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Roam · Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 24

Can someone tell me the name of a hot springs resort which is close to Tokyo? I would like to take a one day bus or train trip from a central station to the resort, than return home that night. Specific transit info. would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Happy New Year, everyone!

Nismo · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 520

nikko

GK · Joined: 18 Mar 2004 Posts: 8 Location: Far Far Away Land

Actually I'm also planning on a day trip when my mom comes visit. Which place is closer (say from, Tokyo stn) & cheaper? Nikko or Hakone? Thanks

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

Hakone is closer. Nikko is not really a day trip from Tokyo. Overnight maybe, but not a day trip.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

If you specifically want to go to an onsen outside of Tokyo, then probably Hakone is the most convenient for a one day trip. You can take the Odakyu Romance car from Shinjuku station to Hakone Yumoto... It's a comfortable train and takes about 80 minutes or so. There are a lot of onsens in that area and the area itself is reasonably pretty. It's worth checking beforehand because many of the nicer onsens don't allow day visitors... You need to be a guest at the hotel/ryokan in order to use their facilities.

If you just want to go to any onsen, my feeling is that the onsens in Tokyo are just as good, if not better than the ones in Hakone available for day use ... especially when you factor in the extra time and cost involved in getting there. Have you been to Oedo onsen in Odaiba or Niwa no Yu in Toshimaen?

You could do Nikko in a day... There's an express Tobu line train that runs from Asakusa station/Kita Senju station and is not too expensive. It's a comfortable train and takes about 2 hours I think ( I could be wrong though) ... From memory though, the last train back to Asakusa from Nikko leaves fairly early and unless you live near Asakusa or Kita Senju, it could end up being a fairly intensive day trip. In the area around Toshogu (not sure of spelling) there aren't actually too many onsens... and at least the one I went to was not worth travelling along distance for. You need to travel a bit further outside of Nikko proper to say Kinugawa for nicer onsens. But anyway, the countryside is certainly pretty.

VanKen · Joined: 29 Oct 2003 Posts: 139 Location: Calgary, AB Canada

If time is an important factor perhaps a Tokyo onsen like Seta Onsen www.setaonsen.co.jp might suffice. I went to this one when I was in Japan and found it quite to my liking. They had swimsuit-only outside pools for where persons of both sexes could bathe together, as well as the traditional pools indoors. Seta Onsen is a 10-minute walk from Futako Tamagawa Station on the Tokyu Denen Toshi and Oimachi lines. (A shuttle bus service from the station is available.)

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

My girlfriend and I recently spent a night at Echigo-Yazawa, in southern Niigata-Ken. It was great. The shinkensen will get you there in just a little over an hour, from Tokyo or Ueno JR stations. There are many onsens to choose from, and skiing too. I highly recommend it.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

from Shinjuku take the Odakyu line. By express train it takes about an hour to get to the stop Tsurumaki Onsen. There are 8 onsens not far from the station.
My wife and I go to the one closest to the station. Cross the street. You can see the ubiquitous pachinko place. Go left, walk by the Family Mart and the bakery and take a right. Walk a little up the street and the onsen is next to the museum.
During the week you can stay as long as you like but on the weekends there is a two hour limit.
Upstairs they have drinks and food. And tatami.

campestre · Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 46 Location: Japan

kamisuwa and shimosuwa onsen in nagano 2 .5 hours on the chuo via the azusa