If You're NearbyNatureHot springsSkiing

Kusatsu Onsen

One of Japan's most famous hot spring towns, built around a steaming field of wooden channels, with ski slopes nearby in winter.

Photo: Aw1805 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Best Time to Go
May–Jun, Sep–Feb
Our full guide to Kusatsu Onsen is being written. It's on the Kanto list as If You're Nearby.

Go Next

1–3 of 18
Worth a Detour
Mountains · Wildlife

Nagano

About 22 miles away

Zenkō-ji temple's city, with wild snow monkeys bathing in hot springs nearby.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Mountains · Skiing

Hakuba

About 41 miles away

A big ski resort of the Japanese Alps and a 1998 Olympic venue, with summer hiking to alpine lakes.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Heritage · Castles

Matsumoto

Nagano
About 43 miles away

A mountain city with Japan's oldest black castle, facing the Alps.

Guide Coming Soon

The Full Short List

Kanto

Tokyo, Nikko and the Hakone hot springs.

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