Oita’s onsen: A Hot Spring Heaven

Every nation has its obsessive enthusiasms and for Japan bathing is one of the nation’s favourites. Bathing is a nightly ritual in almost any home but it is equally popular when travelling domestically for pleasure or business when a visit to communal bathing facilities, especially onsen hot springs, is considered de rigeur, an absolute necessity. A prized pursuit of the Japanese, whether younger or older.

Onsen are found throughout much of the length and breadth of Japan. Oita, however, boasts the largest concentration of hot springs and they in turn are fed by the greatest volume of hot spring water. It is not for nothing that Oita self styles its self the Onsen-ken, a dual play on the local dialect and standard Japanese that translates, respectively, as Onsen, innit! and the Onsen Prefecture. An unchallenged, truly hot spring heaven.

Water vapour billows into the skies over Beppu, vents with a roar at Yufuin, seeps from myriad underground sources at Hosenji Onsen, and hangs on the sides of mountains in Kuju. All are outwardly obvious spectacles of the volcanic activity far below the earth’s surface that issues as onsen hot springs almost everywhere throughout Oita. These hot waters come in many different guises; some are clear and others murky, some pungent while others fizzy. Onsen can be found in the middle of towns, in the rural countryside, deep in the mountains, on islands, aside the sea, in rivers, atop hotels, indoors, outdoors, as sand baths, as waterfalls, male and female separated and mixed bathing, family baths, in-room at accommodation, cheap, more expensive or free to use. Whichever, each provides a deeply relaxing and reviving soak, and, depending on their mineral composition, may provide medicinal useful properties.

Beppu is a grandaddy of the onsen world having welcomed visitors to its resort for centuries, and Yufuin, Amagase, Hosenji, Yunohira, Nagayu, Sujiyu are also popular destinations because of their plentiful onsen. Yet there are far more dotted around Oita for the intrepid onsen-lover to explore and luxuriate in.

Undoubtedly, Oita is the onsen capital of Japan, if not the world. The prefecture is a mecca for anyone who likes to indulge in the soothing and relaxing waters hot springs and also enjoy the distinctive and gracious Japanese culture associated with bathing.

More information on Oita's onsen can be found at Explore the Onsen Country website.