How To Book A Private Onsen: Japan’s Best Kept Secret

A must-do activity in Japan is to visit a natural onsen, or a Japanese hot spring.

The only problem? No bathing suits are allowed in an onsen…and they aren’t usually private either.

So if you’re a bit more body shy (like me), or have any tattoos, then Japan’s best kept secret is for you: the private onsen!

Keep reading to find out how, and where, you can experience this century old Japanese tradition… in private!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

What Is An Onsen In Japan?

An onsen in Japan is natural hot spring bath. But they’re so much more than just that. For starters, the water is filled with beneficial minerals for our health.

But back in the day, homes weren’t built with showers or baths so onsens were the only way locals could bathe.

So several small towns were built around a natural hot spring source with public onsens for people to bathe and relax in.

Today an iconic experience in Japan is to wear a yukata (a light bathrobe) and walk around an onsen town trying all the different public baths. It makes a great weekend activity or romantic getaway!

Private Vs. Public Onsen

Onsens are typically public, separated by gender. So a few women, or men, can be in the same bath at once.

A private onsen, on the other hand, is for one person, or even one group to use at a time. Private onsens will be a part of a hotel or ryokan, either in your room or in the hotel.

So keep in mind, if you visit an onsen town, you won’t find any private onsens in the streets, these are all public onsens.

The Problem With Public Onsens In Japan

There area few issues with public onsens that might want to consider finding a private onsen for yourself…

Comfortable Being Nude “In Public”

Okay, so you’re not nude in complete public, but you are potentially nude with other people of the same gender.

And you’re not quickly changing in a locker room for a few seconds. You’re showering completely naked in an open space, and then sitting in a bath for an undetermined amount of time.

Onsens Are Gendered, So You Might Be Separated From Your Partner

As I mentioned, public onsens are separated by gender… for obvious reasons!

But if you’re travelling with someone of the opposite gender, then more likely than not, it would be nice to have this experience together.

You did book this trip together after all!

They Are Not Tattoo Friendly Onsens

You might also need to book a private onsen in Japan if you have any tattoos!

Although it’s not illegal to have a tattoo in Japan, it isn’t widely accepted as a whole.

I never like disrespecting the culture I’m visiting. So although you may be able to hide your tattoos when you’re wearing clothes, you won’t be able to while bathing in an onsen!

Two Types Of Private Onsens

As I said, you won’t find a private onsens on the streets of an onsen towns. You’ll have to book a hotel or ryokan that offers this in an onsen town in Japan.

So you won’t be able to book a private onsen in a hotel in Tokyo, because there aren’t any onsens in Tokyo. You will still have to travel to an onsen town to find a private onsen!

There are two types of private hot spring baths you can find: either one in your room, or the hotel has one (or a few) for all guests to use… one at a time.

Sometimes, the same hotel will offer both types.

The drawback is that hotels and ryokans that offer a private onsen aren’t easy to find. There’s not exactly a hotel filter for private hot spring baths (but continue reading for some recommendations!).

Option 1: A Private Bath In Your Room

A private bath in your room will be the most expensive option but maybe the most worthwhile for you!

Having a private hot spring bath in your room means you don’t even have to leave your room to experience an onsen. So it’s pretty convenient.

You can find some really beautiful hotels and ryokans with this feature (like the Balinese Ryokan in Hakone… see it on Booking.com here!). Making it the ultimate romantic getaway!

Splurge on a ryokan with a view to just relax and enjoy quality time with your partner without anybody else! I’d recommend a private bath in your room if you’re on a romantic holiday, like your honeymoon or anniversary trip.

Drawbacks To A Private Bath In Your Room

But an onsen in your room isn’t the traditional way to experience an onsen in Japan.

You are still getting the benefits from the water, but it’s also not the same experience as the public onsens at all.

For starters, you don’t experience walking around in your yukata, which is part of the fun! And you don’t have to awkwardly use a public showering.

You also have to be careful when booking the private onsen in your room because sometimes the bath itself is quite small. It can be more of a practical single person bath instead of a beautiful hot spring.

This will of course change based on the hotel you book.

Option 2: A Private Bath In The Hotel

A private bath in the hotel is like a private public bath. It’s public because it’s open to any guest of the hotel. But you lock the door behind you so only one group can use it at a time.

Typically, these baths are a bit larger than the in-room baths, so you can fit more people at one.

