Kusatsu Onsen Tops Japan’s Hot Springs Ranking in 2025

In the 2025 ranking of the most popular hot springs in Japan, Kusatsu Onsen is in the top spot for the second year running. The atmosphere of this hot-spring resort in Gunma Prefecture, combined with the therapeutic effects and quality of its waters, have made it a favorite among visitors. The top four places in the ranking in 2025 are the same as in the previous year, but Beppu Onsen in Ōita Prefecture rose to fifth place this time around.

The ranking was based on a 2024 survey by Jalan Research Center, which specializes in domestic tourism. The online survey, conducted from August 16 to 30, targeted approximately 12,600 members of the travel booking site Jalan.net.

For the overall popularity ranking, the survey participants were asked to list up to five hot-spring resorts they would like to revisit from among those they had visited before. Kusatsu Onsen was popular among those who were 60 or over, while Hakone Onsen in Kanagawa Prefecture, which ranked close behind in second place, was a favorite among younger age groups.

The centerpiece of Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture is the iconic Yubatake (Hot Water Field) area, where visitors can enjoy a stroll after bathing. (Courtesy the Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association)

In the area of Yubatake in Kusatsu Onsen, where the sulfuric sediment from the spring water called yunohana (hot water flowers) concentrates and settles, facilities have been upgraded and the townscape improved to become more convenient, according to JRC. Meanwhile, Hakone Onsen has become a hotspot among visitors from Europe and North America, given its convenient location between Tokyo and Mount Fuji, leading prices to rise in recent years.

Beppu Onsen in Ōita Prefecture rose to fifth place in the ranking, from its seventh-place spot in 2024. In addition, Dōgo Onsen in Ehime Prefecture, which ranked third overall, received the top evaluation for its “town atmosphere.”

Survey respondents were also asked to list their “dream hot spring resorts,” which are places they long to go to someday but have not yet had the chance to visit (multiple answers of up to five locations allowed). For the sixth consecutive year, Nyūtō Onsenkyō in Akita Prefecture ranked first. Among the top 50 dream hot springs in the ranking, Unazuki Onsen in Toyama Prefecture rose 7 places from last year’s ranking to twenty-third, while Awara Onsen in Fukui Prefecture shot up 11 places in the ranking to reach forty-fifth place.

The survey asked participants to list their “hidden gems” from among the hot springs they have visited (multiple answers of up to five locations allowed), and a ranking was compiled by dividing the number of recommendations for each hidden gem by the number of survey participants who visited it. For the third consecutive year, Nyūtō Onsenkyō in Akita Prefecture was ranked the top hidden gem, while Matsunoyama Onsen in Niigata Prefecture rose from its tenth place ranking last year to fourth place.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: The Sainokawara outdoor bath in Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture, where visitors can enjoy an expansive feeling. Courtesy the Kusatsu Onsen Tourism Association.)