Onsen

Fortunately, Hakuba and the area around Morino Lodge are loaded with them! Our closest one is about 100 meters away, and there are over a half dozen more within a 5-minute walk.

This guide is intended to give you information about our favorite onsens in Hakuba, as well as to introduce you to some of the etiquette that goes along with them.

The rules of conduct at an onsen can basically be summed up in four points:

1. Clean yourself off before entering the bath. Most onsens these days have a showering area to clean up before entering the bath. In more traditional ones, use a washbowl to rinse off.
2. Go naked. You could wear a bathing suit in many onsens in Hakuba, but the truth is you’d probably get a lot more funny looks wearing one. It is common, however, to bring a “modesty towel” – a small towel to cover up with. If you’re still not ready to take a bath with naked strangers, there are two onsens nearby you can book out privately.
3. Don’t put anything other than your body in the bath. So if you have a small towel, don’t let it enter the water. Keep it on the side or, if you want to be like a local, on your head while you bathe.
4. Don’t be too noisy. The Japanese come to onsens to relax. Talking is no problem, but high-fives and cannonballs…not!

An extra point of interest: you can drink a beer while bathing. Just be careful not to spill it, and remember…no cannonballs!

We didn't used to recommend this one as it didn't used to have an outdoor bath. It does now… and it's very nice and only 100 meters away.

This is a really nice onsen and has both indoor and outdoor baths. The outdoor one (or “rotenburo”) with its stone walls and water that's not too hot is particularly nice! There are some discount tickets on the front desk counter.

In case you were starting to wonder, “yu” is Japanese for “hot water” and appears in the names of lots of onsens. Epoch no yu is a bath that can be booked privately by the hour. So if you aren't yet ready to get naked with a bunch of strangers, or have a special someone, this might be perfect! And it's less than 100 meters from Morino Lodge.

Located on the Matsukawa River (about a 4-minute drive or 20-minute walk from Morino Lodge), this is one of our favorites! With great views of the Japanese Alps and a rustic atmosphere, the murky, iron-rich water is said to have strong healing qualities for tired joints and muscles.

Natural spring water that, along with the Mominoki and Obinata no yu, has the highest pH in Japan. The scalding hot indoor tub is strictly for old Japanese gentlemen, but the stone outer bath has great views of Happo and 47. Mesmerizing times can be spent watching the falling snow lit up by spotlights.

Carved into natural rock and with a fantastic view of the mountains, this rustic spring is one of the best in town. Unfortunately, it's buried under meters of snow for most of the winter and doesn't open for bathing until late February. It's worth the wait, as there's nothing better on a spring day!