Akigawa Valley: A Quiet River Day Trip in Western Tokyo
Tokyo keeps a river valley where the loudest thing is the water.
Interest
Hot Springs
17 quiet, car-free trips built around Hot Springs.
Kannawa, Beppu: Where the Steam Does the Cooking
Beppu is known for the sheer volume of hot water beneath it, but the quarter that repays a slow visit is Kannawa, on the slope above the town.
Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama: The Quiet Side of Japan's Oldest Bath Town
Dogo sits on the eastern rim of Matsuyama, the largest city on the island of Shikoku, and it wears its age lightly.
The Quiet Hot-Spring Valley of Hanamaki
West of Hanamaki, in Iwate, the Toyosawa River comes down out of the hills through a long, wooded gorge.
Iizaka Onsen Day Trip from Fukushima: Old Public Baths, No Car Needed
Iizaka Onsen is a spa town that never needed to reinvent itself.
Iwai Onsen: A Quiet Hot-Spring Village Behind Tottori's Sea Rocks
On the eastern edge of Tottori prefecture, a short way inland from the rock-strewn Uradome coast, the hot-spring village of Iwai keeps a kind of quiet that…
A Quiet Day on the Shonai Coast: Kamo Aquarium and Yunohama Onsen
On the far side of Yamagata's mountains, the prefecture meets the Sea of Japan along a stretch of shoreline known as the Shonai coast.
A Quiet Morning in Kinosaki Onsen, and Genbudo's Basalt Caves
Kinosaki wears its fame lightly: a canal town of willows and wooden inns where guests pad between public bathhouses in cotton robes.
Murakami: A Salmon Town and Castle Hill Day Trip in Northern Niigata
This guide draws on the Hokuriku volume of Shinsen Meisho Chishi, the Meiji-era gazetteer edited by Tayama Katai, together with visitor information published…
Natadera Temple and the Kaga Hot Springs: A Quiet Day in Ishikawa
Natadera stands at Nata, in the old Enuma district of Kaga — today part of Komatsu in Ishikawa — and has long been counted among the great Shingon temples of…
Oyu Onsen and the Oyu Stone Circles: Springs and Standing Stones in Northern Akita
In the far north-east of Akita prefecture, where the Oyu river winds out of the hills of Kazuno, an old hot-spring village and a far older ring of stones sit…
Shima Onsen: A Quiet Hot-Spring Valley in Gunma
Nakanojo is a township of mountains in the northwest of Gunma.
Takeo: The Great Camphor and a Quiet Onsen Town in Saga
Some places earn a visit with a whole itinerary.
Tattoo-Friendly Onsen Near Tokyo: A Practical Guide
Every facility tattoo policy in this guide was checked on the facility's own website on 2026-08-25, so check official information before visiting.
Yamaga: Kumamoto's Quiet Onsen and Lantern Town
In the far north of Kumamoto Prefecture, where the Kikuchi River comes down out of the hills, there is a small town that has been receiving bathers for about…
Yamaguchi City Without the Hurry: A Quiet Day in the Western Kyoto
Yoro Valley (Yoro Keikoku): Waterfalls and Kanto's Last Autumn Colors
Yoro Valley — Yōrō Keikoku in Japanese — hides in the middle of Chiba's Boso Peninsula.