Tips · Japan
Where Should You Go for a Winter Onsen Trip in Japan?
Which Japanese city suits a winter hot-spring trip? Onsen towns by city, how to reach them, bathing etiquette and December-February normals.
Published · Updated
Flights to Fukuoka Airport (FUK)
Cities with hot springs at a glance
A hot soak is especially welcome on a cold winter trip. This article gathers Japanese cities with hot springs nearby: which onsen towns they have, how to get there from the city, and what December-February weather is normally like. Weather figures are Japan Meteorological Agency normals.
They fall into three regions: snowy Hokkaido (Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate), Honshu and Shikoku with onsen towns close to the city (Sendai, Kobe, Matsuyama), and Kyushu, packed with hot-spring areas (Beppu & Yufuin, Kumamoto, Kagoshima).
- Sapporo: Jozankei hot springs (known for onsen ryokan; a nearby overnight)
- Otaru: Asarigawa Onsen (a mountain valley south of the city)
- Hakodate: Yunokawa Onsen (a seaside hot-spring town reached by tram)
- Sendai: Akiu Onsen and Sakunami Onsen
- Kobe: Arima Onsen
- Matsuyama: Dogo Onsen
- Beppu & Yufuin: Kannawa Onsen, Myoban Onsen and the Yufuin hot-spring village
- Kumamoto: Kurokawa Onsen
- Kagoshima: Ibusuki sand baths and Kirishima Onsen
Hokkaido: Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate
Sapporo's Jozankei is known for onsen ryokan, with many travelers staying a night, and the Jozankei hot springs fit well into a winter itinerary. Check transport to Jozankei locally.
Otaru, 30-40 minutes by train from Sapporo, has Asarigawa Onsen in a mountain valley south of the city. It is reachable by bus from Otaru Station; check the official timetable. In February, the Otaru Snow Light Path festival lights the canal and an old railway line with snow candles. It is scheduled for February 6-13 in 2027, but always check the official schedule.
Hakodate's Yunokawa Onsen is a seaside hot-spring town reached by tram from downtown. Tram fares are about ¥210-260 by distance, and a one-day pass is available. There is a free footbath in front of the tram stop, and it makes a good afternoon stop after Goryokaku Park.
- Sapporo: from December to March sidewalks are icy and very slippery, so wear shoes with good grip; if you've never driven on snow, use trains or bus tours instead of a winter rental car
- Otaru: winters bring heavy snow and icy streets, and some facilities close or change hours in winter
- Hakodate: winter brings snow and icy streets, and Motomachi's slopes are steep and slippery. The Mt. Hakodate road closes to vehicles in winter, so use the ropeway or buses
Honshu and Shikoku: Sendai, Kobe and Matsuyama
Sendai has two hot-spring villages close to the city. Akiu Onsen, known as Sendai's retreat, is about 50 minutes by bus from Sendai Station; for Sakunami Onsen, ride the JR Senzan Line about 40 minutes and change to a bus. You can stop at Sakunami on the way back from Yamadera on the Senzan Line, or spend a night at Akiu. In winter, Yamadera's stone steps and the surrounding mountains can be snowy and icy, so wear non-slip shoes.
Kobe's Arima Onsen, over the mountains, is one of Japan's oldest hot-spring towns and is famous for its iron-rich reddish water. It is 30 minutes to an hour from the city by bus or train, and day-use bathhouses make a day trip easy, though it is also ideal for a ryokan night. You can spend a day or a night at Arima, then move on to Osaka or the airport.
Matsuyama's Dogo Onsen is one of Japan's oldest hot springs: a hot-spring town of ryokan and shopping arcades around a historic wooden public bath. Limousine buses from Matsuyama Airport take about 40 minutes, and from the city you can ride the streetcar or the Botchan Train, a sightseeing train that runs on set days. The public bath is busy in the evening, so early morning or early afternoon is quieter. Ehime grows citrus, and mandarins are in season in winter.
Kyushu: Beppu & Yufuin, Kumamoto and Kagoshima
Beppu is an onsen city where steam rises all over town. Kannawa Onsen is a hot-spring quarter with steam rising from every lane, close to most of the Hells, where vegetables, eggs and seafood are steamed over hot-spring vents. On the hillside, Myoban Onsen still has thatched huts that produce yunohana mineral flakes. Both are reached by bus from Beppu Station, and a historic city-run bath within walking distance of the station offers sand baths (no reservations, so you may have to wait).
Yufuin is a quiet hot-spring village beneath Mount Yufu. Lake Kinrin, fed by hot-spring water, is famous for its mist on early winter mornings. The route bus from Beppu Station takes about 50 minutes. From Fukuoka, the Limited Express Sonic runs from Hakata Station to Beppu in about 2 hours, and the Yufuin no Mori sightseeing train (set operating days; the Limited Express Yufu runs when it doesn't) reaches Yufuin in about 2 hours 15 minutes. Yufuin or Beppu also works as a day trip from Fukuoka if you start early.
Kumamoto's Kurokawa Onsen is a mountain hot-spring village of ryokan along a river, known for its bath-hopping pass (check official information for prices and baths). It is easiest by car, so rent a car at the airport if you head straight to Aso or Kurokawa. Kagoshima has the Ibusuki sand baths, where you are buried in warm beach sand (about an hour from the city by train or car), and Kirishima Onsen, mountain hot-spring villages near the airport. A bus from the airport reaches Kirishima Onsen in about 40 minutes to 1 hour (about 1,000 JPY), making it good for the first or last night.
