What to do during Tokyo’s long, frigid winters? Seek refuge and warmth in the many wonderful onsen (hot springs) scattered throughout the city, naturally. Here are our favorites.
Spa LaQua
A hot spring located inside a massive shopping and entertainment center sounds about right for Tokyo. LaQua brings its spring water up from 17,000 meters below ground, a feat that can be attributed only to ingenious Japanese engineering. Across the spa’s four levels you’ll find a delightfully tranquil outdoor hot spring, five types of saunas, relaxation areas, and a restaurant. Beyond the baths and saunas, LaQua has a Western-style spa where you can get massages and no-nonsense Korean body scrubs—not for the faint of heart or epidermis. (1-1-1 Kasuga, Bunkyo-ku; +81-3-5800-9999)
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GETTING THERE: Marunouchi, Namboku, Mita, Oedo lines to Korakuen station; Chuo-Sobu or Mita line to Suidobashi station
OPEN: Daily, 11am—9am
PRICE: Adults/¥2,565; children/An additional¥1,785; ¥1,890 is charged from 1—6am and an additional ¥325 is charged on weekends and public holidays
Oedo Onsen Monogatari
Like LaQua, this enormous onsen draws its water from 1,400 meters underground. There are six baths, all of which are filled with water rich in chlorine ions and sodium, meaning they’re meant to relieve muscle and joint pain. The baths include a lukewarm option, ideal for Tokyo’s sweltering summers, and a bath dedicated to man’s alleged best friend. In the garden is a 50-meter foot bath and another where you sit as tiny fish bite at your feet, riding them of dead skin. Catering to groups who want to spend a full day and even the night, Oedo Onsen Monogatari has restaurants, shops, accommodation, and of course a fortune teller. (2-57 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo; +81-3-5500-1126)
GETTING THERE: Yurikamome line to Telecom Center station
OPEN: Daily, 11am-9am (last entry 7am)
PRICE: Adults/¥1,980 (Mon.-Fri.), ¥2,180 (weekends and holidays); students grades 6 and up/¥1,480 (Mon.-Fri.), ¥1,680 (weekends and holidays), children/¥900; additional ¥1,700 after 2am; ¥1,380/5-7am)
Moegi no Yu
It’s a testament to the expanse of Tokyo’s public transportation system that this onsen, a 10-minute walk from a metro station, is in the mountains. Loosen up your aching muscles after a day of hiking with Moegi’s lovely, rustic outdoor baths, from which you can gaze out at the Tama River valley. There are also indoor baths and a foot soaking area, the perfect antidote to a long day of pounding the trail. Prices are for a two-hour session, after which it’s an additional ¥200 per hour; unlike most city onsen, the price here does not include a towel. (119-1 Hikawa, Okutama, Nishitama-gun; +81-428-82-7770)
GETTING THERE: Ome line to Okutama station
OPEN: Apr.-June: 9:30am-8pm; July-Sept.:9:30am-9:30pm; Oct. and Nov.: 9:30am-8pm; Dec.-Mar.: 9:30am-7pm; last entry is one hour before closing time. Always closed Mon.; closed Tues. if Mon. is a holiday
PRICE: Adults/¥750; children/¥400
Heiwajima Natural Hot Spring
This immaculate onsen makes the cut—because it’s just 15 minutes from Haneda airport and Heiwajima Natural—smartly runs a free morning shuttle bus from the spa. One hundred fifty tons of spring water are drawn daily from 2,000 meters below ground and used to fill two outdoor baths and five indoor baths, including the Togoal Bath, which Heiwajima says is “effective for those with lower back pain, joint pain, constipation, and those sensitive to cold temperatures.” If all you’re after is a nap and a bite, the onsen’s in-house restaurant serves Chinese, Japanese, and Western food, after which you can curl up in the relaxation room’s reclining loungers. (2/F, Big Fun Heiwajima, 1-1-1 Heiwajima, Ota-ku; +81-3-3768-9121)
GETTING THERE: Keikyu Main line to Heiwajima station; Keihin-Tohoku to Omori station; there’s a free shuttle from both stations
OPEN: 24/7
PRICE: Adults/¥1,200 (Mon.-Fri.); /¥1,500 (weekends and holidays); children/¥900; There is a ¥1,000 surcharge from 12-5am. The above prices are for a seven-hour stay; the price is increased by ¥200 for each hour over seven.
Take no Yu
An Azabu-Juban mainstay, tiny Take no Yu offers a truly local experience; bring your own towel and be prepared to rub elbows with those who appreciate a value-for-money dip. This onsen’s draw is its mud-brown, mineral-rich water. It’s available by the liter for takeaway so you can somewhat replicate the experience when you’re back State-side. There are two separate baths, divided by temperature, so you can feel the burn or cool off a bit in the more temperature pool. Added bonus: Take No Yu is one stop from Roppongi on the Oedo Line, so you can spend the morning skyscraper gazing and the afternoon soaking. (1-15-12 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku; +81-3-3453-1446)
GETTING THERE: Namboku and Oedo lines to Azabu-Juban station
OPEN: Tues.-Thurs and weekends: 3:30-11:30pm
PRICE: Adults/¥450; children/ ¥18s; infants/¥80
