour the ocean for edible jewels like seaweed, lobster, and mollusks and grill their fresh catch in an amagoya hut. The Shima Peninsula is home to Japan’s largest population of ama and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn about this unique, ancient culture.
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
While Nikko is a popular day trip from Tokyo, it’s worth heading up to Lake Chuzenji and staying at least one night, especially if you’re holing up at the recently completed Ritz-Carlton. Recognizing the beauty of its natural surroundings, rooms are outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows and furnished balconies so that guests can enjoy sweeping mountain or lake views (the latter is irrefutably the way to go). The property also offers a laundry list of seasonal experiences centered around the great outdoors, ranging from fly fishing to guided hikes, along with year-round activities such as morning meditations with a monk and woodcarving with local artisans. Once you’re ready for some pampering, the spa has one treatment room with a private outdoor onsen, a popular offering you’ll want to book in advance. Otherwise, head over to the communal facility and marvel at the striking stonework while soaking away. And whenever hunger strikes you’ll have the option between the Japanese restaurant or lake house-style outlet serving Italian-inspired fare, as well as a bar with an extensive selection of Japanese whiskies from all around the country.
Zaborin
Surrounded by rolling hills and a birch forest in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, Zaborin is the epitome of tranquility. At this exclusive property where all facilities are reserved strictly for hotel guests, there are just 15 accommodations. The majority of the rooms feature Western-style sleeping arrangements, where futons are replaced with comfy beds and tatami mats are swapped for heated wooden flooring. But the best part about these sumptuous digs is the pair of indoor and outdoor hot spring–fed tubs for a private onsen experience.
For those who are looking to explore, wander around the neighboring town of Kutchan or head over to the slopes of Hanazono Ski Resort. After a busy day, make your way to the internal garden and relieve your tired hooves at the footbath, relax in the library with a book, or enjoy a tipple at the bar with a front-row seat to the beauty of Mt. Yotei. Then prepare for an extraordinary dinner at the on-site kaiseki restaurant helmed by Yoshihiro Seno, where the talented chef spotlights Hokkaido’s exemplary ingredients, lauded across the country, with his seasonal multi-course menu.
Hiramatsu Hotels Resort Kashikojima
Set on a bluff overlooking Ago Bay, the walls of this intimate hotel are lined with paintings by Yayoi Kusama. After you’ve perused the gallery-esque hallways, you’ll be whisked away to one of the hotel’s eight rooms, which are even split between two buildings. While all of the accommodations sport hot spring–fed bathtubs, the larger rooms in the annex are outfitted with beautiful stone basins that look out to a furnished balcony. And if the view from your in-room oasis isn’t enough, there’s also an open-air onsen at the spa that can be booked for private sessions. While you’re here, make sure to dine at the on-site French restaurant to savor some of the region’s delicacies like Matsusaka beef and an array of seafood such as spiny lobster and abalone.