- Flying into Oita Airport: airport buses take about 53 min to Beppu Station (about 1,600 JPY) and about 55 min to Yufuin Station (about 2,000 JPY)
- Beppu & Yufuin: mountain roads can be icy in winter. Mount Tsurumi, reached by the Beppu Ropeway, has frost-covered trees in winter (hours vary by season)
- Kumamoto: winter brings snow and icy roads to the Aso highlands, so check whether your rental car has winter tires
- Kagoshima: public transport to Ibusuki, Chiran and Kirishima is infrequent. Kagoshima's winters are relatively mild
December to February normals by city
These are 1991–2020 normals from the Japan Meteorological Agency at each city's station (Yufuin station for Beppu & Yufuin). They are not readings from the onsen towns themselves, and they are rounded to whole numbers. Each entry shows high/low, then precipitation.
In all three Hokkaido cities, lows stay below freezing for all three months and highs are only 0-3°C. Lows are below freezing in January and February in Sendai, and in all three months in Yufuin. Even Kagoshima, the warmest of these, has highs of just 13-15°C, so wrap up warmly after a bath.
- Sapporo (Sapporo station): Dec 2/-4°C, 115 mm; Jan 0/-6°C, 108 mm; Feb 0/-6°C, 92 mm
- Otaru (Otaru station): Dec 2/-4°C, 152 mm; Jan 0/-6°C, 138 mm; Feb 0/-6°C, 107 mm
- Hakodate (Hakodate station): Dec 3/-4°C, 95 mm; Jan 1/-6°C, 77 mm; Feb 2/-6°C, 65 mm
- Sendai (Sendai station): Dec 8/1°C, 44 mm; Jan 6/-1°C, 42 mm; Feb 7/-1°C, 34 mm
- Kobe (Kobe station): Dec 12/6°C, 49 mm; Jan 9/3°C, 38 mm; Feb 10/3°C, 56 mm
- Matsuyama (Matsuyama station): Dec 13/5°C, 62 mm; Jan 10/3°C, 51 mm; Feb 11/3°C, 66 mm
- Beppu & Yufuin (Yufuin station): Dec 10/-1°C, 55 mm; Jan 7/-2°C, 59 mm; Feb 9/-2°C, 76 mm
- Kumamoto (Kumamoto station): Dec 13/3°C, 61 mm; Jan 11/2°C, 57 mm; Feb 12/3°C, 83 mm
- Kagoshima (Kagoshima station): Dec 15/7°C, 93 mm; Jan 13/5°C, 78 mm; Feb 15/6°C, 113 mm
Onsen etiquette and what to check before you go
Onsen etiquette is simple: wash before entering the bath, and keep your towel out of the water. Some facilities restrict guests with tattoos, so check in advance.
Winter transport differs by region. In some places, like Sapporo, it is best to skip a rental car if you've never driven on snow, while places such as Kurokawa, Ibusuki and Kirishima are easiest by car. If you rent a car, Japan drives on the left and you need an International Driving Permit; in mountain areas, check whether the car has winter tires. Japan's entry requirements can change, so check official information before you travel.
- Upscale budgets with an onsen ryokan (per person per day): Sapporo and Hakodate about 45,000 JPY+; Beppu & Yufuin, Kobe and Otaru about 40,000 JPY+; Sendai, Matsuyama, Kumamoto and Kagoshima about 35,000 JPY+
- Mid-range budgets that include hot-spring entry: Matsuyama and Kagoshima about 14,000-20,000 JPY; Beppu & Yufuin about 15,000-22,000 JPY (onsen hotel)
- Book early for hot-spring lodgings on the outskirts of Yufuin and for Kurokawa
- Check official information for the dates of the Sapporo winter festival, the Jozenji-dori illuminations in Sendai and Hakodate's Christmas Fantasy
Plan your Beppu & Yufuin trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
Plan your Matsuyama trip
We never take payment — compare, then book on the official partner site.
Full Beppu & Yufuin travel guide →
FAQ
Can I use hot springs if I have tattoos?
Some facilities restrict guests with tattoos. Rules differ by facility, so check in advance.
Which hot springs are easy to visit from the city?
Hakodate's Yunokawa Onsen is a tram ride away, Kobe's Arima Onsen is 30 minutes to an hour by bus or train, and Sendai's Akiu Onsen is about 50 minutes by bus. Matsuyama's Dogo Onsen is reached by streetcar. From Fukuoka, Yufuin and Beppu are about 2 hours away, so start early.
What does a night at an onsen ryokan cost?
Upscale daily budgets per person are about 45,000 JPY+ in Sapporo and Hakodate, about 40,000 JPY+ in Beppu & Yufuin, Kobe and Otaru, and about 35,000 JPY+ in Sendai, Matsuyama, Kumamoto and Kagoshima.
Is it OK to drive to hot springs in winter?
Kurokawa, Ibusuki and Kirishima are easiest by car, but the Aso highlands get snow and ice in winter, so check for winter tires. In Sapporo, take trains or bus tours instead of a winter rental car if you've never driven on snow. Japan drives on the left, and you need an International Driving Permit.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Matsuyama Castle · Suicasmo / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Odori Park, Sapporo · Nkns / CC BY-SA 3.0