And because you actually have to leave your hotel room, you still get to experience the beautiful onsen bath as you would have in the public baths (and sometimes they’re even nicer!).

At least with the private bath that I experienced, it also was set up exactly as the public baths are. There’s a room to leave your belongings, an area to shower first, and then the bath room. So I still felt as though I had the same experience as a public bath, if not better because I didn’t have any awkwardness!

(And yes, please shower before entering the onsen, this is very important for hygiene!)

Perks Of A Ryokan With Private Onsen

As I mentioned, the private bath in the hotel can be very similar to the experience you’d get at a public onsen.

And it can also be more budget friendly than booking a personal onsen in your hotel room.

As always, this will depend on the hotel or ryokan!

Drawbacks: You Might Have To Wait For One To Be Available

There are different ways the hotel can go about offering a private onsen to their guests.

Depending on how many private onsen the hotel has, you might have to wait for one to be available. The ryokan I stayed at actually had 5 private hot spring baths and I still had to wait for one!

I did notice that hotels that only had one onsen you needed to reserve your time in advance… sometimes for an extra fee on top of your stay!

How Much Is A Private Onsen In Japan?

A private onsen will typically cost you a lot more than a public onsen, but of course it will depend on the type of private onsen and the hotel.

As I mentioned, a private hot spring bath in your hotel room will always be the most expensive option.

Keep in mind that public onsens aren’t completely free either. Often, the key to the public baths are included with your stay as well. Otherwise, you may not have access to the public baths in the town at all. Or, there may be one in the onsen town that you can use for a small fee.

Finding A Ryokan or Hotel With Private Onsen Japan

Finding a hotel with a private onsen is easier said than done! There’s no simple filter that lets you sort by hotels that have offer a private onsen.

But one things for sure, you’re more likely to find a hotel with a private hot spring bath in an onsen town. You won’t find an onsen in any in larger cities like Tokyo, as there isn’t any natural hot spring water.

Here are some hotel and ryokan recommendations I found with private baths…

Ryokans in Shibu Onsen With Private Baths (Where I Stayed)

I really wanted to visit Snow Monkey Park in Japan so booked a night in Shibu Onsen as my onsen town.

I stayed at Kanaguya which offered both private baths in the hotel and in your room. There are 5 private baths included in your stay, and some of them are really nice (at least the one I used!). Let’s just say, it’s a very local place to stay… and not the easiest to book a room either. Visit their website here.

We regret not booking Shibu Onsen Kokuya across the street. It’s a bit more updated to say the least. You can reserve a private bath in the ryokan and you can also book a room with a private open air bath! A bonus is that you can easily book it through Booking.com here.

Ryokans in Hakone With Private Baths

Hakone is a popular bath town to visit from Tokyo, and it’s also near Mount Fuji. I almost splurged on this ryokan with a private onsen and mountain view… I mean, it doesn’t get better than that!

The Balinese onsen ryokan Hakone Airu books up fast though, see availability on Booking.com here.

Modern Ryokan in Kusatsu With Private Bath

Kusatsu is another very popular bath town near Tokyo. In fact, Kusatsu is one of the “sanmeisen” or rather one of the “three famed hot springs” in Japan according to philosopher Hayashi Razan (read more about it here).

So it’s a no brainer that it makes the perfect destination for a weekend getaway from Tokyo.

Stay at Kusatsu Onsen Eidaya for a more modern take on the ryokan in Japan. The ryokan offers both a private bath in the hotel and some rooms with a private bath. See it on Booking.com here.

Hotel With Private Bath In Kyoto (Arashiyama)

You won’t find a hotel with a private bath in the city centre in Kyoto, but if you head to the Arashiyama neighbourhood you’re in luck (at a cost!).

The Suiran Hotel in Arashiyama is a luxury hotel where you can reserve a spot in their larger private bath in the hotel. But 17 out of their 39 rooms also offer an onsen bath in the room, they call it a Hinoki/Japanese wooden bathtub. See your options on Booking.com here.

Nearby you can also book the Hanaikada ryokan. Certain rooms will have a private bath and there’s also an open air private bath in the ryokan you can reserve for an extra fee. See it on Booking.com here.

The Hanaikada is also the only hotel I’ve seen where you can enjoy the private bath without booking a room at the hotel. They also offer the private bath to guests dining at their restaurant.

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Last update on 2024-05-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API